Madysen Smith is an 18-year-old refinishing technician with Noaker’s Auto Body in Duncannon, Pennsylvania, and a recent graduate of Dauphin County Technical School. She was named a finalist in the 2024 Techs Rock Awards this spring. TechForce staff reconnected with Madysen in September, and the following are Madysen’s insights on her career as a professional technician so far.
FenderBender is partnering with TechForce Foundation to share perspectives from the new generation of collision repair technicians. Read on for insights you can use to grow your talent pool on why working in a shop appeals to Gen Z.
Why I Became a Technician
I joined the team at Noaker’s Auto Body in May 2023, back when I was still a high school junior at Dauphin County Technical School. My decision to become a technician was influenced by my family and ultimately decided through my educational journey.
I have always been around cars and have worked on them with my dad for as long as I can remember. My "aha" moment when I knew I wanted to be a technician came in my freshman year of high school when I toured all the programs Dauphin County Technical School offered. I found the Collision and Refinishing program, taught by Mr. Aaron Dressler, and I haven’t looked back since.
Some of my most common responsibilities as a refinishing technician include sanding, masking, color matching, paint mixing, denibbing, buffing and polishing. The wide range of responsibilities has helped me discover that painting is definitely my strong suit. When I look forward to my career, I am extremely excited to be a full-time painter. My long-term goal is to be a high-end hot rod painter doing custom paint jobs.
Obstacles I Faced in Starting my Technician Career
I feel the industry could do a better job helping and supporting younger technicians, especially the young females trying to get into this industry. Throughout my journey, I've definitely faced some hate and a lot of criticism simply because I am a female in a male-dominated trade. I often have to overcome these obstacles on my own, but I've used this to drive me to be better than all the people hating on me, proving time and time again I have what it takes to be extremely successful in this industry.
Helping women grow in this industry is important to me. I am learning as much as I can so that I can be a mentor in the future, and I am documenting my experiences on Instagram (@autoaddictions_) to help other young female techs learn more about what it’s like to be a technician.
Mentorship is the Reason I Stuck with Becoming a Tech
I'd like to give a shoutout to my high school instructor, Mr. Aaron Dressler. Throughout my time in the program, he always pushed me to succeed and gave me every opportunity to be successful in the collision industry. He really did everything in his power to help me succeed and pushed me to learn everything I could throughout the four years he had me as a student. I give him all the credit for my knowledge and abilities in the industry.
Thanks to Mr. Dressler’s guidance, I have been recognized as a Category Winner in TechForce’s Techs Rock Awards, a SkillsUSA A.R.T. National Finalist, and earned a 2024 Women’s Industry Network (WIN) Award from the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF.)
What’s Next and How You Can Help
I take pride in my work in the collision industry. I am looking forward to achieving my career goals and inspiring other females to become technicians. I hope that the industry increases the ways it supports us and that our fellow classmates and technicians accept us as the talented, skilled technicians we are. Either way, I will continue to strive to be the best at what I do because I love doing it.
Profile supplied by TechForce. Also check out what she had to say as one of three young painters profiled in The Painter's Playbook.
