Post-00s 'auto repair girl' receives invitation to final job interview before graduation

Gu Huijing, a post-00s Chinese girl who is widely known by Chinese netizens as "the female student who studies car repair", displays an invitation card for directly taking part in the final round of a job interview. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of People's Daily)

Gu Huijing, a post-00s Chinese girl who is widely known by netizens across the country as "auto repair girl", was recently invited to the final round of a job interview by an executive from an automaker.

The executive extended the invitation to Gu at the recently concluded finals of the 2024 Formula Student Electric China (FSEC), a race car design competition aimed at facilitating the cultivation of young talents for China's automobile industry.

The competition brought together 82 teams from China, Germany, and Singapore.

Gu Huijing (first from right), a post-00s Chinese girl who is widely known by Chinese netizens as "auto repair girl," takes part in the finals of the 2024 Formula Student Electric China (FSEC), a race car design competition aimed at facilitating the cultivation of young talents for China's automobile industry. The competition brought together 82 teams from China, Germany, and Singapore. (Photo/CCTV News)

The Shenzhen Polytechnic University's team won multiple awards at the competition, with Gu being a member of the team.

Gu was mainly responsible for recording data on unmanned vehicle testing and technical presentations, among other tasks.

While her team passed the tests with excellent results, Gu, by virtue of her outstanding skills, stood out among the participants and received an invitation to directly take part in the final round of a job interview from a car company executive at the finals.

"I feel very lucky to get this job interview opportunity, but I still need to strengthen my foundation. I want to continue to deepen my knowledge in the automotive field, and I will use this experience as motivation to study harder," Gu said.

Gu Huijing (first from right), a post-00s Chinese girl who is widely known by Chinese netizens as "auto repair girl," takes part in the finals of the 2024 Formula Student Electric China (FSEC), a race car design competition aimed at facilitating the cultivation of young talents for China's automobile industry. (Photo/CCTV News)

Gu has had a passion for cars since she was young. When she was in elementary school, every time she saw cool car scenes in movies, she thought they were particularly awesome. She had always dreamed that once she grew up, she would have her own car, modify it herself, and repair it herself.

"I thought that would be a really cool thing to do," Gu recalled.

After graduating from middle school, Gu was admitted to Shenzhen Second Vocational and Technical School, which is located in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. She studied automotive operation and mechanical and electrical maintenance at the school.

Being the only girl in her class, Gu showed remarkable perseverance and made unremitting efforts to learn theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Whenever she had the chance, Gu would consult with teachers and senior students, while combining self-study and practice to brush up on her skills.

Thanks to her unyielding spirit and enthusiasm for cars, in 2021, she won the first prize in the automobile mechanical and electrical maintenance category of a professional skills competition held for vocational school students in Guangdong Province, becoming the first female student in Guangdong to participate in and win such an event.

The experience made her known by many internet users, who affectionately call her "auto repair girl".

Gu Huijing (left), a post-00s Chinese girl who is widely known by Chinese netizens as "auto repair girl," receives training at the Shenzhen Second Vocational and Technical School, which is located in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. The photo was taken when she was 17 years old. (Photo/CCTV News)

During her vocational school studies, Gu made a firm resolution not only to learn how to repair cars but also to strive to one day be involved in car manufacturing.

After graduating from Shenzhen Second Vocational and Technical School, Gu enrolled in the School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering at Shenzhen Polytechnic University, majoring in New Energy Vehicle Technology.

In university, she became even more diligent, with studying and training becoming her main daily routine.

She has also actively participated in various skills competitions, winning second prize in the national intelligent connected vehicle technology competition in her sophomore year.

"Many people think that car repair is a job for boys. This kind of thinking represents the usual stereotype of girls. I believe that professions have nothing to do with gender," Gu said previously.