How a car wash job helped this woman better herself, learn skills

Megan Raposa -

This is a paid piece from Silverstar Car Wash.

Simplified: Katie Swenson said after a rough past, her job at Silverstar Car Wash over the last two years was one thing that helped her stay out of trouble, better herself and learn practical skills to advance her career.

Why it matters

  • Swenson, 22, started her career at Silverstar in December 2020 as a cashier at the 57th Street and Marion Avenue location. In just over a year, she was promoted to assistant manager.
  • She initially applied because she had a friend working for Silverstar, and now she encourages anyone looking for a flexible work environment and a company that really cares about employees to work for Silverstar as well.
  • One of the biggest perks of the job, she added, is the ability to learn new skills, like how to fix and maintain the wash equipment.
"I feel like the job has kept me on my feet," she said. "I'm learning new trades without having to go to college."

Q&A: Meet Katie

This segment has been edited and shortened for clarity. Answers are all from Swenson.

What is your expertise at Silverstar? I think my strong suit at Silverstar is definitely the cashier side of things and team morale. I keep a close-knit relationship with all of the employees and co-workers at my location – keeping it a fun work environment, while still working.

What's your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of the job would be, honestly, all the different types of people you meet as customers and staff.

What's something you think most customers don't know about Silverstar? That we do our own maintenance. It's a pretty manual-labor job. Yeah, you're washing cars everyday, but I don't think they understand how intense it gets, especially on busy days, and how hard it is to fix some of the stuff.

What surprised you about working for Silverstar? Two things: How fast and easy it is to move up, and how much they value their employees.

Learn more about Silverstar

Silverstar has 10 locations – with one more in the works – in Sioux Falls. You can learn more about their unlimited wash program here, and if you're looking to work with folks like Katie, find job openings here.