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She wanted to be a car mechanic in her teens – and became one: ‘I always had dirt under my nails but I was happy’

Family and friends tried to dissuade her, but Mandy Neo ignored the gender stereotyping and followed her passion be a female mechanic in the 90s. Now 46, she’s still in love with cars and how they work – she tells CNA Women about her unusual career choice.

She wanted to be a car mechanic in her teens – and became one: ‘I always had dirt under my nails but I was happy’

Starting her career as a mechanic in the 1990s and moving on as a service advisor, Mandy Neo has spent her career in a male-dominated world. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

When she was a teenager, Mandy Neo’s older friends would take her on midnight and pre-dawn joy rides. That was the beginning of her love for cars and how they worked – and laid the foundation for her becoming a car mechanic in the 90s. 

“We’d wind down the window for some fresh air and listen to the engine sound. Sometimes, we’d go for food at Bukit Timah or just hang out after the drive admiring one another’s engines and modifications, which are no longer legal today.

“I also loved to visit car workshops with friends,” the 46-year-old recalled.

This ignited a fascination with engines. “I love the way the engine moves and functions, how powerful they are, and the technology behind them,” she said.

Neo’s love for cars and engines was inspired by carefree night rides in her teens. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

After her N-Levels, Neo decided to take a course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) on motor vehicles. That was in the mid-1990s, and of the 100 students in her batch, only four were female.

“The majority of my friends and family did not approve of my choice. They felt that this was not a job for a young woman because I would be surrounded by men.

“My mum also said that it would be tiring and my hands would always be dirty – as a mechanic, no matter how much you wash your hands, dirt will always remain in your nails. She felt other job opportunities like being a beautician would be more suitable for me,” said Neo.

But Neo persisted. In the second and third year of her course, she became an apprentice at ComfortDelGro. Upon completing her ITE course at the age of 18, she joined the company as a mechanic. She was one of three women among 30 male mechanics.

As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Neo worked hard to prove herself. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

“Some of the male colleagues were a bit biased against females and would question our capability and knowledge of cars,” she recalled. “I realised that it would not be easy to succeed as a woman in this industry but I was determined to carry on.”

As a mechanic, Neo serviced two to three cars each day, changing the engine oil, checking fluid levels, changing air conditioning filters and oil filters, replacing tyres, and repairing engines. 

“Engine work is probably more tedious and time-consuming because there were more than 10 components I needed to dismantle, such as the cooling system, to reach the engine itself,” she said

“However, getting the engine running again gave me a lot of satisfaction. I always had dirt under my nails but I was happy.”

STEERED BY HER PASSION

After three years as a mechanic, Neo became a service advisor at a car company. She currently works as a service experience executive at Motor Edgevantage, a specialised workshop for premium and luxury cars. Her job entails explaining to customers the technical details of their repair job – what is wrong, what the repair involves, how long the process takes and how much it costs.

In her early 20s, Neo moved up as a service advisor because of the better pay. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

Although her current company has an equal number of male and female service advisors, the ratio of female to male automobile service advisors in the industry is generally low. “Around one out of every six service advisors is female,” Neo noted.

Many still think this is a man’s domain, and the rudest comment Neo received from a customer in her previous company is that she was “hired to look for rich men”.

My mum also said that it would be tiring and my hands would always be dirty… she felt other job opportunities like being a beautician would be more suitable for me.

Neo, however, does not let such prejudices get to her. To keep abreast of advances in her industry, Neo also took a National Specialist Safety Certification for Electric Vehicles.

She also goes the extra mile by heading to the workshop twice a week to assist the technician with diagnostics so that she can better explain the repair process to customers.

As a service advisor, Neo enjoys spending time in the workshop helping technicians with diagnostics. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

Once in a while, she also receives cool repair requests.

“We were sent a Jaguar XJ that had rammed into another car in an accident. The front portion of the frame, the fender and engine were so badly damaged that it was almost a total loss. We had to dismantle the fender, engine and exhaust, and repair the inner frame.

“Because the car was 11 or 12 years old, it was also difficult to find parts. However, the car had sentimental value to the owner, so we tried our best to repair it for him. The repair took four to five months and cost between S$60,000 and S$65,000,” she said.

EMPOWERING TO KNOW ABOUT CARS

In her circle of family and friends, Neo is the go-to expert on anything car-related. She is often called upon to assess car damage in the event of accidents, or check if friends’ car repair jobs are up to scratch.

This is a role Neo takes pride in. She believes that it is empowering to have working knowledge of vehicles.

“It is good for drivers to have basic knowledge about the car engine, cooling system, how to open a bonnet and top up your engine oil.

“For example. it is not advisable to drive if there is not enough engine oil or the coolant level drops a lot because this could damage your engine and cost you a lot in repairs,” she said.

“Many men think women don’t know about cars and are surprised I can do the job,” said Neo. (Photo: CNA/Kelvin Chia)

However, Neo added that it is an unfair stereotype that women are more clueless than men about cars.

“Many men also don’t have a lot of mechanical car knowledge. Sometimes I receive phone calls from men asking me how to open a bonnet or how to top up coolant.”  

Having spent her 28-year career confronting gender stereotypes, Neo takes pride in how far she has come. “Whenever customers, car salesmen or mechanics have that surprised look that says, ‘This woman actually knows about cars’, that makes me quite happy,” she said.

CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.

Source: CNA/pc
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