I’m a female mechanic and here are the 3 things I say when people ask me if entering the career was tough
- Kirsten Vaughn, from the US, shared why life as a female mechanic can be brutal
- Read more: I’m a female mechanic – these are the four things I’m sick of hearing
A TikToker has revealed all the reasons why life as a female mechanic can be quite tough, and highlighted what she faces in the male-dominated industry.
Kirsten Vaughn, from the US, took to the video-sharing platform to discuss the trials and tribulations of living her dream amidst constant doubts.
Her video was met by huge support from her 1.3 million followers who echoed her sentiments – with one revealing that they too ‘had to fight the whole way’ into the auto technician industry.
In a step-by-step guide, Kirsten began sharing exactly what a woman needed to do to gain access into the field.
She said if you want to become a mechanic, you must get a job as a lube technician or go to school.
Kirsten Vaughn, from the US, has revealed all the reasons why life as a female mechanic can be quite tough, and highlighted what she faces in the male-dominated industry
She added that you would need to amass your fair share of experience whether you begin your mechanic education in a classroom or not.
She further quantified her experience by disclosing the male-to-female ratio in her industry, dubbing it a ‘boys’club’ – which certainly didn’t sound very promising.
‘It seems to be a pretty common thread’, she said.
She added: ‘Not all the guys are going to be bad, but most shops are boys’ clubs’.
‘You’re also going to have people that are going to doubt you’.
‘I was doubted the entire time in college by a few of my professors, simply because I was a woman’.
She continued ‘You’re going to get patronized. People are going to think you’re a unicorn just for doing an oil change, which is one bolt’.
As a woman in the industry, Kirsten warned future gearheads to be on the lookout for pay discrepancies, revealing that starting out would be ‘hard’ and that most shops in the US would make you pay for your own tools.
She explained that if your shop offers you a flat-rate immediately, it will be hard, too, since you’ll be slower as a starter compared to the shop’s other mechanics.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as the influencer reassured her followers, advising them to take it easy because mistakes were bound to happen from time to time.
Responses were largely supportive, with fellow TikTokers praising the woman for her grit and honesty.
One viewer wrote: ‘Very good tips. All extremely accurate’.
And echoing this sentiment, another added: ‘I feel you on a whole level’.
‘I’ve been in automotive since college and had to fight the whole way. Now I have my dream job. Keep up the good work!’
The viral video comes as another female mechanic recently revealed ‘four things she was sick of hearing at work’ – including people mistaking her for a receptionist instead of a mechanic.
Natalie Hope, from the UK, went viral on TikTok after opening up about some of the everyday sexism she experienced at work.
The Audi mechanic posted a video listing the most common reactions she got from customers.
Surprisingly, Natalie shone the light on her fellow women who she claimed made assumptions about her role in the male-dominated workplace.
‘I asked for a mechanic, not a receptionist’ were just some of the mind-blowing responses she dealt with in the workplace.
What’s more, Natalie said men often talked down to her and asked to see one of her male colleagues instead.
She revealed that middle-aged men went as far as requesting the opposite sex and remarked: ‘That’s okay love, I’ll wait for one of the boys’.
The popular video has since racked up hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.
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