Finding the Unseen Connection

We all search for connections in life. Whether friendships, romantic attachments, or for others’ academics, we need to be together. For Rosemarie Major, her brain connects cars and animals. The second-year Automotive Service Technician student sees similarities between the two.

“For me, the exhaust on a car is like an animal’s digestive tract,” she said. “The electrical is the cardiovascular system. I know it is odd, but that is how my brain works.”

The connection makes perfect sense to Major and explains her love for a car’s electrical system.

“I like solving problems and trying to figure them out,” Major said with a smile. “It is a nice, fun puzzle because not every time is the diagram what it looks like. So you then have to put things together piece by piece.”

The two-year high school and the half-day adult program can be daunting. Major began her time a little unsure but found the support she needed from her instructor.

“Mr. (James) Dennis never stopped encouraging me and answered questions,” she said. “He helped me realize this is something I wanted to do for a while. I want to be a role model for other girls in the program.”

The male-dominated field can have challenges. Major says seeing other females completing their training gave her confidence.

“Last year, I came in and didn’t see many girls. I thought, ‘what am I going to do? These guys are going to single me out’, then I saw a couple of second-year girls,” she recalled. “I was like; they did it so I can. Now, I am one of those second-year girls. And it feels great to encourage them (other students like me).”

The Automotive Service field is in constant need of new workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the industry needs more than 70,000 new workers annually. The pay is also quite good, with the average salary more than $46,000.

Major plans to use that salary to fulfill her other dream of being a veterinarian.

“I plan to work through college using automotive as my main income,” she said. “I fell in love with cars, but when you think about it, cars and animals are not that different.”

With the confidence she earned at Tulsa Tech, she says nothing can stop her. If you want to find training to help propel you to the career of your dreams, check out our full list of career training programs here.