Mechanic Apprenticeship?

[MYRB30]

Woah, theres a lot of BS been written here so far.

Diesel mechs on 100k a year?? Yeah right, their working 12 hr shifts for 3 weeks on 1 off, how many people last doing that? Mining is dead. We will never have that boom again in our lives. Forget it.

I am yet to meet a mechanic who is proud to be one after any length in the trade....Im talking about those that have made a career of it, not do the apprenticeship and leave.

The automotive trade, cars especially, root your arms, back etc. Your playing in toxic chemicals all day. You have customers who follow you home to imitimidate you that think their right is to have things done for free. You work with noisy rattle guns, hammers, presses etc. Your playing in dust. Did you still know that only in the last couple of years has asbestos been banned in the automotive trade? Thats right, to pull a house down that has asbestos, you need a space suit, a license and get paid a fortune. A mechanic just scraps the gasket full of asbestos, or clutch or brakes and breathes that shit in with no protection.

One fella commented that cars seemed simple. WTF, spend a week with me friend, you will walk away saying "F#$K that shit".

Be aware that the MTA WILL NOT provide results for your work, unless you finish your apprenticeship. I know a bloke, who after three years, got his girlfriend pregnant, had to get a better paying job. He did not get any credit from the MTA, once things calmed down he restarted his apprenticeship from SCRATCH! You have been warned. Remember the MTA is privately owned, vs. TAFE being gov't owned, the difference this makes is significant.

I didn't care about money at first, but now my mates earn 2 or 3 or 4 times what I do. It f$%ks me off no end. I have to save up for a pair of tyres for weeks. They can pay for a killer clutch with one pay. I drive a 20 yr old car, they drive a car with factory warranty. My car breaks, I cry. If their car breaks, I have to fix it, so I still cry.

The pressure in a busy dealer workshop is horrendous. Mechanics have been institutionalised from the stress. Remember, one loose nut can kill a person or family. The mechanic who causes that WILL be charged with manslaughter.

If you want to seriously be a mechanic. Get onto your local member of parliament and pressure them for licensing for mechanics. Then our wages may be better.

Someone said mechanics wages are on the rise. In relation to what? Did you know some of the current diesels have 7 sensors around the DPF in the exhaust? Thats one part of the vehicle. The knowledge required for a mechanic is now bordering on rediculous, hence most mechanics leave the trade by 25yrs. The modern car is the most complecated item in production in the world. Mechanics are now expected to know about metals, fluids, airflow, body work, electrics, chemistry etc. Have our wages really risen? No way.

No one is interested in hiring ex-mechanics to work other jobs. I've tried. Hence most become couriers or truck drivers or farmers.

And all your mates expect you to fix their cars for free, but for some reason plummers and sparkys still get paid.

There are other stupid disadvantages to being a mechanic such as no super paid on over time. About the only job where this is true. Only 6 sick days a year, again almost all jobs allow 12. 15 years for long service, most is 10 some 7 years.

So, shit working conditions

shit wages

shit benefits

shit future prospects

shit jobs with out pay from friends/family

and shit respect from the public......You WILL NOT pull chicks by telling them your a grease monkey.

You will end up knowing heaps about cars if you apply yourself. But think about it, when was the last time you seen a car featured in a magazine that was owned by a mechanic? I've seen them owned by workshops, but never by an employed mechanic...so that knowledge is useless.

Ive done some dumb things in my time, but CHOOSING to be a mechanic sure as hell tops the list.

[Glavas]

  MYRB30 said:

Woah, theres a lot of BS been written here so far.

Diesel mechs on 100k a year?? Yeah right, their working 12 hr shifts for 3 weeks on 1 off, how many people last doing that? Mining is dead. We will never have that boom again in our lives. Forget it.

I am yet to meet a mechanic who is proud to be one after any length in the trade....Im talking about those that have made a career of it, not do the apprenticeship and leave.

The automotive trade, cars especially, root your arms, back etc. Your playing in toxic chemicals all day. You have customers who follow you home to imitimidate you that think their right is to have things done for free. You work with noisy rattle guns, hammers, presses etc. Your playing in dust. Did you still know that only in the last couple of years has asbestos been banned in the automotive trade? Thats right, to pull a house down that has asbestos, you need a space suit, a license and get paid a fortune. A mechanic just scraps the gasket full of asbestos, or clutch or brakes and breathes that shit in with no protection.

One fella commented that cars seemed simple. WTF, spend a week with me friend, you will walk away saying "F#$K that shit".

Be aware that the MTA WILL NOT provide results for your work, unless you finish your apprenticeship. I know a bloke, who after three years, got his girlfriend pregnant, had to get a better paying job. He did not get any credit from the MTA, once things calmed down he restarted his apprenticeship from SCRATCH! You have been warned. Remember the MTA is privately owned, vs. TAFE being gov't owned, the difference this makes is significant.

I didn't care about money at first, but now my mates earn 2 or 3 or 4 times what I do. It f$%ks me off no end. I have to save up for a pair of tyres for weeks. They can pay for a killer clutch with one pay. I drive a 20 yr old car, they drive a car with factory warranty. My car breaks, I cry. If their car breaks, I have to fix it, so I still cry.

The pressure in a busy dealer workshop is horrendous. Mechanics have been institutionalised from the stress. Remember, one loose nut can kill a person or family. The mechanic who causes that WILL be charged with manslaughter.

If you want to seriously be a mechanic. Get onto your local member of parliament and pressure them for licensing for mechanics. Then our wages may be better.

Someone said mechanics wages are on the rise. In relation to what? Did you know some of the current diesels have 7 sensors around the DPF in the exhaust? Thats one part of the vehicle. The knowledge required for a mechanic is now bordering on rediculous, hence most mechanics leave the trade by 25yrs. The modern car is the most complecated item in production in the world. Mechanics are now expected to know about metals, fluids, airflow, body work, electrics, chemistry etc. Have our wages really risen? No way.

No one is interested in hiring ex-mechanics to work other jobs. I've tried. Hence most become couriers or truck drivers or farmers.

And all your mates expect you to fix their cars for free, but for some reason plummers and sparkys still get paid.

There are other stupid disadvantages to being a mechanic such as no super paid on over time. About the only job where this is true. Only 6 sick days a year, again almost all jobs allow 12. 15 years for long service, most is 10 some 7 years.

So, shit working conditions

shit wages

shit benefits

shit future prospects

shit jobs with out pay from friends/family

and shit respect from the public......You WILL NOT pull chicks by telling them your a grease monkey.

You will end up knowing heaps about cars if you apply yourself. But think about it, when was the last time you seen a car featured in a magazine that was owned by a mechanic? I've seen them owned by workshops, but never by an employed mechanic...so that knowledge is useless.

Ive done some dumb things in my time, but CHOOSING to be a mechanic sure as hell tops the list.

Well currently I'm on 10 sick days a week. Minimum pay for union members is $25 an hour.

Where do you work as a mechanic?

And all trades are hard on the body not just mechanics. you make it seem as if plumbers and sparkies get paid to sit on the asses all day.

And the car is by far not the most complicated thing in the world. I doubt the most complicated thing in the world is even a vehicle, and IF it is it sure as shit ain't a car/truck.

Mining will be back on the rise. What do you think Australia plans on doing with all this uranium and no nuclear power plants? smoke it?

I have friends who drive cars with factory warranties.

But honestly, what would I rather buy? the r33 of my childhood dreams or a hyuandai getz/toyota yaris?

Each to his own. there is money in everything, you just gotta find it.

Aleks

[Carbon 34]

Out of all this , know one thing

Knowledge is power, the kind of power that stays with you forever, and by using this power you can create your own wealth, there is more to life then just money? enjoy life mate!!

[mid life crisis]

those my friends are wise word's

[Ryanrb25]

  MYRB30 said:

The automotive trade, cars especially, root your arms, back etc. Your playing in toxic chemicals all day. You have customers who follow you home to imitimidate you that think their right is to have things done for free. You work with noisy rattle guns, hammers, presses etc. Your playing in dust. Did you still know that only in the last couple of years has asbestos been banned in the automotive trade? Thats right, to pull a house down that has asbestos, you need a space suit, a license and get paid a fortune. A mechanic just scraps the gasket full of asbestos, or clutch or brakes and breathes that shit in with no protection.

Someone's gotta do it mate, that shit aint gonna get any easier. Every trade no matter what it is is dirty, filthy and physically draining and takes it's toll but f**k someone needs to do it. You speak of all these sensors and complications but the diagnostic tools n information readily avaliable these days pretty much tells you what the problem is. It's all nuts and bolts at the end of the day. Not everyone can sit in a office chair all day and not get grease under their nails and be covered head to toe with dirt, grease, oil etc (not saying that's you). Try working on a $50,000 die and having a tolerance of 3 thousands of a millimetre, or one number wrong amongs about 10 pages of numbers in a CNC program determining whether it's a throw away or not. There are worse jobs out there...I would rather be a mechanic and getting paid $18 an hour than push trolley's around westfield for $20. Money isn't everything but i do agree that mechanics should be paid more than what they are.

Edited January 24, 2009 by Ryanrb25

[Mr500]

  MYRB30 said:

Woah, theres a lot of BS been written here so far.

Diesel mechs on 100k a year?? Yeah right, their working 12 hr shifts for 3 weeks on 1 off, how many people last doing that? Mining is dead. We will never have that boom again in our lives. Forget it.

I am yet to meet a mechanic who is proud to be one after any length in the trade....Im talking about those that have made a career of it, not do the apprenticeship and leave.

The automotive trade, cars especially, root your arms, back etc. Your playing in toxic chemicals all day. You have customers who follow you home to imitimidate you that think their right is to have things done for free. You work with noisy rattle guns, hammers, presses etc. Your playing in dust. Did you still know that only in the last couple of years has asbestos been banned in the automotive trade? Thats right, to pull a house down that has asbestos, you need a space suit, a license and get paid a fortune. A mechanic just scraps the gasket full of asbestos, or clutch or brakes and breathes that shit in with no protection.

One fella commented that cars seemed simple. WTF, spend a week with me friend, you will walk away saying "F#$K that shit".

Be aware that the MTA WILL NOT provide results for your work, unless you finish your apprenticeship. I know a bloke, who after three years, got his girlfriend pregnant, had to get a better paying job. He did not get any credit from the MTA, once things calmed down he restarted his apprenticeship from SCRATCH! You have been warned. Remember the MTA is privately owned, vs. TAFE being gov't owned, the difference this makes is significant.

I didn't care about money at first, but now my mates earn 2 or 3 or 4 times what I do. It f$%ks me off no end. I have to save up for a pair of tyres for weeks. They can pay for a killer clutch with one pay. I drive a 20 yr old car, they drive a car with factory warranty. My car breaks, I cry. If their car breaks, I have to fix it, so I still cry.

The pressure in a busy dealer workshop is horrendous. Mechanics have been institutionalised from the stress. Remember, one loose nut can kill a person or family. The mechanic who causes that WILL be charged with manslaughter.

If you want to seriously be a mechanic. Get onto your local member of parliament and pressure them for licensing for mechanics. Then our wages may be better.

Someone said mechanics wages are on the rise. In relation to what? Did you know some of the current diesels have 7 sensors around the DPF in the exhaust? Thats one part of the vehicle. The knowledge required for a mechanic is now bordering on rediculous, hence most mechanics leave the trade by 25yrs. The modern car is the most complecated item in production in the world. Mechanics are now expected to know about metals, fluids, airflow, body work, electrics, chemistry etc. Have our wages really risen? No way.

No one is interested in hiring ex-mechanics to work other jobs. I've tried. Hence most become couriers or truck drivers or farmers.

And all your mates expect you to fix their cars for free, but for some reason plummers and sparkys still get paid.

There are other stupid disadvantages to being a mechanic such as no super paid on over time. About the only job where this is true. Only 6 sick days a year, again almost all jobs allow 12. 15 years for long service, most is 10 some 7 years.

So, shit working conditions

shit wages

shit benefits

shit future prospects

shit jobs with out pay from friends/family

and shit respect from the public......You WILL NOT pull chicks by telling them your a grease monkey.

You will end up knowing heaps about cars if you apply yourself. But think about it, when was the last time you seen a car featured in a magazine that was owned by a mechanic? I've seen them owned by workshops, but never by an employed mechanic...so that knowledge is useless.

Ive done some dumb things in my time, but CHOOSING to be a mechanic sure as hell tops the list.

dont like it champ? get off your ass and find something else to do! i know heaps of guys that have/are doing fifo work and love it and are getting well into the six figure pay range, good mechanics get good money, why dont you?

aleks, if being a mechanic is what you want to do then do it. dont listen to some jaded dude that was no good at it to begin with.

[Ryanrb25]

zing!

[SLED]

do a trade whilst young, any trade for that matter...........unskilled labour (with possibly more money) will always be there if you don't like what you're doing but opportunities to gain knowledge through an apprenticeship scheme are valuable and will not always be there.

[r33 chris]

a apprentiship isnt bad with most companys as long as ur willing to learn, and dont stuff around it will fly along, and if u are with a training scheme (like me) if you have any troubles with the host employer ect they will assist you.

[skyhighR33]

i did pre voc here up here and has to do boilermaking, electrical and auto and when we went out in the job place ment i chose sandvik as a fitter/machinist and then got offered it i go third year soon pretty stoked

[skyhighR33]

oww and myrb30 mining is not dead you sit behind in your little seat and think that, i know of deisel mechanics on 120k+ a year, so what have you been smoking mate.

[DamageInc]

decided im just gonna get my car fixed and get most of it payed off before i look at studying etc , aint got nothin but time right now

[Ryanrb25]

need a job for that mate, and apprenticeship is perfect...get paid while you learn...just do it you wont regret it.

[DamageInc]

  Ryanrb25 said:

need a job for that mate, and apprenticeship is perfect...get paid while you learn...just do it you wont regret it.

ive got a job , pay is just enough to cover my bills .

not going to drop to $250 a week anytime soon as i wouldnt see much of that , if any of it .

[Luke_ENR34]

Ive done part of a mechanics course while i was still at school but it didnt really interest me, as i was learning about carbys and old cars.

I was lucky enough to have Christians Senwill civil car built at my mates workshop where i managed to learn a shit load of info about cars while getting my hands dirty. That was the best experience i ever got.

Its best to get a trade tho as u will always have it behind you in the future.

[Ryanrb25]

plus it's good to achieve something and be proud that your qualified to do something.

[craig R33]

if i could turn back time and actually listen to my old folks, i would have got into a trade, for sure!

i wouldnt be visiting 5 or more supermarkets a day listening to bitching managers while getting paid

nearly SFA!

cant afford to start a trade now but, need every $ i get.

so do it mitch, ''dont get into any more debt with cars''. (as spoken by my old man 5 years ago)

[SLED]

wise words Craig.....your Dad's a smart fella

[craig R33]

yeah but i didnt think that when i was 13

lol

[DamageInc]

have to fix my car , im not having ex amount of dollars just sitting in my driveway un-driveable , my parents arent too happy -_-