According to IBISWorld, the auto mechanics industry generates $11 billion in Canada annually.
The Government of Canada’s Job Bank estimates 119,300 Canadians worked as automotive service technicians [mechanics], truck and bus mechanics, or mechanical repairers in 2016.
In British Columbia (BC) alone, the automotive industry faces a growing labour shortage with up to 35 per cent of automotive technicians expected to retire by 2029.
Yet, women only make up five per cent of automotive tradespeople and skilled labourers in that province. Interestingly, most women were over 18 when they chose this career path.
That same BC study found that the majority of women enter the mechanics trade because they were introduced to it by someone in their lives – as opposed to men who become mechanics because of a love for cars.
To become a mechanic in Canada, ideally you graduate high school and then complete a registered apprenticeship that combines paid hands-on work experience coupled with classroom training at college.
Typically, this is a four-year process including passing all required exams to receive a Certificate of Qualification at which point you become a journeyman.
Being certified in one province/territory doesn’t guarantee you can work as a mechanic in another province/territory. There is an inter-provincial exam for that. Red Seal Certification means your credentials are recognized across the country. That generally means scoring 80 per cent or more on the provincial/territorial apprenticeship test.
Car mechanics make anywhere between $27,000 to $110,667 per year based on experience and the province/territory they live in. The median annual salary is about $50,000.
Mechanics who don’t work on salary generally receive a flat rate for each repair they do so that’s when efficiency becomes huge.
Mechanic trade becoming a more diverse line of work
The dearth of female representation in the mechanics industry can be directly linked to the fact that skilled trades are seen as male dominated careers.
Women bring diversity to the mechanics industry and studies have found that companies in the top proportion of gender diversity have higher than average profits. In fact, the Harvard Business School found that companies leading in gender diversity are also more productive.
While women are slowly infiltrating the mechanics field, they still encounter age-old barriers and challenges that impede both entry and advancement. These include a lack of exposure to the trades in general; misunderstanding what being in a trade involves, discrimination and harassment at work including not feeling welcome or safe.
A BC study, Women in the Automotive Industry, found that 90 per cent of respondents had experienced discrimination at work.
Adélaïde Favé also knows the discrimination experienced by women working as car mechanics.
“When you hear women mechanics leave their profession because they can’t take the harassment or discrimination in the garage anymore, it makes you want to act,” explained Favé. “Creating safe spaces, in addition to changing mentalities, is very important. I personally want to be part of this fight for equality between men and women in this industry.”
Favé is co-founder and COO of Kiwiz a unique on-site car inspection service that provides third-party, unbiased opinions and recommendations to used car buyers.
“It’s not fair that people are not transparent with you because you don’t know much about cars. Especially when you are a woman depending on the advice of sellers – which are usually men,” Favé, shared with rabble.ca. “If you are not accompanied by a neutral and trustworthy person who knows about cars, sellers can take advantage of this.”
That was the experience of 18-year-old Favé a newly arrived immigrant from the Brittany region of France who came to Montreal to study.
Seven years later, Favé decided to change the female narrative.
Changing the narrative around buying cars
Favé chose the name Kiwiz because unlike lemons, defective cars with hidden defects, a Kiwiz is a vehicle with no hidden defects that women can purchased with confidence.
She set out to create a service that would give women peace of mind, and the feeling that they are not being ripped off. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) estimates over 20,000 vehicles alone are affected by odometer fraud in Canada annually.
By rolling back the odometer reading, sellers increase the value of the car. Down the road, an unsuspecting buyer could experience engine or transmission troubles as well as other issues that require major financial injections.
Favé also wanted to help women with technical checks before undertaking long-distance trips; provide expertise during legal proceedings like damage claims; and offering a second-opinion when all that work the mechanic says you need done just doesn’t sound right.
Kiwiz employs government-certified automotive mechanics who will travel up to 50 kilometers from major city centres to perform on-site 170-point prepurchased inspections.
That includes a test drive, mechanical, functional and esthetic inspections along with an estimate of repair costs. This information is documented in a detailed report including photos.
Buyers can save time by arranging remote inspections when purchasing a car out-of-town or even province.
Pre-pandemic, buyers had the luxury of checking out different cars at several dealerships and then taking time to think over their decision before putting down a deposit and arranging a car inspection with a local mechanic. But, those days are gone.
An ongoing global chip shortage so severely impacted the car manufacturing industry that long wait-times drove many new car buyers to opt for used vehicles instead — effectively driving prices up and purchase times down.
Kiwiz, the first-of-its-kind car inspection service, launched in Quebec in January 2022. It’s now available across Ontario as well as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Halifax.
“Kiwiz’s expansion comes at the perfect time. With spring upon us and many drivers considering new vehicle purchases, but faced with challenges in a transforming market,” said Favé.
In order to differentiate themselves from other vehicle inspection services Kiwiz guarantees on-site service within 48 hours and offers a 90-day warranty to clients. That includes vehicles less then 10 years old, with fewer than 200,000 kilometers on the odometer and applies for gas, electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Of the used cars inspected by Kiwiz, one-in-three was not recommended for purchase due to major mechanical issues; required repairs valued at more than $5,000; concerns over the accuracy of odometer readings; or the presence of hidden defects.
Favé claims 97 per cent of Kiwiz customers followed mechanic recommendations.
This article first appeared on Small Change.
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