Becoming an Automotive Service Technician

“Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.” – Author Unknown

(By, Fast Eddie)

If you’re the type of person who loves to be around cars, then a career as an automotive service technician may be an ideal choice. As a technician, it will be your responsibility to maintain vehicles as well as repair them whenever something goes wrong. Upward mobility relatively is easy (think service manager at a dealer, or master mechanic) and is a field with a positive and growing job outlook—a sinking economy creates a greater need to fix older cars as there’s more of them on the road).

Now, service technicians work on a wide range of cars. In addition to gasoline-powered vehicles, they may also have to work on green cars that run with electricity or alternative fuels. You will need to diagnose the problem with the car based on the symptoms provided by the owner, and your tools. Automotive service technicians can specialize in particular makes and models, while others work with all types. Regardless of your specialty, you will need to possess a wide range of skills (troubleshooting, analytical, and patience etc.) in order to excel in this career.

You’ll be presented with many different vehicle problems, so problem solving skills are also a must. Good communication skills are important since you will have to work with customers and other employees quite often. Having physical dexterity and strength is also important when you want to work on cars.

Your career path to becoming an automotive service technician should as early as possible. If you’re still in school, you will need to do well in basic courses such as math and science (it won’t hurt!). Attending classes in electronics, business, management, and automotive technology is also a good idea. A must is auto shop, or metal shop, if your school offers it. Welding, and engineering classes are also great.

In order to become an automotive service technician, you will need to at least have a high school diploma. To land a job however and not just fix cars in your garage, employers require that you have some form of secondary training. You can look into attending a technical school (think UTI, and ITT tech), community college, or even a 4-year college or university. If you choose to attend a trade school, then the amount of time it takes you to complete the required courses can vary. Most programs last anywhere from six-months to a year. Attending a community college will result in getting an associate’s degree, but you’ll have to stay approximately two years.

Whichever path you take, it’s vital to take a few useful courses. Automotive repair, electronics, and mathematics are very important. Others include computers and physics. Most courses will provide you with training useful for working on both newer and older cars.

Classroom instruction is just one part of becoming an automotive service technician. It’s also important that you get your hands dirty as well. Therefore, landing an apprenticeship or internship at a repair shop should be on your list of priorities. Plenty of colleges and trade schools offer internship or co-op programs. Therefore, you should try to attend one if possible. After enrolling in one of these programs, you will work with an experienced technician getting real-world experience.

If you want to excel, it’s a MUST to look into certifications when you want to become an automotive service technician. There are various areas that you can certify in including brake systems, electrical systems, engine repair, and heating and air conditioning. Having a certification will help you command a better salary. In order to get certified though, you will need at least two years of real-world experience. Then, you can get an Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE certification. You will need to pass a test, as well as take another one every five years in order to maintain your certification.

The job prospects for automotive service technicians are pretty good, and things only look to get better. There are more and more new cars being produced and put on the road with each passing year, and people are holding on to them longer. Dealerships and auto shops are always looking for new technicians, especially if current ones are retiring or moving on to other jobs.

Just after graduating, you can bring home a decent amount of money every year. The beginning salary for one year of experience is typically between $20,000 and $25,000. Average technicians earn approximately $40,000 each year. As you gain experience, your salary will undoubtedly rise. Become a service manager, master mechanic or diesel technician, and you can easily see $60k-$80k per year.

Source: Automobile Magazine – Fast Eddie shares his knowledge about automotive careers, and is thrilled to be featured on CareerAlley.

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