Brendan Sorenson has been awarded the Kim Aunger Young Achiever Award

Brendan Sorensen was heralded at the Australian Auto Aftermarket Excellence Awards Banquet as the Kim Aunger Young Achiever Award recipient.
The Kim Aunger Young Achiever Award is presented in honour of one of the founders and former Presidents of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, Kim Aunger, who tragically lost his life whilst still in his prime.
First presented in 1992, this Award recognises the achievements of an individual in the industry who is under 35 years of age and has demonstrated through their work, their leadership and in their community, all the attributes of a future leader in our industry and society.
Completing his apprenticeship in 2010 under the watchful eye of his father at Steve Sorensen Mechanical, Brendan Sorensen soon realised if you could diagnose a car that others cannot, you can win a customer for life, which led him down the path of self-learning as a specialty diagnostician.
Embracing the emerging technology connecting technicians around the globe, Brendan set a schedule to study 12 hours spread across the week, after his daily workshop duties, joining seminars and forums from all over the world.
This learning was complemented by attending various night and weekend tradesmen level technical classes on emerging vehicle technologies and repair.
In 2015, Maurice Donovan, winner of the 2019 AAAA Outstanding Service to Industry Award, begun a mentorship, and friendship, that inevitably introduced Brendan to a progressive group of likeminded learners, thinkers, and sharers – ‘The Automotive Technician.’
During this time, Brendan established his own YouTube and Facebook presence, firstly on the Sorensen Mechanical page to display their capabilities, then later on ‘The Automotive Technician’ page, teaching innovative diagnostic techniques, accruing millions of views and thousands of subscribers worldwide.
His day-job at Steve Sorensen Mechanical incorporates the role of lead diagnostician where he focuses on troubleshooting vehicles and guiding his fellow staff technicians through their own skills growth in the area, as well as the Workshop Manager/Owner role.
This leadership mindset certainly led to Brendan’s directorship invitation to TaT, and he has thrived within the website-based company, with Brendan mostly dedicating evenings, to implementing forward thinking ideas to add value to TaT members.
With an official role of ‘TaT Technical Team and Training Director,’ Brendan now heads a handpicked group of team members, consisting of some of the best and brightest in their respective automotive fields across Australasia.
Brendan is one of the more recognised trainers on the Australian circuit, praised for his dynamic, practical teaching style; and is also focused on succession planning for his transition into owner of the family business as his parents, Steve and Robyn, plan retirement over the coming years.
“What a surprise, thank you very much. I am not an extraordinary person, I am just a hard-working person who had the right people around me; a lot of leaders that are in this room tonight, and a lot of mentors, including Maurice, my parents, and the fellow TaT directors,” Brendan said.
“There are young people out there that want to succeed, and they want to see the industry succeed, so if you can take someone on as a mentorship that is the way we are going to get over this skills shortage.
“Every one of us has a role. I will be taking some younger guys under our wing, and I urge you to do the same.
“I think we have a long and prosperous industry ahead of us.”

For more information, visit www.aftermarketawards.com.au