From childcare to sales and marketing to trucking… It’s safe to say Errin-Leigh Spratt is a jack of all trades.
Swapping the playful chaos of childcare for the roar of diesel engines isn’t too common, but that’s exactly what Errin-Leigh did, leaping from nurturing young minds to mastering the open roads.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australia’s transport industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly Deals on Wheels magazine.
- Sell your truck with Australia’s #1 truck classifieds
“Working in childcare is the complete opposite of what I do now,” Errin-Leigh laughs.
“The children I used to look after, their parents would always tell me I was really good at talking, so I should get into sales.”
Complimented on her knack for communication, she took a chance on sales at Civic Transport, quickly skyrocketing to become the top seller in the country.
This unexpected pivot led her into the transport industry.
“From there, I started getting absolutely obsessed with trucks and then even bigger trucks,” she says.
“So, I went to my first convoy as a passenger, which was Lights on the Hill, and it was there that I decided to get my MC license so I could drive the trucks in myself.”
Errin-Leigh has now had her HR license for six years and MC licence for four — a symbol of her dedication and persistence in a male-dominated industry which she says was challenging to begin with.
“When I heard about the percentage of women in Australia with an MC license, it was one per cent of the country at that time,” she says.
“So I thought yeah, I’m gonna change that, and I did what I could to prove them wrong.”
Errin-Leigh says she encourages other women and girls not to be afraid of the industry and be open to the opportunities it can bring.
“To the women, just do it. It’s a lifelong career, and you’ve just got to laugh and forget what people say to you.
“You will always have people telling you no, or you might not get taken seriously.
“You need to ignore it and prove them wrong.
“There’s always going to be challenges in a male-dominated industry, but the challenges have been and gone now.”
Currently working in the sales and marketing department of Team Transport, Errin-Leigh’s role extends beyond the office, taking the trucks out for a run or to a show if there’s ever a driver shortage.
She doesn’t own any other trucks, but Team Transport has over 250 vehicles and are a sponsor of the RSPCA.
“We offer them free transport, we support their events and we do a lot of fundraising in-house,” she says.
“We’ve wrapped a truck for them as well, to give them more visibility on the road.”
This wrapped truck is a special Kenworth 409 with a bright blue cab featuring images of animals and white paw-prints, which is sure to catch the eyes of passers-by.
“The truck’s blue is the brand colour of the RSPCA, and all the animals on there are currently in the care of RSPCA so we are showcasing them,” Errin-Leigh explains.
“The RSPCA and I were going back and forth on choosing a really vibrant wrap that would stand out and this is what we ended up with.
“We wrapped it this year and it currently does wharf cartage runs, that’s what it’s always done.
“We really want to keep it clean, and we love how much it’s being seen on the highway as it’s going up and down all day, every day. I love it, it’s my favourite.”
Bought brand new, the Kenworth is not only a workhorse but a showpiece, with Errin-Leigh recently taking it to the Brisbane Convoy for Kids, recalling the joy on the children’s faces as they spotted the colourful truck.
“The convoy was brilliant, it just hits different, because the kids really love the RSPCA truck,” she said.
“They’re always pointing at the puppy thinking it’s so cute and then there’s also pigs, birds, and even an alpaca on there, they just love it.”
Errin-Leigh has proved to others and most importantly, herself that with some determination and courage you can steer you own path into any field, even the transport industry.
Read more:
- Perth’s Camp Quality Convoy raised $400,000 for sick children
- Former ambulance driver shares 1942 Ford Flathead resto story
- Truck lover discovers Belgium’s Holridge fleet during European holiday
- Rock star lyrics adorn Rasmussen Bulk Haulage’s dazzling Kenworths
- Truckies Toy Run brings Christmas cheer to families
Check out the Deals on Wheels Facebook here.