March is Women in the Trades Month, and Questar III BOCES is spotlighting the young women in our Career and Technical Education programs who are developing the technical skills to succeed in male-dominated fields. While women may continue to be underrepresented in fields such as automotive, construction, welding, or aviation, these students prove that talent and passion are what truly define success.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2024, women make up 6.2% or less of the workforce in roles such as firefighters, construction equipment operators, construction and maintenance workers, auto service technicians/mechanics, welders, and more. Every day, female CTE students help to break the mold as they develop skills to be successful in their careers. Throughout March, we’ll be sharing a few of their stories and celebrating all women along the way.
Klara Daoust is a Questar III BOCES Automotive Technology student at Robert H. Gibson Technical School from East Greenbush Central School District. A senior in our program, Klara was inspired to join the program to help her family.
“I’ve always had an interest in cars, I just never thought it was something I wanted to pursue,” said Klara. “After learning about the program my sophomore year, I thought it would be cool to know more about them after helping my dad and papa when I was younger. I decided to do it to see if I liked it, and now I love it and want a career in it!”
Klara shared that one of the unique things about being in this program is now being able to return the favor and teach her dad and papa things they don’t know.
“My papa has always done the work on his cars,” shared Klara. “But now with all the electronics, he doesn’t know as much. That was one of the reasons I wanted to join, to show him and my dad the things they don’t know about newer cars.”
At the beginning of her junior year, Klara had some hesitations, knowing she would be outnumbered by her male classmates. At first, the females in the class stuck together, but eventually, she became friends with the guys, too.
“I told myself that I would have to be strong through this entire thing,” Klara said. “I knew I would be seen as weak, even though I’m not. I stuck with it and took it day by day. Eventually, the guys accepted me because they knew I actually wanted to do this, too.”
Klara shared that her junior year was spent learning the basics around automotive repair, and this year they’re learning more about engine work, transmissions, electronics, and the tips and tricks on how to make basic repairs easier and quicker. Another place she picked up some of these tricks was by working at Wally’s Ford in East Greenbush last summer with our Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Klara Daoust works on a vehicle at Wally’s Ford of East Greenbush during her Youth Apprenticeship Program.
“I had a lot of options, but ended up being matched with Wally’s,” said Klara. “I was there pretty much every day the entire summer.”
Our Youth Apprenticeship Program connects students with local, high-wage, high-demand, high-skill careers. By partnering with local employers, students have an opportunity to complete a minimum of 200 hours of paid on-the-job training in their field.
“In the beginning, I was doing a lot of shadowing, mostly with the advanced technician, who is like the boss of the shop,” Klara said. “He would tell me what to do, and I’d do it. As the summer went on, I began doing some of the easier jobs by myself, like changing brakes or oil changes. But I continued to shadow him on bigger engine or transmission projects.
“Working all summer at the dealership, I got to learn a lot of new things,” Klara said. “I came back to school with all these new tricks that I probably wouldn’t have learned here.”
On top of learning new technical skills during her apprenticeship, she also developed her communication skills by working with various colleagues including other auto or service techs, as well as customers.
“Most of the time, I would work independently in the shop, but every so often, I would need to speak to a customer to share what was going on with their vehicle,” Klara said. “That experience definitely helped with my customer service and communication skills.”
When it came to the customers’ reactions, Klara found them to be mixed.
“When I told them I was a tech, they were surprised,” said Klara. “Some thought it was cool, but some were like, ‘But you’re a girl.’ Yes, I’m a girl. But anytime I told another female, they were always so accepting!”
Next year, Klara will continue her education at SUNY Morrisville in their Ford Asset program. Klara said she chose this school and program because of their beautiful shops and the ability to earn several certifications. These certifications, coupled with those earned in high school like the ASE certification, will put her ahead of others once she fully enters the workforce.
“For anyone who wants to come to Questar III, my advice would be to stick with it,” said Klara. “You will figure things out along the way, don’t worry about your past, and be as strong as possible.”
