Each week for Wrenching Women Wednesday, we focus our efforts on shining a light on Women in Automotive and their journey’s in automotive. This week, we would like to introduce Taylor Wolff, Test Engineer for Cummins, Inc. Taylor earned a Bachelor Degree in Automotive Technology from Southern Illinois University in 2020 and is 609 Certified.
This is Taylor’s story
I am from the south suburbs of Chicago and began my automotive career at a Jiffy Lube for the sake of having a job to get myself through college. I started there with zero knowledge, and quickly dove into it all. I started taking classes at the community college I was attending, and taught myself a ton with my Jeep. During this time, I quickly advanced to Store Manager while attending classes at the same time.
Eventually, I got to a point where I knew being a manager of a quick lube wasn’t going to be enough for me. At 26 years old, I decided to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree in Automotive Technology at Southern Illinois University. After only three semesters, I should have walked across the stage with my diploma. Unfortunately, the pandemic took away the graduation ceremony.College wasn’t easy by any means, but I had to fight until the end. In 2017, I finally graduated and set off to pursue and achieve my dreams in the diesel industry.
While at SIU, I was able to work on an experiment involving variable compression with a dyno, write an article for an automotive magazine, and was president of the SIU Off-Road Club.My advice to anyone looking to learn a trade: If you want to do something, don’t allow anyone to hold you back. Your opportunities are endless- so chase your dreams and be your own hero.
I now work for Cummins as a Test Engineer at the Technical Center in Columbus, IN. (Being an engineer still feels funny to me after all that time working on vehicles, cursing the ones who have helped design them, haha.) As a Test Engineer, I am responsible for running tests on new engines and systems to determine reliability and find problems before the product gets into the consumer’s hands. I really love my job because I get to see new products and technologies, have an impact on what goes into production, and collaborate with technicians every day.”
– Taylor Wolff
About Katie French
Katie French, founder of Wrenching Women Wednesday, is an Automotive Repair Expert at RepairPal. Her love for the automotive industry began at a young age learning how to fix bicycles and driving around the neighborhood in a pink Power Wheels Jeep. To pursue a career in the field, Katie attended NEIT for Advanced Automotive Technology out in East Greenwich, RI. Since graduating from the automotive program, Katie has worn many hats in the auto industry over the years, and has treated every day as a school day. She currently is working toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Management with a concentration in Fleet Management from Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, MO. In her free time, Katie enjoys empowering women in skilled trades, Jeep builds, and spending time with her family.
