Issue date: 9/25/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Brittney Barsotti

LPC is undergoing changes in the demographic of the automotive and welding programs stemming from an initiative by the Institute of Women for Trade, Technology, and Sciences.
The institute hopes to increase the number of women in traditionally male-dominated occupations, such as automotive technician and welding, with a program called Cal Women Tech.
The number of female students enrolled in the classes for welding and automotive has increased since the program began, reaching ten this semester.
Normally, only one female student enrolls a semester, said automotive instructor Terry Johnson.
Professor Brian Hagopian also noted the extremely low levels of female enrollment in the automotive classes.
He also said that it was likely because automotive technology is a non-traditional trade for women to learn.
"There were some semesters when we had no women. We probably averaged half a woman," he said.
Hagopian said that the cultural stigma of blue-collar employment area was likely an additional contributing factor to the low levels of female enrollment in automotive classes.
"The Tri-Valley is a very affluent area and parents don't want their kids in auto, let alone their daughters," Hagopian said.
Hagopian also praised the efforts to bring in more women with increased media use. He mentioned positively the Automotive/Welding Career Fair booth and the LPC automotive program's women's outreach in the Contra Costa Times.
Johnson does not foresee many problems from the increase of women enrolled in a traditionally male-dominated field.
"Anytime you bring enlightenment to people regarding they were unaware about it's a good idea," he said.
He said that women had more difficulty with spatial relationships in the beginning, though once through the initial difficulty they had no other issues faced uniquely by women mechanics alone.
"They just never thought of automotive," said Johnson.
Hagopian was also positive about the program, and commenting favorably on the increased female enrollment.
"Women know they don't know and really put their nose to the grindstone," Hagopian said. Students enrolled in the class also favored the institute's attempts to increase the number of women in the non-traditional occupation rolls.

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