The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Alyssa Briggs as its January 2025 Member of the Month. At only 24 years old, Briggs has been a trailer mechanic at XPO, Inc. for nearly four years.
Unsure of what she wanted to do when she grew up, Briggs decided to go to a vocational school where she was instructed to pick three-course options. Her first choice was CNC machining, as her stepfather is a CNC machinist, and she had been considering following in his footsteps. Her second choice was welding, and her third choice was the diesel mechanic course. She was accepted into her third choice – the diesel mechanic course. At first, she was scared because she knew nothing about anything mechanical, and the closest she had come to working on a vehicle was watching her stepfather change the oil in a car.
On the first day of school, she realized she was the only woman in her class, making her even more nervous; however, most of the men were quick to answer her questions and taught her a lot of helpful information. As time passed, she grew to love mechanics, and the more she learned, the more interested she became.
After graduation, Briggs wanted to become a professional mechanic but was terrified of applying for a job. “I felt like I didn’t have a chance in this industry,” said Briggs. “I wasn’t sure who would give a woman a chance, and it took a little more than a year of considering my options and a whole bunch of pep talks with my husband, who finally convinced me to give it a try.”
Briggs began researching and came across XPO, which seemed like the perfect fit as the pay, benefits, and time off stood out compared to the company’s competitors. The day after applying, she received a call to come in for an interview. During the interview, she still felt like she had no chance of getting hired but she was determined to give it her best. “I remember asking the interviewer if the company had ever employed a woman mechanic and to my surprise, he responded with, ‘we actually have two other great women mechanics here.’ I couldn’t believe it, and hearing that helped ease my nerves going into this field – I wasn’t alone!” Once Briggs was extended a job offer, she immediately accepted and was beyond excited. She knew XPO was the right place for her and to this day, she can’t ask for a better place to work saying, “the amount of support and respect I receive is unmatched.”
Throughout her time at XPO, Briggs has been able to further her knowledge with hands-on experience. In fact, in November of last year, Briggs had the chance to put her skills to the test at the company’s annual MasterTech competition, which tests the professional skills and knowledge of XPO’s top technicians. To qualify for the competition, technicians must pass an entrance exam, interview, and quality checks on their work. Next, the top 20 mechanics, eight truck mechanics, eight trailer mechanics, and four forklift mechanics within the company are invited to compete against each other in Orlando, FL. Briggs took first place in the competition, which consisted of 27 stations, including electrical, preventative maintenance, brakes, and tires. She is the first woman in history to win first place saying, “this accomplishment will motivate me to become even better technician and will motivate other women to take chances and to just go for things in their career. I hope other women mechanics and women who are considering going into this field see this and know that we are just as capable in a male-dominated field!”
