17-Year-Old Female Auto Mechanic in Turkey Antalya

17-Year-Old Female Auto Mechanic in Turkey Breaks Stereotypes in the Automotive Industry

In the traditionally male-dominated automotive industry, stories like this are still rare. A 17-year-old female auto mechanic in Turkey is challenging stereotypes and proving that passion and skill matter more than gender.

Selen Tıraşoğlu, a vocational high school student from Antalya, has already developed impressive mechanical skills. From performing routine vehicle maintenance to assisting with transmission removal and installation, she works daily in her father’s auto repair shop.

Her presence in the workshop surprises many customers at first. But once they see her work, surprise quickly turns into respect.

Growing Up in an Auto Repair Environment

Seventeen-year-old Selen Tıraşoğlu grew up alongside her father, İbrahim Tıraşoğlu, who has been working as an auto mechanic in Antalya for 45 years and has owned his own repair shop since 1996.

From an early age, she frequently visited the industrial repair district with her father.

During her primary school years, the friendly atmosphere of the workshop area and the famous “sanayi toast” served in local cafés helped her feel comfortable in the environment.

“At around 10 or 11 years old, I used to come to the industrial site all the time with my father,” she said.

“My father’s friends would give me small tasks like removing and attaching parts. At the same time, they would order toast for me. The warmth of the tradesmen and the atmosphere of the industrial site became part of me. That’s why I always wanted to come back.”

Discovering a Passion for Cars

Tıraşoğlu said that her interest in automobiles developed naturally because her father had been in the profession for many years.

“First of all, this is my father’s profession, and I study at a vocational high school,” she explained.

“Since my father has been in this profession since I was little, I always had an interest in cars. Driving cars and taking things apart and putting them back together were my hobbies.”

She added that her father raised his children with this mindset from an early age.

“I used to come and go to the industrial site frequently, and honestly I mostly came for the toast,” she said with a smile.

“Over time I became close with the mechanics. As I grew older, they would joke that I would take over my father’s profession. After a while I realized that this was actually a profession I truly loved, and I wanted to turn it into my career.”

Choosing Automotive Vocational Education

Initially, Selen studied at an Anatolian High School, but her interest in automobiles eventually became stronger.

She decided to transfer to an Industrial Vocational High School to focus on automotive technology.

After school, she began spending more time at her father’s workshop.

With hands-on experience and daily practice, she quickly became skilled with professional vehicle repair tools and started assisting with more complex mechanical work.

Learning Advanced Mechanical Skills

Tıraşoğlu said she has already begun learning many aspects of the profession.

“Right now, I can comfortably perform routine maintenance and handle front-end adjustments on the vehicles that come in,” she said.

“When my senior technician is with me, I can lower the transmission and remove and reinstall it.”

Her next goal is even more ambitious.

“My goal is to assemble an entire engine on my own. Working on engines is one of the things I enjoy the most because it’s the most challenging part of the job.”

“When you disassemble and reassemble engine components, it becomes much easier to understand the source of a problem.”

Customers Are Surprised at First

Working as a young female mechanic in a busy industrial area often leads to unexpected reactions.

“At first people are surprised,”she said.

“They ask questions like ‘Can you do this?’ or ‘Can you lift that wheel?’”

However, once they see her complete the repair successfully, their attitudes quickly change.

“After I finish the job, they congratulate me. Some even say, ‘I wish my children were like you.’ That makes me very happy.”

She also explained that even her family initially had doubts.

“At first my family didn’t approach the idea very warmly. But when they saw that I was good with tools and saw the reactions of customers, they began to support me.”

Female Customers Show Special Interest

According to Tıraşoğlu, many female customers feel comfortable speaking with a woman mechanic.

“My female customers are very happy,”she said.

“They say it’s nice to deal with a woman when they come to the workshop. Some say explaining their car problems to me makes them feel more relaxed.”

“Customers who come for the first time often say, ‘From now on we will always come to you.’ That gives me even more motivation to work.”

Encouraging More Girls to Enter the Profession

Tıraşoğlu believes her story can help break stereotypes in the industry.

“When my friends and acquaintances show me as an example, I feel very proud,” she said.

“As more girls enter this profession, people’s prejudices begin to break down. Being one of the first people to break that prejudice makes me very happy.”

She also hopes to inspire more girls to pursue careers in skilled trades.

“In the future, I really want to open my own repair shop,”she said.

“In general, I want to encourage girls to enter this profession.”

“I Am Proud of My Daughter”

Her father, İbrahim Tıraşoğlu, says he is proud that his daughter chose the profession on her own.

“I never told her she had to follow my path,”he said.

“It was completely her own decision.”

According to him, people are more successful when they work in a profession they truly enjoy.

“I started this profession in 1981 and have had my own workshop since 1996,”he said.

“Life can be difficult, but the best thing is to do the work you love and stand on your own feet. I’m proud of my daughter. Our customers are also very supportive.”

Awarded “Apprentice of the Year”

In 2025, Selen received a major recognition in Turkey.

During the Ahilik Week celebrations, which honor traditional craftsmanship and professional ethics, she was selected as “Apprentice of the Year.”

The award recognizes dedication, skill development, and commitment to a profession.

For a young woman working in the automotive sector, it was an especially meaningful achievement.

Dreaming of Opening Her Own Repair Shop

Despite her young age, Selen already has clear goals for the future.

She hopes to open her own auto repair shop one day and continue developing her mechanical expertise.

If her determination is any indication, the automotive industry may soon see one of its youngest female workshop owners.