female techs?

[krazeekidz3]

I'm a female tech and beleive it or not in my last training class there were TWO others!! I service Konica Minolta, at the moment and in the past I have serviced Canon and Panasonic. How bout you?

[bpretty21]

starting my training on konica minolta....im so excited!

[mrwho]

Well, here I'm yet to see a female tech - I'm pleasantly surprised to know that it's common in other parts of the world. Although I know of a couple of female operators that know their equipments so well that I believe they would be good techs if they decided to try it.

[TonerMunkeh]

Out of approximately 900 engineers, I think we have two female. Wonder why?

[mrwho]

A question for the ladies and the gents working with them - this will be a silly question, but please I'm just curious:

Are female techs usually very feminine (you know, pink mobile phone and stuff) or are they kind of butch? Or something in between?

[prntrfxr]

I've always been a tomboy. I had nothing but boy cousins to grow up with and 2 brothers. That does not mean I don't like girl things. I like chick flicks, flowers, art, and poetry. Then again, I know guys (who are not gay) who like those things too. I'm not a girly girl, but I walk different when I'm in a dress and in heels. Don't know if that answers your question.

[Ducttape n Glue]

I have worked with female techs that have been all woman and all tech. They are just as complete individuals as the male techs.

[mrwho]

Of course I know things can't be generalized - each person is unique. But of course each profession attracts some kind of individuals, and that's why I was curious about what attracted girls to this kind of work.

Thanks, Prntrfxr, that was exactly what I wanted to know!

[prntrfxr]

But of course each profession attracts some kind of individuals, and that's why I was curious about what attracted girls to this kind of work.

I'm interested in what other girl techs have to say about what mrwho has asked and what guy techs who've worked with other girl techs say, because I think it's an interesting question. I think there should be as many answers for that as why guy's become techs.

I got into this field completely by accident, but I like it. Well whoever the "she" is, she has to be able to lift 70 lbs (if for no other reason than to carry the tool case). So she can't be a light butterfly type, but can still be feminine. She can't be afraid to get dirty, but that doesn't mean she has to look like she rolled out of the dustbin (most female techs I've met were good looking and neat in appearance, btw.) Women are generally more detail oriented, which is good in this line of work. Many women multi-task really well, but have problems thinking sequentially. This was my problem when I began, but I learned to adapt. Sequential thinking is part of the job. I'm more of an idea people person, but I always loved tools and science. You get to work with people, ideas help you solve problems, there is a science to how things work and you know we get to work with tools, so I found things about the job I liked. Then I found jobs that were more tailored to what I liked about the job. I'm always singing and happy when I'm working on machines or rebuilding parts. I tease and joke with my workmates. I complain to the boss about everything, but I do whatever he wants anyway and I'm happy when I do it (they know this is how I work, so they've learned to make jokes about my complaining, trust that I'll find a way to get it done, and ignore my gripes.) There is no feeling like taking a piece of crap and making it work like new!!! I can't explain that feeling to anyone who is not a tech. Trust me, I've tried to explain it and they still look at me like I'm out of my mind.

All of us girls take pride in our work, and most of us enjoy it when a guy thinks we don't know what we're doing and we show them we can. At one place I worked, a male client called my office and told my supervisor that "he didn't want a girl working on his machine, and what was he thinking of in even hiring a girl to do this job". My supervisor told him if I couldn't fix it, he'd be happy to send a guy out, but that I was his best tech. This moron stood behind me jeering while I was working. Yes, the entire time. It was a simple thing, but I purposely took the machine down to the frame in front of him and put it back together. You should have seen his face when I had his image problem fixed and the entire machine cleaned. That was the best day ever! I've had some tech co-workers roll their eyes when I first started working for a particular company. Within 6 months they were calling me when they got into problems, the service manager quit and guess who got made service manager. I'm not competitive and although I'm proud of the job I do, I don't think I'm too arrogant. As soon as you start thinking too much of yourself the machine beats you, and I don't like to let the machine win. I think all of you know by now I like to help people and I'm not so big that I can't ask for help when I need it, but it does feel good to get recognized for what you can do. It feels really good when clients ask for you by name and other techs from other companies call you for advise to fix something. This is my answer to the question, what's yours?

[Ikon Princess]

I have a pink phone and steel-toe boots!

[jpcopy]

it's all guys fault for not having more women in tech fields. they been told that six inches is about this long ____________________________________

[TonerMunkeh]

it's all guys fault for not having more women in tech fields. they been told that six inches is about this long ____________________________________

So my ten inch nutspinner is making up for the fact I'm hung like a mouse?

[Shadow1]

As prntrfxr noted men and women are designed differently - women tend to have better communication skills, and men tend to be more logical. Women tend to have a better eye for details, and men are physically stronger (not built better by any means, just more muscular.)

Its a matter of what skill sets are best suited to this job, and IMHO this job is skewed slightly in favor of the guy's side.

I've met several female techs, and generally speaking, they've all been excellent at what they do. They also seem to have a high percentage of "tomboy" in them.

I don't want that to sound like it should take away from their female side because one of the prettiest girls I know is also the biggest tomboy. Put her in a dress, and she looks like she's ready to crawl out of her skin to get away from it. Its like watching a boy wear a dress, but when she throws on a pair of old jeans and ties her hair back in a simple ponytail she'll melt your heart.

And ask yourself this: How many male nurses are out there. There's a few, but men just don't seem to have the "Motherly Instincts" to take that career to the max.

As much as the feminists want us all to believe that male and female are created exactly equal, the simple fact is that we're not. We each have things that we're particularly good at - not that we can't all do anything the other side can, it's just that it's more like an instinct for one side or the other.

[prntrfxr]

I have a pink phone and steel-toe boots!

ROFL! Awesome Princess. I'm not into pink, but I like interior decorating and I love to cook. Does that count?

As much as the feminists want us all to believe that male and female are created exactly equal, the simple fact is that we're not. We each have things that we're particularly good at - not that we can't all do anything the other side can, it's just that it's more like an instinct for one side or the other.

I don't care much for feminists logic. I just believe that men and women should be able to be who they are and be accepted. One of my brothers should have been a tech. He works in heating and air, rides a Harley, and loves tinkering with engines. He cooks better than I do, can sew on buttons and darn socks. My other brother should never be allowed to touch a screwdriver. He was in his 20's, had a flat tire and had to call my dad to learn how to change it. When he lived with me I had to show him how to change a car battery. But let me tell you he can clean a kitchen and organize a medicine cabinet like nobody's business. If I have a problem with my computer, he's the first one I call. He can sell anything to anyone and always had money. My middle brother and I always owed money to him growing up. Neither of them are gay (both are happily married).

I do get frustrated when people ask me what I do and then ask, "Why do you do that, you're a girl?" I try to explain and they still don't get it.

[fixthecopier]

I would not say the females at our shop are butch, but they are not prissy either. My manager, who looks nice, will put on work clothes and work a wharehouse full of men into the ground on a machine build. Our color female tech is very detail oriented, writing notes and keeping list of part numbers and bulletins. She is the go to person when you need info. The female shop tech has a little OCD. Her work table is behind mine. I can mess with her by putting a bottle of something on my table and leave the cap off. When I come back in the afternoon the cap will be on, or the bottle moved out of site, because it drives her nuts. They are all really good at what they do, and I would not mind working with a whole shop of them, if they know what they are doing. Come to think of it, my wife could do this if she wanted to.