She Knows Collision: Meeting the Ladies of Body and Paint Center

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Women are a force to be reckoned with – especially in the workforce!

Yet, despite the fact that women make up nearly 47 percent of the workforce in the US, only 4.9 percent of employees in the auto body repair industry in 2024 were women, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, it’s not uncommon to walk in a shop and see nothing but men.

That’s not the case at Body and Paint Center (Hudson), where 25 percent of employees are female. Owner Tom Ricci doesn’t go out of his way to hire women; he simply seeks out the best person for the role, regardless of gender. “We’ll hire anyone who can do the job right. The fact that we have so many women in the shop is simply a sign of the times.”

More shops than ever before boast women in the front office, and three of Ricci’s female employees work as administrative staff; however, he also employs three ladies whose hands-on skills in the shop have earned his respect and admiration. “Their attention to detail exceeds that of most men I’ve employed in the past, plus women offer different perspectives than men. There are a lot of benefits to breaking with ‘tradition.’”

Gabby Aguiriano has been working in the collision repair industry for nearly a decade, starting when she was just 22 years old. She “fell into” her automotive journey when a previous manager bought an auto repair shop and hired her as a receptionist. “I was looking for a new job, so when he called, I figured ‘why not?’ I honestly had no plans to work in the automotive industry, but you never know where life will take you. That simple job became more than I ever expected. I like to learn a lot, so I started to get more involved in the shop’s operations without even trying.”

Aguiriano advanced her knowledge, becoming an auto damage appraiser in 2019. She joined Ricci’s team four years ago. “The more knowledge I gained, the more I enjoyed what I was doing…and being able to increase my income certainly didn’t hurt! Learning a trade means that I’ve gained experience which I can carry with me wherever I go.”

She particularly loves the fact that her job allows her to help people. “When someone gets in an accident, they’re stressed out. Many have never been in a collision before and have no idea how the process works. They may think their car will never be the same. Guiding them through everything and seeing how happy they are when we return their car after restoring it to its pre-accident condition feels great. I do everything I can to ensure we provide every customer with an excellent experience.”

Of course, every job has some drawbacks. “Problems are going to arise, but I don’t let it get to me. I know that when something unexpected comes up, we just have to work around it and go with the flow.”

Juliana Jardini joined the team at Body Paint and Center while she was still a senior at Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (Marlborough) through the school’s co-op program and just began her second year in the shop, working as a prepper and painter. Growing up, she enjoyed working on her mother’s car with her father, who was a mechanic. “That definitely influenced me, but I had no idea I’d want to pursue an automotive career until my freshman year when I entered the shop and realized how much I enjoy it. I guess the interest was always in the back of my head, but it wasn’t really a path anyone expected me to take.”

Fortunately, Jardini’s instructors were very encouraging and promoted an environment that helped her develop her skills. The ability to constantly learn something new is her favorite thing about the collision repair industry. “I learn something every single day. This industry is always changing and evolving. You can learn something this year, but by next year, it’s completely different. Now, we’ve got the addition of EVs and the specifics related to certain manufacturers’ vehicles.”

She also loves that “there’s opportunity for growth. There’s so many different aspects of this trade. I enjoy painting, but I’m not confined to this one thing. In the future, I may decide to learn to appraise or do bodywork. The options are limitless!”

Ashley Carmona is the newest female addition to Ricci’s team, though she’s been working in the industry for five years. After studying collision refinish at a local technical high school and college, Carmona started painting professionally two years ago; Body and Paint Center is the third shop she’s worked at. Like Aguiriano, she didn’t necessarily intend to become a collision professional. “My school required me to pick a shop, so I haphazardly chose auto collision and started to really like it. It may not have been my original career goal, but I absolutely fell in love with the painting side of the industry; being able to restore someone’s car and seeing how beautiful it looks once it comes out of the booth is fulfilling.”

Prepping vehicles is Carmona’s least favorite part of the process. “I don’t really enjoy sanding and prepping the car, but it has to be done before I can get to the fun part. I love mixing the colors and seeing what I can create. I definitely plan to continue painting for a long time!”

So, what’s it like working in a shop with so many other women? Just as Ricci believes it’s about who is best for the job, Aguiriano believes it depends on the individual. “There are advantages and disadvantages to working with men and women. Each person is different, so it doesn’t really matter what gender they are. Some people are more easygoing, and that’s who I prefer to work with.”

Carmona is accustomed to being around a lot of women since her tech school class consisted primarily of other female collision professionals. She has noticed that women tend to be more organized than their male counterparts. “With men, things are all over the place, but women seem to keep things orderly and tidy, which makes the whole process go more smoothly.”

Jardini finds it “encouraging to see other women in the field. You don’t see women in the shop as much as in the front office, so being around other women who enjoy working with their hands is very inspiring because it shows that this field is truly evolving.”

Ricci agrees that evolution is necessary. “The landscape of our industry is changing, and the best thing shop owners can do is embrace it,” he insists. “The male-dominated culture in many shops works to their detriment; if you’re only willing to hire men, you’re missing out on a lot of talent. At the SkillsUSA Massachusetts State Competition this year, nine of the 24 competitors in collision repair and refinish were women! We have to update our mindset and accept that skills are not gender-specific. A well-trained woman can repair or paint a car just as well as a well-trained man.”

What about those shop owners who absolutely refuse to embrace diversification? “If some shops are unwilling to hire women solely because they’re women, that just means more qualified help for the rest of us!”

Want more? Check out the July 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!