How her love of cars led her to her career and her next steps
Is working in a car repair shop—surrounded by oil, tools, and engines—really just a man’s job? Dimitra Papakonstantinou, 27, has been working as an auto mechanic for three years now, and she’s doing more than just shattering stereotypes. She consciously chose this profession because of her love for cars—a love that began at a young age. We met her in Latsia at the auto shop where she works.
“I didn’t have any professionals in my family,” she says, explaining that she started out by doing some amateur repairs on her own car. “That’s when I realized I really liked the profession, so I decided to pursue it, go to school, enter the field, and throw myself into it wholeheartedly.”
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Dimitra studied at MIEEK at the First Technical School of Nicosia, in the post-secondary programs, and earned her engineering diploma there. When asked, however, to comment on how those around her reacted to this decision, she says they were thrilled. “Since I generally have friends and acquaintances who are into cars, I got caught up in that scene too, but yes, most of them were thrilled.
But how difficult is it for a woman to spread her wings and advance in such a field? She herself replies that it wasn’t a difficult task, but rather an easy one. “In any case, this industry needs engineers, so the process was relatively easy.
Twenty-seven-year-old Dimitra, however, not only earns a living but also the respect of her clients and colleagues. Their support is crucial to her growth. “I think that without this support, I wouldn’t have come this far, because every time I hear a positive comment, a word of encouragement—even just a ‘good job,’ let’s say—it keeps me going,” she notes.
It’s interesting to note that despite the physically demanding nature of the work—which often requires lifting heavy objects—she doesn’t find it particularly difficult.
“There are some tasks on the cars where I might need a little help, but most of the time I find a way to get the job done on my own. Now, when I see that there’s absolutely no way I can do it, that’s when I ask for help,” she explains. He disassembles and reassembles engine parts, inspects, replaces, and repairs whatever the vehicle needs to get back on the road safely.
As he notes, there are people outside the garage who are surprised when they realize he’s a car mechanic. “Usually, when we’re hanging out with friends, they might bring up cars, and I’ll answer without even realizing it,” he notes. “And then, when they ask how I know all that, I tell them I’m a mechanic.”
Speaking about the future, she says she’d like to open her own auto repair shop once she’s gained the necessary experience. Dimitra, however, isn’t just an auto mechanic—she’s also a mom and a wife. She encourages girls who want to pursue this career to go for it. “When women want to pursue a career like this, it means they love it very much and should go for it,” she says, urging women interested in “male-dominated” professions to pursue them.
Today, Dimitra’s story is making headlines as one of the very few women on our island who consciously and without hesitation chose to study and work in automotive mechanics. Together with other young women, they are changing the prevailing image of auto repair shops—not to prove they can do it, nor out of defiance, but because it fulfills them and makes them feel good. A shining example that proves there are no “men’s” or “women’s” jobs.
