Annie Barrette is showing women how to boost a car’s battery, change tires and perform an oil change
A Chicoutimi woman is travelling across the province in an effort to drive more women to learn something she thinks everyone should know — basic auto mechanic skills.
Annie Barrette is an electrician and millwright by trade, and she holds mechanic workshops for women.
« I wanted to empower women to make them [aware] that they can do it as much as anyone else, » Barrette said.
Part of that is making sure women know when they need to fix something on their cars, and when a mechanic might be overcharging them.
« I think the fun thing is to make [clear] to women that they actually know more than they think, » Barrette said.
She held one of her workshops in Sherbrooke on Saturday. One of the participants, Alicia Cleaver, purchased her first car last fall.
« If I have a car, I want to be able to take care of it, » Cleaver said.
At the workshop, she learned basic theory on how a motor works and how to access the car’s manual.
Then, Barrette showed participants how to boost a car’s battery, change tires and perform an oil change.
Cleaver said she wants to be able to help her friends who might not have mechanical savvy.
« Many times there are people who don’t know how to do things on their own car, » she said. « I’d like to be able to help others just as much as I’d like to help myself. »
While the class is oriented toward women, men are welcome, too.
With files from Claude Rivest
Link for radio interview: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/annie-barrette-auto-mechanic-1.4689817
