Zach McNulty was searching for his calling when he began his auto repair apprenticeship in 2012. Like it is for many LGBTQ young people, Zach’s adolescence didn’t take a straightforward path through higher education and into working life, and he arrived at the shop as a 20-something who had worked enough odd jobs to know that he had a strong curiosity and some aptitude for mechanical things.
“I felt drawn to tools but didn’t necessarily know their names or how to use them” McNulty says. Then he found a training program with Auto Repair Transmission that set him on a new course. “Auto Repair Transformation was the kind of learning environment that allowed me to be honest about what I didn’t know, taught me what I needed, and encouraged me to just go for it — especially when I was going out of my comfort zone.”
With rigorous on-the-job training and mentorship from other LGBTQ+ technicians, McNulty was able to thrive. He enrolled in the cooperative automotive technology associate degree program at Renton Tech, alternating quarters between the shop and the classroom.
Along the way, Zach heard a calling: he wanted to participate in Formula SAE, a prestigious national program that challenges teams of college students to conceive, design, fabricate and compete with small Formula-style racing cars. He applied to the mechanical engineering Bachelor of Science program at University of Southern California and was admitted.
McNulty’s experience as an LGBTQ student feeling the pull of a career path that haven’t traditionally been inclusive is not uncommon. Women and people of color have faced similar barriers and a lack of diversity is posing challenges for the auto repair industry.
Federal Reserve Economic Data shows that women made up 10% of the workforce in the auto repair and maintenance industry in 2023. Current BLS data shows that women in the installation, repair and maintenance trades have weekly median earnings of $229 less than men per week. African Americans comprised 7.3% of the auto technician workforce, Hispanic and Latinos topped out at 29.5% and Asians made up 3.5% of those working in the auto repair field.
Auto Repair Transformation, located in Seattle, is on a mission to fix these disparities and close the equity gap in the industry.
“We are not just fixing cars; we are fixing an industry,” says Eli Allison, founder of the nonprofit. “This male-dominated industry is also known to exclude people of color and those from the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s important for underserved populations to have a safe workplace where diversity is celebrated.”
The automotive technician workforce desperately needs more talent as most shops are understaffed, they say. Nobody should be overlooked.
As a newly formed nonprofit, A.R.T. has devised ways to get the word out about their mission. One way they do that is by holding Community Workshops. Topics addressed include introductory car care and vehicle systems theory and repair.
“The parents of twin girls asked us to host a Sweet 16 car care workshop for them and their friends,” says Allison. “After the class they successfully installed a spare tire on their neighbor’s car when she had a flat tire.”
The sense of pride those young women felt indicated A.R.T. is making a breakthrough with the stereotypes long existing in the auto repair world, they say.
McNulty finished his degree in mechanical engineering and went on to earn a master’s in computer science. He now works as a research engineer and continues to mentor the FSAE team.
As a mentor, McNulty aims to create the same open and inclusive learning environment for his students that he experienced during his automotive apprenticeship. “My teaching style reflects how I was encouraged to follow my curiosity and ask questions about how things work, and how that built my confidence not only in my own technical skills but also in myself as a younger person.”
Auto Repair Transformation works to close the equity gap in the automotive repair industry by removing barriers to access, inspiring marginalized people to enter and thrive in the industry and advocating for inclusive and equitable environments.
