During the awards ceremony of the "Young Car Mechanic" international competition held in Vilnius, two young female mechanics repeatedly stepped onto the podium, even though they participated as guests. However, the representatives of the companies and the jury who prepared the tasks noticed the girls' agility and ingenuity while working at the stands.
Still studying to become automotive mechanics, Viktorija Sučkova and Karolina Švabaitė managed to complete some tasks better than the other participants.
Their names were not mentioned in the official rankings, but the girls did not leave the awards ceremony empty-handed: the competition partners appreciated their results in individual tasks, allowing the young mechanics to enjoy the prizes they established.
"I thought it would be much worse. Actually, I really enjoyed it; the tasks were very good. I can't even say they were very difficult – definitely manageable. Moreover, I saw which of my skills are stronger and which are weaker," said V. Sučkova, a student at Vilnius Automotive and Business School.
K. Švabaitė, a student at Marijampolė Vocational Training Center, agreed: "It’s very nice to participate and find out what you can do already and what you still need to learn."
They Turned to Technology in Different Ways
In many schools or vocational training centers, the specialty of automotive mechanics is still predominantly chosen by boys. Both in V. Sučkova's and K. Švabaitė's educational institutions, apart from themselves, there is only one other girl.
Both chose this specialty in different ways. For Marijampolė resident K. Švabaitė, technology is not unfamiliar to her family: her father previously worked as a tractor driver, and her brother is a locksmith. "My younger sister also got interested in it, and it attracted me as well," the girl explained.
On the other hand, V. Sučkova admitted she had tried various activities before, but most of them quickly bored her. "But then I tried tinkering with a car – I liked it, it hooked me. I started watching educational videos on YouTube channels, and then I began to explore where I could deepen this knowledge.
I went to school, and everything turned out well, everything was very interesting. You feel like you finally found yourself because no other activity had engaged me for so long. But here I got hooked, and that desire hasn't gone away. Now I'm even thinking that I don't know what else I could be interested in besides the automotive world. It already occupies a very large part of my life," said the Vilnius resident.
Viktorija did not hide that her choice was not particularly supported by her family – they claimed it was not a woman's job. "But such a view is outdated. At school, there is support everywhere. There, I am among people who understand me perfectly," the Vilnius resident said happily.
Already Tested Their Skills in Garages
Proving that girls can handle even the most complex tasks is no longer necessary at their educational institutions. However, they still face challenges when looking for work or internships.
"I went to one garage, thinking I would do an internship. They started asking if I had enough strength and what skills I had. They explained that it would be all men there, and I wouldn't have a place to change clothes. In short, the questions were such that I would refuse – as if to say, what can a girl do here," V. Sučkova explained.
Karolina is currently doing her internship at one of the car garages in Marijampolė and plans to look for a permanent job afterward.
"I always felt family support; it was never lacking. But discrimination still exists elsewhere. There are people with old-fashioned views, and you can't change them. But they give me motivation: hearing such comments, I understand that I can do my job, and I will prove it to you. On the other hand, many people are truly supportive," said the Marijampolė resident.
Meanwhile, V. Sučkova has already become an apprentice and is applying the knowledge gained at school in a garage. "I really enjoy it; I get various cars, different tasks – changing belts or oil, remounting wheels. The tasks range from the easiest to the most difficult. But the important thing is to do and learn.
At first, it was hard to get used to the workload. When I started, it was the tire mounting season – lifting those wheels all day long, I would really get tired. But you get used to it," said the Vilnius resident.