Paris, Jan. 24: A beautician and two former air hostesses are among 15 women selected to work in France’s first garage run by women, which is being hailed as the solution for a car industry that is having trouble finding male mechanics clever enough to understand its high-tech vehicles.

The women, aged between 21 and 38, began a pioneering training course in Montpellier, southern France, this month, learning the jobs that will be necessary when they set up their own dealership. Seven are studying to become mechanics, two to be bodywork specialists, two to handle spare parts, two to act as saleswomen and two to take care of the accountancy and paperwork.

After a 22-month course they will form a team that will take over a local garage.

“There are a lot of women who are interested in this profession,” said Herve Malige, director of the Base 34 Training Centre in Montpellier, which is running the course.

“But they tend to become discouraged because it’s a very macho environment. We want to create a shockwave that changes that mentality.” He said 120 women had applied for the course, and 15 were chosen after an interview, a test on a broken-down vehicle and an assessment of their ability to work together.

Apart from the air hostesses and beautician, they include a nurse, a secretary, a bus driver and a wine-maker. There are several university graduates.

Malige, himself the son of a garage-owner, said he was looking for investors to fund the dealership that lies at the end of the training scheme.

“There is a lot of interest... I’m confident... we can get the financing.” He added: “The head of the garage will either be someone who emerges during the course... or an outside appointment by the investors.

“It’s possible that some of the 15 will drop out before the 22 months are over. If that happens, they will be replaced.”

With women buying a third of the cars sold in France and representing just under half of the driving population, Malige believes the garage is likely to be a success. “I think a lot of people might instinctively trust a woman more. And perhaps female customers will feel more at ease with someone who doesn’t treat them like a dumb blonde who doesn’t understand anything.” Frederique Biesse, who helped to set up the course, agreed. “In a garage run by women, there’s going to be a lot of innovative ideas,” she said.