Work
Individuals who elect to participate in the entry-level job of Automotive Service Technician must perform many different tasks. These tasks include:
- Inspection
- Maintenance
- Repair
When it comes to the amount of time that is worked each week, the typical ''40'' hours is a standard among most. However, it must be understood that most who engage in the entry-level job of Automotive Service Technician work a few more than forty hours weekly. This is a lot to do with the speed of the work, the quality of the work, and the demand for the work. Most of the time, you will be working indoors in a shop or garage- type of building. There is a lot of ventilation and there are normally fans set up in order to keep the area cool and comfortable for you, as well as the customer. The area will be typically kept up, but it can be ''dirty'' work in that coming in contact with grease and grime is quite common. You are often expected to work with tools in odd positions, and the area may prove to be extremely loud.
Education and Training
At one point, education and training for the entry-level job of Automotive Service Technician was not nearly as important as experience. Now, as the technology of the automotive industry increases, most repair shops and businesses requires that their employees have a certain amount of education and training prior to being hired to work in the field. The education that these employers like to see is a standard automotive repair course and/or specialized program. This can be taken in high school, college, or even a local vocational school.
There are a number of courses and/or classes that can prove to be extremely beneficial if you elect to work in the entry-level job of Automotive Service Technician. The following represents these classes:
- Electronics
- English
- Automotive Repair
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Computer Technology
- Customer Service
- Business Math
When it comes to earnings for the Automotive Service Technician, they are relatively higher than the earnings of other positions. The lowest end of the scale when it comes to wages is about $9.00 to $10.00. The ''average'' technician in the United States makes right at about $16.00 hourly. Many of the highest salaries for an Automotive Service Technician averages around $30.00 per hour! It is quite possible to start in this entry-level job and quickly advance to higher pay. If you are seeking a position where you have the potential to make a lot of money, this is it! However, be certain to understand that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make this much money.
Job Outlook
When it comes to the future of this service technician position, it is a positive one! The need for individuals who are educated in the area of diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining vehicles is growing faster than ever before. This is especially true when it comes to cars that run on electricity and alternative fuels. The growth of employment will result in a large number of job openings because of the fact that all of the proficient and highly educated technicians will retire. These individuals will need to be replaced. If you are interested in a career that is an entry-level Automotive Service Technician position, now is definitely the time to go for it.