An auto repair shop in Minoa, New York, recently held a workshop for women to learn basic car maintenance to help them feel more confident with their vehicles, reports Eagle News Online.
The Aug. 12 event took place at Scotty’s Automotive, led by manager Lance Scott alongside Emily DelFavero, a service technician from Bill Rapp Subaru.
Attendees were treated to beverages, treats and gifts and were instructed on basic maintenance such as jumpstarting a car, checking a vehicle’s oil, checking tire pressure, changing a flat tire, and replacing windshield wiper blades.
DelFavero told participants of the importance of a torque wrench before inviting them to use it themselves to build confidence in them. She shared that women are just as capable of being able to perform these jobs as anyone else, as strength is often not as crucial as ergonomics is, as displayed by DelFavero lifting a moving a tire with her lower body strength rather than upper body strength.
Though there’s more than enough room for women to enter the field, the inaccurate perception many have of the industry impacts not only those who choose to enter it, but who female consumers choose as a service provider. Like Scotty’s Automotive accomplished with its workshop, repair businesses need to make an effort to show women their shop is a place where they’ll be treated seriously.
“When they bring their car in and they need something done, they get that quote at the end of the day and they may not understand all of it, and they may not trust their mechanic entirely because of that,” explained DelFavero. “That’s what makes me happy to come in and explain what to look for.”
Following the workshop’s success, Scott hopes to hold other workshops at his business, such as a workshop on snow tires or preparing teenagers to become drivers.
