Mediaplanet gathered a panel of high achieving young women in auto tech to discuss their intro to the industry, tips for picking a trade school and the importance of chasing your passion.
Brittany Myers
Graduate, Lincoln Tech Grand Prairie, Texas Campus
What motivated you to pursue a career in auto care?
The automotive industry has been a huge part of my family for generations. I sought after each opportunity that came my way to help my family or friends with their automobile needs. As I got older, I found that my biggest role model was Danica Patrick. She is a shining example of a female succeeding in a male-dominated industry. She has shown the world that women can achieve things that society thinks only men can achieve. Danica has driven my pursuit of a career that I enjoy and love.
What advice would you give to prospective students looking to pursue their passion for automotive? What should they look for in a potential degree program?
The best advice I have would be to make the jump. Life is like a parachute, you can stay on the plane or jump, taking a chance to change your life. Finding a program that matches your aptitude for learning is key. If you’re a learner that needs a calm environment, choose a program with a low student to teacher ratio. The one-on-one time will likely help you succeed. Job placement programs are another indicator of the type of school that might be the best fit. The last metric I would look for is the graduation rate.
What was important to you when choosing a school or degree program?
I researched all kinds of schools that I could find — comparing location, community and curriculum. Speaking with advisors allowed me to deep dive into technical questions about the program. Lincoln Tech was the obvious choice for me. Moving from Kansas to Texas was a huge step, but I knew my future heavily depended on the success of the curriculum, the graduation programs for placement and the curriculum that matched my interests.
How can we encourage more students to pursue a career in auto care?
We need to be thoughtful about reminding them that they can delay their decision, but until they take the leap, nothing will just come to them. The choices are not magically going to lay down before them and scream, “pick me.” They have to put in the dedication and hard work to get the life they want. As they progress in that discipline, it will become apparent that they deserve that life because they put in the time and effort to succeed.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I plan to expand my knowledge and never cease learning. The automotive industry, like any technical industry, changes rapidly. You have to be able to keep up that pace and be an avid learner. In addition, my plans are to open my own shop where I can create an environment where each employee feels safe to practice their craft. I want them to feel they have a purpose serving our customers. I want my shop to be THE shop that everyone uses because of our professional employees consistently delivering value to our customers.
Nicole Bizeta
Graduate, Lincoln Tech Mahwah, NJ Campus
What motivated you to pursue a career in auto care?
I realized my passion early on. I have always had a curiosity about how automobiles run, and I was never afraid to get my hands dirty. During high school, I’d visit my brother who worked at a gas station. While there, I peeked into the garage to see what vehicle was being worked on. I asked Frank, the owner of the garage, if he needed an extra hand. He took me up on my offer. I showed up every day after school and spent my summers working with him. He became my mentor and took me under his wing.
What advice would you give to prospective students looking to pursue their passion for automotive? What should they look for in a potential degree program?
You will never stop learning. It is always going to challenge you, but as long as it is something that you have a passion for, you will never work a day in your life. Being a highly motivated person, I began doing research for a highly reputable school that would help me reach my goal. Lincoln Technical Institute was that school.
What was important to you when choosing a school or degree program?
It was important to me to choose a school that was highly reputable and one that provided job placement. At Lincoln, I learned a lot of theories and the ways things worked in a car. These things you cannot learn in the field. Their instructors were very helpful, and it felt like a home away from home. They cared about you and made sure you understood what you were being taught. Lincoln Tech gave me the “tools” I needed to fulfill my dreams of being an automotive technician.
How can we encourage more students to pursue a career in auto care?
Being a female in a man’s world is not easy, but that did not stop me. I feel you should demonstrate how the automotive industry is one of the best trades to get in to.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I took a position in a BMW dealership to advance my career and knowledge of the industry. I was under the wing of a seasoned technician, learning everything about the ultimate driving machine. There were prerequisite courses online that needed to be completed for each level at BMW. I also attended a 4-week long, hands-on training at BMW headquarters. It has been the greatest experience of my life, and I look forward to a fulfilling future. In five years, I see myself as a level one technician with five more years of experience under my belt.
Rachel Schulman
Graduate, Lincoln Tech Queens, NY Campus
What motivated you to pursue a career in auto care?
What motivated me to pursue a career in automotive was my dad, Ira. From an early age, he took me along to work on cars and I fell in love. My dad showed me how to change oil, check fluids, change batteries and tires. The best part was when he let me actually hold and use the tools. I thought it was interesting how much you can do to a car with just two hands. It was in those moments I knew automotive was the direction my future would be taking.
What advice would you give to prospective students looking to pursue their passion for automotive? What should they look for in a potential degree program?
Don’t ever give up. Everyone has to start somewhere, and in the auto industry, it’s at the bottom. That’s the honest truth. No one is an A-Tech right out of school. This is the one field where you literally must earn your stripes. It’s hard work, however you get a feeling of satisfaction when a car has a problem and you diagnose it and correct it. I didn’t want the traditional college route. I wanted to get right to a program that focuses on what I wanted to learn. Getting my diploma has changed my life.
What was important to you when choosing a school or degree program?
Reputation: Lincoln Tech has the best reputation in the region. When talking to service managers, they always ask, “What school did you attend?” As soon as I say Lincoln Tech, they want me. Job placement: Lincoln’s Career Services team has been great. They set up interviews and helped me get my scholarships. They were there every step of the way with encouragement and support. Financial assistance: trade schools are as expensive as private schools. That’s one of the main reasons why I applied for scholarships. Working with the financial aid team at Lincoln made the process easy.
How can we encourage more students to pursue a career in auto care?
I think to pursue this career you need to be tech savvy and love what you do. We live in a world where everything is instantaneous. The average person doesn’t want to hear a sound and go through the trouble of diagnosing it. As cars become more computer based, I think the field will become more attractive. Who would think we would have cars that park and drive themselves? I think automotive should be offered in more high schools, making students aware of the many choices they have to pursue an education, besides a 4-year college.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
One of my goals is to own my own repair facility. I have always wanted to be a business owner in the auto field. Maybe after a few years of doing that, I would like to pay it forward and come back to Lincoln Tech and be their first female automotive instructor. Preferably a Steering and Suspension instructor. That was my favorite class, and I hope to bring the same excitement into the classroom that I received.
