When I first met Audrey in our dance class, I was immediately captivated by her kindness. Warm and smiling, she was helping others in the class, and I found it beautiful and inspiring. As I got to know her, I quickly learned that she is an authentic, confident and go-getter of a woman.
The “cherry on top” came when she told me she was a car painter. With stars in my eyes, I began to bombard her with a thousand questions, before interrupting myself: Audrey’s career path was far too fascinating for me to keep this all to myself! I therefore asked her if she would be willing to be interviewed for Chicks And Machines, my beloved web magazine that highlights the awesome women in the world of motors. She generously agreed, so here’s what she has to say about her amazing career and the journey that brought her to where she is today!
We want to get to know you! Who are you? What are your passions?
My name is Audrey Paradis, just Paradis for short, and Audrey_heaven for the world of Instagram! I come from Matane in the Lower St. Lawrence region, but I’ve been living in Montreal since 2012. I am an automotive painter and a finishing technician, specializing in collisions. I’ve got quite a character, and consider myself unconventional, just like the career I chose.
I have been passionate about cars since my youth, and I have often been characterized as a tomboy. When I was 15 years old, I bought my first car, which I proudly paid for with my allowance. Ah, the freedom that comes with your first car!
After buying this car, it became clear to me that a large part of my happiness would be created behind the wheel.
Tell us about your background. What led you to become a car painter?
My path in the automotive field is quite simple. I graduated from the Montreal Motorized Equipment Trades School in 2013, and have been working at Carrosserie A25 Procolor in Montréal-Nord for 7 years. Being the only woman in the garage, I initially felt a certain reluctance on the part of some men to welcome me into the family, but I quickly made my place among them and they soon understood that I would become a big part of the company. I started at the bottom of the food chain, quickly working my way up through the ranks thanks to my attention to detail and meticulousness. In 2018, I acquired my journeyman painter 1st class certificate, and was hired by the CPA of Montreal as an examiner for the water-soluble paint exams. In the garage, I went from finishing technician to chief painter, inventory manager and trainer. You can imagine that my days are very busy!
What does a typical day look like for you?
I usually start my day with a nice, big cup of coffee and a game plan. Depending on the time of year, I paint 3 to 10 cars a day (yes, yes: 10!) within 8 hours of work. There’s a reason my boss calls me Speedy Gonzales!
To be a car painter is to be an artist who works under pressure.
In fact, car bodywork is a much more artisanal job than you might think.
What do you like most about your job?
Aside from the therapeutic aspect of painting, one of the elements of my job that I like the most is training interns or newcomers in the field. I like knowing that I can make a difference in their learning process and motivation for the job. I love passing on my knowledge and helping young up-and-comers integrate the field.
What advice would you give to our female readers who would like to enter a typically male-dominated field?
One piece of advice I can give to women who want to pursue a career in a more male-dominated field is to ignore the sexist comments they may hear in the workplace. I’ve heard them all: “women are not physically or mentally strong enough to work in a garage,” “I’m certainly not going to take advice from a woman,” etc.
Never doubt your potential, determination and talent. »
Be strong, but above all, be proud!
*****
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed getting to know Audrey as much as I did.
In the short time since meeting this exceptional woman, she has already taught me valuable lessons about authenticity, self-confidence, persistence, and the importance of pursuing one’s goals with one’s head held high.
How lucky I am to be surrounded by badass women like Audrey, not to mention my Chicks And Machines colleagues!
