Ms Ingham has been working her way up through the ranks at a local automotive smash repairs business and is loving working in the male-dominated trade.

She recently moved from reception to apprentice automotive spray painter at Leven Smash Repairs (LSR) in Dubbo and encouraged other young women wanting to enter a trade to follow their dreams like she did.

"I love the team. It's what's helped me a lot," Ms Ingham said. "When I finished school I worked at an industrial gas company so I was in a male-dominated industry - that's what I like about being up here, I get along with them all."

She said she had always wanted to enter a trade and found the work fulfilling - particularly when she was able to help fix up a badly-damaged car.

"You see how bad the damage was when it comes in and look forward to seeing the end result," she said.

Ms Ingham's dad is a mechanic and spray painting has always intrigued her. She also owns her own furniture restoration business and is finding what she's learning at LSR to be useful in other applications.

"I've been told by the workshop that I've been able to listen and pick things up quite quickly," Ms Ingham said.

"I've enjoyed developing how the paint goes on the panel, blending things, and understanding how well you need to prepare before you paint it so there's no mishaps in the paint work. I want to get a bit further and hopefully my skills can go a bit higher.

"The guys here have been really helpful teaching me things. I'm already up to painting metallics and they want me to do a pearl and a blue in the next couple of days. There's different types of paint and understanding it all is pretty difficult. But once you get it explained to you it works out and you have a better idea."

She hopes to complete her apprenticeship and become a fully-qualified automotive spray painter.

How does she feel working in this industry as a woman?

"Honestly, I just feel like I'm one of the team. I give everything a crack," she said.

International Women's Day is on Tuesday, March 8, celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.