by Jennifer Frey
"Are there any Service men that I could talk to?"
"I'd like to talk to someone that knows what they're doing."
"I didn't realize there were women in the Service Department."
Sadly,
these phrases are not uncommon when you are a female working as a
Service Writer. These things have been said to me everyday, by men AND
women alike. Unfortunately, the world doesn't seem ready to take their
Automotive advice from a woman. There have been times when the male
Service Writer had 5 customers waiting for him, while I had no one. I
have often wanted to explain my background and experience, so customers
would be willing to work with me.
I caught the Automotive bug
when I was about 16 years old. My older brother was trading up for a
new sports car, so I got his old Honda. I wanted to learn how to fix it
up, so I went to my local bookstore and started thumbing through the
car magazines. I saw all these amazing cars, customized to the extreme
and race ready. It was then that my passion for all things Honda was
born.
I went down to my local Honda dealer and basically
begged for a job. Even though I had no experience, the Service Manager
was amazed at how passionate I was about cars. I started working as an
assistant to the Service Writers, answering phones and writing up oil
changes. I would sneak back to the shop every chance I could and the
mechanics were glad to show me the ropes. I knew I wasn't supposed to
be back there, and I'd try to hide whenever I saw my boss coming, but
he could always spot my bright pink shoelaces.
After about a year there I heard one of the mechanics mention a Honda
school. As soon as I heard that I could learn about and work on Hondas
all day long I made it my life's goal to get in that school. Luckily,
it was only about an hour and a half from where I lived. I met with the
Chairman and he told me I could start that September. All of my family,
friends, and co-workers thought I was making a huge mistake. My parents
were especially skeptical, telling me that I would drop out of this
just like I did ballet, basketball, and piano.
Of course having
everyone tell me I wouldn't succeed made me that much more determined
to show them they were wrong. At first it was really hard, I was the
only girl and the guys never took me seriously. They would put spiders
down my shirt (dead and alive), make fun of me, and one day they even
put 4 frogs in my backpack. They also constantly asked me what my quiz
and test scores were, (everyone wanted to see if they did better than
the girl). My teachers however, treated me fairly from the beginning.
It didn't matter that I was a female, I was a student just like
everyone else.
I embraced my femininity by painting my safety glasses bright pink and
occasionally bringing cupcakes and other treats to class. The guys saw
that I wasn't going anywhere and eventually started to accept me. I was
also doing better in my classes, because I stopped analyzing everything
I was taught and just accepted it. As time went by, everyone in the
Automotive program became like family to me. My assigned partner stayed
with me through several semesters, helping me along the way.
When
you are removed from your comfort zone and placed into a difficult
situation, it is so much more rewarding when you succeed. My 2 years in
Automotive school have been the best in my life and I hope my story
encourages more people to go after their dreams. I now want to use my
knowledge to educate other women about their cars, so we will have a
solid place in the Automotive Industry. When you know how your vehicle
works, you feel empowered and independent.
It's been almost 7
years and over 100,000 miles since that fateful day in the bookstore. I
have a bright future ahead in the Automotive field and more goals I
want to accomplish. I get inspired when I hear about other women who
are making a difference, they are leaders and great role models to all
of us. They are changing the way that women are viewed in the
Automotive Industry. I plan to join these ladies, with my old Honda by
my side, my pink safety glasses, and a whole lot of courage.