Delivered over five weeks from our workshops in Dandenong and Sunshine West, Hand Brake Turn is an inclusive automotive training program designed to walk alongside young people to provide a safe and supportive space for learning, mentoring, and skills development.

Program Overview

• Duration: 5 weeks.
• Focus: Pre-accredited automotive work skills for young people aged 15 and over.

Hand Brake Turn (HBT) is great for young people who:

• Love cars, engineering, mechanics, STEM.
• Want some space to think about next steps.
• Are interested in learning about future opportunities – we have identified over 52 diverse pathways to employment our course prepares young people for. It’s not just mechanics!

HBT supports (re)engagement with education, training and employment. HBT works well for young people from all backgrounds, including those who are disengaged from education and training or those who are ready to start their automotive employment journey.

The Program approach is inclusive and supportive

• HBT is designed to be inclusive and caters for young people with diverse learning needs.
• It is a respectful, safe, welcoming space where all participants feel valued, and their strengths and potential recognised.
• Emphasis on building life skills such as resilience, goal setting, communication, and building confidence.
• Trainers and Youth Workers provide mentorship and work with schools, case managers, and families to provide case coordination and wrap-around supports for the young person’s support needs and goals.

Real skills and mentoring

• Hands-on experience in automotive maintenance and tool use. That means working on real cars!
• Mentoring from experienced trainers and youth workers who guide participants through both technical and personal development.
• Opportunities to transition into employment pathways, including through the fiXit Social Enterprise, which offers short-term jobs to graduates.

Social Skills and Community

• Encourages teamwork, verbal communication, safety and responsibility in a real mechanical workshop environment.
• Builds confidence through practical tasks and positive reinforcement.

In an external evaluation, participants stated that as well as supporting the transition to employment, Hand Brake Turn had helped them to develop technical and life skills, increased confidence, improved wellbeing, and had a positive effect on their relationships with parents / carers.

“Hand Brake Turn is not about grading or assessments. Its hands on learning at your own speed. Its about getting skills and accessing support to help you be job-ready and tackle life’s challenges.”

Bettina Twyman, Program Manager