By Alex Dugas
Montreal, Quebec — September 4, 2017 — Originally from Lery, Quebec, Vyolaine Dujmovic has held a strong passion for the automotive industry ever since she was a child. Today, Dujmovic, thanks in part to sponsorship from Fix Auto and AIA Canada, is preparing for the Autobody competition at the 44th WorldSkills event to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in October 2017. Bodyworx Professional contacted Dujmovic to gain more insight on her training, her influences and inspirations.
Collision Repair magazine: How has your experience with Skills Canada and WorldSkills enriched your life?
Vyolaine Dujmovic: This experience has given me the opportunity to learn a lot of new skills at a very fast pace. One of the most fulfilling aspects of the competition was the chance to meet so many great people and form new friendships. By travelling to different provinces and countries, I got the chance to meet some memorable people who will remain excellent contacts in the future.
CRM: How are you preparing for the competition?
VD: I go to school twice a week for technical training. It’s not only about the technical training though. A big part of my training involves making quick decisions as well as problem solving. Much of my training involves learning how to think quickly and efficiently.
CRM: What have been your biggest challenges throughout this experience?
VD: Managing myself. I am a natural born perfectionist and I have my own techniques for everything. It was definitely hard to let my trainers teach me new skills and new techniques. This has taught me how to manage myself on a professional level.
CRM: Why did you choose the collision repair path? What are the experiences or people that have influenced you to become who you are today?
VD: My father is a mechanic for a racing team, so the passion runs in the family. One of my dad’s best friends is a driver for the team. When I was young, I would tag along with my dad for every single race. I would be the little girl stealing her dad’s hammers to dismantle whatever I could find. My passion only grew with me and I decided to pursue it professionally after high school. Now here I am today, proud to be able to work at Fix Auto Henri Bourassa, an environment which allows me to express my passion.
CRM: What are your objectives or plans for the future?
VD: I am currently looking at a variety of option. My presence within the competition has opened a lot of doors as well as many opportunities. In the next five to 10 years I would like to become a teacher in the collision repair industry. I would like to teach collision repair so that I can transmit my passion onto others. I love my current job and am happy to be working for a company that allows me to practice my passion every day.
CRM: Are you nervous or excited to be travelling so far from home?
VD: I really like travelling. Of course I’m a little nervous to be travelling so far from home but it’s also very exciting! I just came back from China where I was able to follow more training for the competition. One aspect of my training involves learning about other cultures as well as respecting them. Culture shifts from country to country and it is important to show great respect for all cultures. I’m also very excited to see the friends I’ve made throughout the competition again!
