The purpose of this article is to elucidate how the girl who chooses technology came to be the symbol of the non-traditional pupil's choice in Sweden. In the early 1960s it was hoped that girls would enter workshop training and then commit themselves to engineering mechanics jobs at a time when Sweden was characterised by economic growth which was expected to lead to labour shortage. However, the problems and the resistance against women in the workshops were rarely discussed. One possible explanation for not addressing the obstacles that the girls risked facing is that great hopes were attached to changing gender roles. The major school reform that was about to be launched was also expected to lead to more equal educational choices. In addition, girls' choices were associated with tradition and an outmoded society. The female mechanic or industrial worker came to be seen as a symbol of modern Sweden. (Contains 1 note.)