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trade school
Topic Started: Sep 30 2008, 07:31 PM (967 Views)
metrojoe
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smokin'

i never worked on anything mechanical until me and my dad got my metro running and this was the first time i liked doing something and learned stuff so i am thinkin of auto tech school. i have no job or anything to look forwerd to so maybe this would be good for my future which i never think about anyways :whistle
do you think this would be a good idea
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z34-5speed
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Formerly "Tech Certified"

Depends on whether or not you want to work on cars as a hobby, as a job, or both. I actually got offerd a small scholorship to UTI in Indianapolis but i do not want to work on cars for a living. For me it is a hobby.

It all depends on you. I am only 19 and i have no clue what i want to do as a career. Luckilly i've been working full time since i graduated, that has given me lots of time to think.
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

I will tell you both this...............

There is a high demand for qualified mechanics and always will be! If you go to school and start out small like changing oil at a franchise shop, you begin to learn stuff. As you stick with it and maybe step up to a general mechanic, then the learning process really begins. I have been turning wrenches for many years and I still learn something new all the time. It has gotten to the point that I can diagnose problems with a car by listening to it run or driving it.

I know so many younger people who have gone to college for 4-7 years and work at Walmart. You can go to school to be a lawyer or a doctor, but what are the chances of you being successful at it? As the times are getting harder for most people because of the economy, people are actually fixing their older cars instead of trading them in and I have been very busy lately. The Dealerships on the other hand are hurting because people are not buying new vehicles and are not paying dealership labor rates on the cars they have that need repairs.

I would say go for it, but remember...................

It's a dirty job, but someone has gotta do it :)
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Jamie P
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[ *  * ]
*I appologize in advance for the lengthy response....

I started working on cars quite a bit when I was 14 or so because most of my friends were older so they had cars and I was always helping them work on them....alot of engines, trannys, and body work. At that point, it was a hobby and I really enjoyed it. I was a screw off in high school but I always did well in auto shop. I went to a vocational school for half days during my Junior and Senior year, and was able to leave school an hour early to go work at Kmart Auto Center, and actually received school credit for it. They call it something but I forget what. I learned alot working there....I was low man on the totum pole and started out doing basic stuff....tires, oil changes, wipers, batteries, etc....and I was the clean up guy when everyone went home at night. Eventually, I was able to do more and more...tune ups, suspension work, alignments, etc.. I was ASE certified in a few areas before I graduated and was state certified in most. I really think I could have gone on from there and done just fine with being a technician....like Johnny said, it is just a matter of finding a good shop to start in that will give you an opportunity to work your way up by doing good work, working hard, not complaining, and being on time, etc..

After high school, I went to a trade school in Ohio.....Northwestern Auto Diesel in Lima, Ohio.....I think it is called University of Northwestern Ohio these days. Being the punk ass kid that I was, I did not make the most of the opportunity....I mean I learned stuff but I spent the whole time partying and chasing girls around. Thinking back, I wish I would have made more of it. Anyhow, I learned quite a bit while I was there but honestly, I think up to that point of my automotive "career" I learned more from my days at the old Kmart Auto Center. I really looked up to some of those veteran mechanics and learned alot from them. I showed an interest and they taught me alot.

Anyhow, after college, I worked at a Pontiac dealer as an apprentice for about 12 months and had an opportunity to go into business with a friend so we opened a 4 bay shop that we rented at a Sunoco station. This was a big difference compared to the dealer. I think both have good and bad....although you are working on cars at both places, they are very different at the same time. The deal with my partner ended after about a year so I went to a Buick Pontiac Dealer and did used cars to start with and eventually ended up being the only suspension and steering guy for a year or two, and moved to the only engine driveability guy once the other guy left. I did that for maybe 4-5 years before going to work for technical assistance. So now I have a desk job working on cars over the phone, which is pretty cool but I still have my days and miss the shop environment sometimes.

So with that, what started as a hobby for me turned into a job. I still enjoy it but not like I did when it was purely a hobby. So, my advice is this: Looking back, I wish I would have done alot of things differently but at the same time, I do not really regret anything....it all happens for a reason. I am just saying, if you have options, I would think about all of them before traveling down a career path. For me, this was really the only path that I had and I think it turned out fairly well. If you think being a mechanic/technician is one of the paths to take, I would start at a shop like I did and like Johnny Mullet mentioned. Somewhere that you can get your feet wet and either move up on your own, or at least use it to help you determine if it is something you want to make a career out of before investing the time and money going to school for it. It is really hard work, both mentally and physically, which makes it alot different than doing it as a hobby. When you do it as a hobby, you just kind of tinker and enjoy your time doing it. When you do it as a living, you have to really bust your butt at most places since you are typically on flat rate (most dealers) or on some type of commission plan (independant). So you have to hustle to make a dollar, and if business is slow, that means your pay check is low. It is pretty rare to find hourly shops, around here anyhow. It is also hard mentally because it is not as easy as just replacing this part and that part, it is a matter of diagnosing it properly without having the luxury to swap out 12 different parts and hope it is repaired. Also, things do not always come apart as easy as you expect, especially in this area with salt on the roads to rust bolts, etc... so it is not uncommon to have to break out the torches, easy-outs, drills, and tap set to get bolts out that are stripped or broken.

Oh, one other reason I said to really think about what you want to do before you just jump into school for it, and another example how you can start out at the bottom and work your way up without related schooling is the 2nd helper that I had at the last dealer I worked at...Tom. Tom earned a bachelor degree in journalism from Grand Valley State here in Michigan. He did that for about 6 months and hated it. I do not know if he had a dream about this or what but somehow he decided he wanted to be a mechanic so he quit his journalism job and applied for the lube dude position at my Chevy dealer with no auto experience what so ever.....we had to teach him how to change oil. Anyhow, he really hustled doing that on flat rate and loved what he did......he was always saying how "rewarding" it was....LOL. Anyhow, due to this, my boss gave him a chance to be a helper to the heavy engine guy. He did that for maybe 6 months. Then, he became my helper doing driveability for awhile. He did good work, still thought it was rewarding, never went to auto-school, and learned everything from us. Then the heavy engine guy quit and he had his big chance......my boss offerred him the position....he "went on his own" as the heavy engine guy. He still did good and thought it was rewarding but quickly learned the difference between being a helper and being on his own but he did it. He also learned why I thought he was always crazy for saying how rewarding it was when I would occasionally chuck my pry bar accross the shop, etc.. Anyhow, from there, he was able to get a job for GM writing service information.......went to some development gig for drive axles.....and the latest thing is that he because a District Service Manager/Regional Engineer for the Denver Area Audi Dealers. Pretty amazing really.....although he was smart (he would always critique my repair order documentation...LOL), he had no auto experience at all when he went down that path.

Lastly, like Johnny Mullet said, more and more people are looking to keep their old, paid-off vehicles on the road so they do not have a payment so I believe independants are picking up some. While dealers, many of the ones I speak to daily, the one I used to work at, and one of my friend's, seem to be slowing down. When I left the dealer, we had more work than we knew what to do with and I would average about 55-60 hours a week flat rate. Where now, most of them are standing around waiting for work to show up when I go in there. Remember, the dealer does not pay them to stand around and drink coffee, they pay them to work on vehicles, and they only pay them a set amount of time for the job.... which is a whole 'nother thing....LOL.
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mildwild61
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First of all, you are not going to be successful at anything unless you have the right work ethic. That means you show up for work 15 minutes early, you perform the work that is required of you in a safe and organized manner while being efficient at your job. Maintaining a positive attitude is a must, so whining or sarcasm or your personal life is not welcome. There is always a job for someone who is willing to work hard just ask all the illegal immigrants. Auto mechanics nowadays can as simple as an oil change or it can be a highly computerized profession. No substitute for learning from a mechanic who has twenty or more years of experience so respect your elders. Auto mechanics can be a challenging and very rewarding experience. You can also earn major brownie points with the opposite gender for fixing their cars. good luck!
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Ryan
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Ryan

Hey guys,

I hear what you are all saying. I still think everyday of going back to the community college and earning an A.A.S in automotive tech. I want to learn more about cars, but I just don't have the time with my present curriculum.

I have a general knowledge, but I still think about whether I would like to turn that into more than a hobby.

Two year degree in automotive is far cheaper than a undergrad or beyond degree from a university. And, I do agree with Johnny that in today's economy (especially), it's VERY difficult to find a job. I am a political science major and my professors have asked me what I want to do with that degree. I honestly don't know. They tell me it's a "tough market out there." With a political science degree, you can teach it at the community college level, but that requires at least a master's degree. Then, you're not guaranteed a job after (you could work as a part-time "when needed" instructor earning just $3,000 for one semester).

All along, I have to take out a $2,000 each semester. I'm not guaranteed a job afterwards. It bothers me quite a bit. Couple that with the fact tuition goes up EVERY year (the Board raised it 9.2 percent in July) and expenses keep rising.
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Ryan
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Ryan

Jamie P
Sep 30 2008, 09:00 PM
*I appologize in advance for the lengthy response....

I started working on cars quite a bit when I was 14 or so because most of my friends were older so they had cars and I was always helping them work on them....alot of engines, trannys, and body work. At that point, it was a hobby and I really enjoyed it. I was a screw off in high school but I always did well in auto shop. I went to a vocational school for half days during my Junior and Senior year, and was able to leave school an hour early to go work at Kmart Auto Center, and actually received school credit for it. They call it something but I forget what. I learned alot working there....I was low man on the totum pole and started out doing basic stuff....tires, oil changes, wipers, batteries, etc....and I was the clean up guy when everyone went home at night. Eventually, I was able to do more and more...tune ups, suspension work, alignments, etc.. I was ASE certified in a few areas before I graduated and was state certified in most. I really think I could have gone on from there and done just fine with being a technician....like Johnny said, it is just a matter of finding a good shop to start in that will give you an opportunity to work your way up by doing good work, working hard, not complaining, and being on time, etc..

After high school, I went to a trade school in Ohio.....Northwestern Auto Diesel in Lima, Ohio.....I think it is called University of Northwestern Ohio these days. Being the punk ass kid that I was, I did not make the most of the opportunity....I mean I learned stuff but I spent the whole time partying and chasing girls around. Thinking back, I wish I would have made more of it. Anyhow, I learned quite a bit while I was there but honestly, I think up to that point of my automotive "career" I learned more from my days at the old Kmart Auto Center. I really looked up to some of those veteran mechanics and learned alot from them. I showed an interest and they taught me alot.

Anyhow, after college, I worked at a Pontiac dealer as an apprentice for about 12 months and had an opportunity to go into business with a friend so we opened a 4 bay shop that we rented at a Sunoco station. This was a big difference compared to the dealer. I think both have good and bad....although you are working on cars at both places, they are very different at the same time. The deal with my partner ended after about a year so I went to a Buick Pontiac Dealer and did used cars to start with and eventually ended up being the only suspension and steering guy for a year or two, and moved to the only engine driveability guy once the other guy left. I did that for maybe 4-5 years before going to work for technical assistance. So now I have a desk job working on cars over the phone, which is pretty cool but I still have my days and miss the shop environment sometimes.

So with that, what started as a hobby for me turned into a job. I still enjoy it but not like I did when it was purely a hobby. So, my advice is this: Looking back, I wish I would have done alot of things differently but at the same time, I do not really regret anything....it all happens for a reason. I am just saying, if you have options, I would think about all of them before traveling down a career path. For me, this was really the only path that I had and I think it turned out fairly well. If you think being a mechanic/technician is one of the paths to take, I would start at a shop like I did and like Johnny Mullet mentioned. Somewhere that you can get your feet wet and either move up on your own, or at least use it to help you determine if it is something you want to make a career out of before investing the time and money going to school for it. It is really hard work, both mentally and physically, which makes it alot different than doing it as a hobby. When you do it as a hobby, you just kind of tinker and enjoy your time doing it. When you do it as a living, you have to really bust your butt at most places since you are typically on flat rate (most dealers) or on some type of commission plan (independant). So you have to hustle to make a dollar, and if business is slow, that means your pay check is low. It is pretty rare to find hourly shops, around here anyhow. It is also hard mentally because it is not as easy as just replacing this part and that part, it is a matter of diagnosing it properly without having the luxury to swap out 12 different parts and hope it is repaired. Also, things do not always come apart as easy as you expect, especially in this area with salt on the roads to rust bolts, etc... so it is not uncommon to have to break out the torches, easy-outs, drills, and tap set to get bolts out that are stripped or broken.

Oh, one other reason I said to really think about what you want to do before you just jump into school for it, and another example how you can start out at the bottom and work your way up without related schooling is the 2nd helper that I had at the last dealer I worked at...Tom. Tom earned a bachelor degree in journalism from Grand Valley State here in Michigan. He did that for about 6 months and hated it. I do not know if he had a dream about this or what but somehow he decided he wanted to be a mechanic so he quit his journalism job and applied for the lube dude position at my Chevy dealer with no auto experience what so ever.....we had to teach him how to change oil. Anyhow, he really hustled doing that on flat rate and loved what he did......he was always saying how "rewarding" it was....LOL. Anyhow, due to this, my boss gave him a chance to be a helper to the heavy engine guy. He did that for maybe 6 months. Then, he became my helper doing driveability for awhile. He did good work, still thought it was rewarding, never went to auto-school, and learned everything from us. Then the heavy engine guy quit and he had his big chance......my boss offerred him the position....he "went on his own" as the heavy engine guy. He still did good and thought it was rewarding but quickly learned the difference between being a helper and being on his own but he did it. He also learned why I thought he was always crazy for saying how rewarding it was when I would occasionally chuck my pry bar accross the shop, etc.. Anyhow, from there, he was able to get a job for GM writing service information.......went to some development gig for drive axles.....and the latest thing is that he because a District Service Manager/Regional Engineer for the Denver Area Audi Dealers. Pretty amazing really.....although he was smart (he would always critique my repair order documentation...LOL), he had no auto experience at all when he went down that path.

Lastly, like Johnny Mullet said, more and more people are looking to keep their old, paid-off vehicles on the road so they do not have a payment so I believe independants are picking up some. While dealers, many of the ones I speak to daily, the one I used to work at, and one of my friend's, seem to be slowing down. When I left the dealer, we had more work than we knew what to do with and I would average about 55-60 hours a week flat rate. Where now, most of them are standing around waiting for work to show up when I go in there. Remember, the dealer does not pay them to stand around and drink coffee, they pay them to work on vehicles, and they only pay them a set amount of time for the job.... which is a whole 'nother thing....LOL.
Sterling Heights?

GVSU is only 1.5 hours from home for me. WMU is about double that.
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Jamie P
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brokestudent
Oct 6 2008, 10:48 PM
.
Sterling Heights?

GVSU is only 1.5 hours from home for me. WMU is about double that.[/quote]About 10 minutes/miles north of Pontiac.
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Deleted User
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My metro doesn't pull any vag, any recomendations?
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geothunder11one11
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MetroMania
Mar 23 2009, 10:23 PM
My metro doesn't pull any vag, any recomendations?
Yeah, get a BMW. :wub:
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onebadmetro


ooooo how bout a GTR then you could work for a burger shop and still get the P U S S Y S
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