Patrice Banks was a 30-something-year-old, accomplished engineer at DuPont, pulling in a six-figure income, yet she was frustrated by the intimidation she felt when a 19-year old guy at the oil change shop pressured her to buy a new air filter which she was unsure if she needed.
Upon finding that there were no female mechanics in her Philadelphia locale, Patrice Banks decided to go to night school to become one.
Patrice Banks was surprised at how simple it was. She quit her job at Dupont and opened her own shop in 2013 called Girls Auto Clinic. The shop has three bays, a six-woman crew, and a beauty salon.
Banks is part of a growing community of what she calls “sheCANics,” women empowering women by teaching car care and creating a safe place for women to bring their cars needing repairs and maintenance.
The Automobile Driving Museum has hosted similar clinics taught by women such as our Women’s Car Care courses. We hope to hold more classes as soon as the current health crisis is diffused.
