You Say You Want to Become a Mechanic - Could You Be More Precise?

Auto mechanic training is a potential pathway to a long list of exciting careers - emphasis on "potential." To succeed, aspiring mechanics must take the right steps. To make sure that their dreams become a reality, students in auto training schools need to get specific about their goals. They want to become a mechanic - but what kind? Once they decide, they can tailor their training to their needs. Here are some probing questions friends and family can ask to get the ball rolling.

Do you want to become a mechanic so that you can design hot rods and custom cars?

Students in auto mechanic training who would like to one day work in a specialty auto shop, transforming vehicles into works of art, will have to make sure that they are exposed to many of the same skills as are used in collision refinishing (see below):

• soldering


• welding


• fabricating and manipulating sheet metal


• assembling and disassembling a vehicle part by part


• sanding, priming, painting (and custom mixing colours)

While they are pursuing their auto mechanic training, they may want to seek part-time employment in an auto parts plant, a specialty shop or a collision repair shop for real-life exposure to these core skills.

Do you want to become a mechanic so that you can refinish vehicles that have been in collisions?

In addition to knowledge about soldering, welding, sheet metal and paints, students in auto training schools who are aiming for a career in auto body repair also need to be handy with a hammer and other tools. Sometimes fixing a dent is just a matter of knowing how to pound it out!

Do you want to become a mechanic because you love motorcyles?

Students in auto training schools who are attracted to motorcycle repair may want to complement their general training with a manufacturing-specific concentration.

Many graduates of auto training schools go on to seek additional training on:

• Harley-Davidson motorcyles


• Campagna motorcycles


• Indian motorcyles


• Mistubishi Motors motorcyles


• Yamaha motorcycles

Do you want to become a mechanic so that you can work on in a train yard, at a port, or in a farming community?

Students in auto training schools who are attracted to heavy equipment maintenance will have to make sure that they learn as much as they can about diesel systems. Learning about heavy-duty clutches, torque converters and power trains empowers them to work on such equipment as:

• ships


• tractors


• constructions trucks


• mining vehicles


• cargo trucks


• trains

If you have an aspiring mechanic in your midst, pour them a cup of tea, and start asking questions. By taking them seriously, you will help them give their dreams the consideration that they deserve.