Yasaman Ghorbanifar works a day job to pay rent, attends Universal Technical Institute during the day, and spends her nights in a shop learning her craft until midnight. Her demanding schedule is driven by a clear goal: breaking into motorsports and proving that determination matters more than where you come from.

Motor Age is partnering with TechForce Foundation to share profiles and perspectives of student automotive technicians. These students were asked about their experience working while in school.

A Dream From Far Away

"I'm from Iran, a place where no woman I knew ever became a mechanic," Yasaman explains. "Girls weren't encouraged to pick up tools, chase horsepower, or step foot into a shop."

When she moved to the United States, Yasaman made herself a promise: she would build the future she always dreamed of, even if no one back home had ever done it.

Persistence Pays Off

While attending Universal Technical Institute, she identified a small mechanic shop near her house and started showing up, asking if they'd let her intern. The response wasn't what she hoped for.

"The first time I asked, they looked at me with disbelief—a young Iranian woman wanting to wrench after school didn't fit anything they expected. They said no."

But Yasaman understood something essential about this industry: persistence matters as much as skill.

"I kept coming back. Day after day. Until they realized I wasn't going away."

Eventually, the shop gave her a chance. They couldn't pay her, but they opened the door, and she took it. To survive financially, Yasaman worked a regular day job to cover rent. After her shift, she went straight to the shop and stayed until midnight, learning one repair at a time.

"I'm still doing this today: school at sunrise, work during the day, hands-on experience at night," she says.

Vision Drives Action

Her demanding schedule isn't born from obligation—it's driven by vision. "I know where I want to go—into motorsports, into the heart of this industry—and the only way to get there is through real, hands-on experience."

For Yasaman, working while attending school isn't negotiable. "It's not optional for me; it's a must. It's how I connect classroom learning to real cars, real customers, and real problems. It's how I grow faster, learn deeper, and prove that I belong here."

The shop experience provides what classrooms cannot. Every diagnostic challenge, every repair, every customer interaction builds the practical knowledge that transforms students into professionals. Yasaman sees the direct connection between theory and application, understanding that both are essential to becoming the technician she's determined to be.

The Racetrack Calls

Her commitment extends beyond the classroom and shop. On weekends, Yasaman volunteers at the racetrack, helping in tech and grid. "Standing next to race cars, hearing engines roar and watching drivers rely on the work we do, I feel myself becoming the technician I want to be," she shares. "That track reminds me why I'm pushing so hard, because I'm not just studying a career. I'm building one."

The racetrack represents more than volunteer experience. It's where Yasaman sees her future most clearly—in motorsports, where precision, speed, and technical excellence converge. Every weekend spent in tech inspection or helping on the grid brings her closer to the career she's working to earn.

Talent and Determination

Yasaman's journey from a country where women mechanics were virtually unknown to the tech area of an American racetrack demonstrates what determination can accomplish when paired with opportunity. Her willingness to show up day after day, to work unpaid in a shop after a full day of paid work, and to sacrifice sleep for skill development shows the commitment that builds industry leaders.

"Yes, I work while I'm in school, because I'm chasing a future that girls like me were never told we could have," Yasaman states. "And every long day, every late night, every moment in that shop brings me one step closer to the career I'm determined to earn."

Her story represents a changing industry, one where talent and determination matter more than background or gender. Yasaman Ghorbanifar isn't waiting for permission or approval—she's earning her place through skill, persistence, and an unwavering belief that she belongs in motorsports.

Resilience Develops Excellence

Students like Yasaman who work while learning often develop stronger problem-solving abilities, better time management, and the resilience required to succeed in demanding technical careers. Her approach—combining formal education, paid employment, and unpaid shop experience—creates the comprehensive foundation that produces exceptional technicians.

Support the Next Generation

TechForce receives more than 12,000 applications from students with deep financial need each year. In 2025 alone, TechForce awarded over $6 million in scholarships and grants. While this is an impressive sum of awards, it's still only awarding 1 in every 6 applicants. We need more donations to help more students obtain the technical training required to be workforce ready.