Who's Here Thats A Mechanic?

[Kennedy]

Hey Guys,

I've been working since I was 16YO (24 now). All I've known is office work. the skills required for this are a combination of sales/service/project management and helpdesk. I do pretty well but

I'm getting bored out of my mind and it shit's me to tears sometimes!!!

Ive been thinking of a career change for sometime and was wondering what would need to be done to become a automotive mechanic. I would like to give that a shot and maybe eventually open my own shop.

So I'm assuming you start off as an apprentice so I have a few questions.

How long does the apprenticeship take?

Do I jut do it at TAFE ?

What courses do you do/ Is there one super course you can do or do you just do specific courses for the work you wanna do?

Are mecahnic apprentices a dime a dozen ? (like chics and hairdressers?)

Any help or advise I could get would be really helpfull. Preferbally from mechanics or apprentices.

Cheers,

Sam

[RB30-POWER]

4 years.

first 3 years with one day a week at tafe and 4th year is all on the job.

then if you pass you can apply for motor mechanics licence.

unless you get an apprenticeship, you can't do the required course at tafe either.

[AMS]

4 years.

first 3 years with one day a week at tafe and 4th year is all on the job.

then if you pass you can apply for motor mechanics licence.

unless you get an apprenticeship, you can't do the required course at tafe either.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What he said

[DRFTR33]

im all up for people doing what they want and having a go at something new

but take it from someone who know

you are crazy to leave what your doing now to become a mechanic

in the workshop i work for now(big dealership) they just fired an aprentice who has systic fibrosis(sorry if i spelt it wrong)

all this guy wanted to do was become a mechanic with the short time he has left

the reason he got fired was because he had to go to hospital for a couple of weeks, which i understand is normal for someone with his illness

no warning or anything and their not worried about him going to unfair dismisal because they can sit the case out for longer than he has left to live

and the ironic thing about all this is the week after that this same companie had a walk for kids with cancer

they care so much

welcome to the automotive industry

[RB30-POWER]

you see, to become a qualified mechanic or whatever the wages are basically the same as you would get in an office job. unless you get somewhere that is a specialist part of the industry, which requires alot of work and knowledge etc

and i mean for most people, who wants to be messing around with dirty cars and crap, if you can be sitting in an officejob doing bugger all with the ac on

less chance of pysical injury and shit too.

i understand somepeople aren't cut out for office work though and love to get their hands dirty.

[Patto-]

Mechanics may be fun at first but after a while it will probably bore you out of your mind and shit you to tears as well.

I know of a few mechanics who are going to tafe to get other qualifications in order to get a new job.

Take the time to think seriously about what you wanna do. Then again from what I've heard mechanic apprenticeship are pretty hard to come by so I guess you'll have plenty of time to think about it.

[Goon]

You will get really crappy pay in when you're an apprentice, and when you're a fully qualified mechanic the pay isnt that much good either. Being a grease monkey is fun at first, but the novelty rubs off and you will find it repetitive and very dirty.

I did work experience at peugot/saab. try going out with dirt under your nails and torn skin. for some reason girls dont like those kinds of hands touching them.

[RB30-POWER]

if your over 21, apprentice wages even for first year are very good, considering your lack of experience!

so yeah i guess if your older, less employers will be willing to put someone on as its substantially more $ out of their pockets.

[giant]

You will get really crappy pay in when you're an apprentice, and when you're a fully qualified mechanic the pay isnt that much good either. Being a grease monkey is fun at first, but the novelty rubs off and you will find it repetitive and very dirty.

I did work experience at peugot/saab. try going out with dirt under your nails and torn skin. for some reason girls dont like those kinds of hands touching them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Kennedy

just my opinion on your question, good mechanics are a rare commodity if you do it well you can be paid very well. especially in the truck mechanic side, diesel fitting heavy vehicles, earthing moving equipment etc.

i think it is important to do a bit of homework in what area you would like to get involved with.

here in brisbane diesel mechanics can earn upto and over one hundred thousand a year, there is a huge skill shortage in the trades, ( i know as some mechanics i employ often reach that per annum) and companies like daimler, cummins & detroit diesel all offer that kind of money with overtime.

sorry to rant but food for thought.

cheers Russell

[RB30-POWER]

special areas, like diesel,

did someone say mining??

huge ass $$

thats really where its at if you want it all.

[r34_skyline]

special areas, like diesel,

did someone say mining??

huge ass $$

thats really where its at if you want it all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

mining is good, but very hard/tiring work. consider this only if u are ready to be assed to death.

[Kennedy]

Thanks for all our help guys. Just going through a pre-Mid life crisis here. I'm gonna go and try to not tell my boss to f**k off today.

Cheers,

[Fitzpatrick Speed Works]

I started my mechanics apprentiship but take it from me no matter how much you love cars, (i work on cars everyday still) you get over 3 things. The crap pay for the high level of effort the job requires, working on things that you have zero interest in like old magna's, if I never have to do the tappets on another magna it will be too soon, and if you work in a performance shop like I did, fixing everyone elses crap and still ending up with crap!!!!! It is so much better to have another career build a name on the side for automotive work and pick and choose jobs, thats were I am at now, I work on cars that interest me doing jobs that I like, and I make money as I am not on a wage but getting paid per job like the boss does when you are an apprentice. Not trying to turn you off it to hard but make sure you are up for at least 2 years of rubbish jobs that everyone hates thats why the apprentice does them!!!

[Beer Baron]

I think the real problem here is that you will have bugger all chance of anyone hiring you as a 25 year old apprentice who knows fark all about being a mechanic. Plus you will be working alongside 16 year old 1st year apprentices and will be treated just the same which will be very hard to take.

if you really want to work on cars i would look at something like automotive engineering at least you wont need to start with an apprenticeship (just 4 years uni) but it would help to build up some industry experience too with a job (any job) in the type of company you want to work for.

[GTRgeoff]

I essentially agree with all the above comments, and here is my experience.

I've been swinging spanners all my life, since I was a kid with my old man on the trucks. I did some other things in the Army before going full time as a mechanic then was offered a Mechanical Engineering degree, but all that time I kept always doing my own work and some for friends. It's something I find I enjoy. I get satisfaction from turning up at the track with my own work. Built, not bought attitude. I keep going back to it as a kind of therapy.

Since my executive type role in ADF policy and technical integrity that I do now requires I be presentable I do almost all my work with gloves (try Mechanix). Clean hands without the damage of spanner rash. You can learn to do it without costing extra time on the job.

I also am sick of offices, so I'm quitting professional life. I have a few sideline deals I'm working on to maintain my skills in Engineering/consulting/project management and make some easy cash but I'll be renovating homes for a couple of years before establishing a pretty exclusive auto modification and engineering facility in Brisbane. Not full time, but as work is available at the very expensive end of the business. This is something I can now afford to do. Make my passion and (now) hobby turn a buck without pressure.

So, what are your alternatives? Take an apprenticeship? Good if you can get someone to take you at your age. I've just been helping a guy try to find one and having seen his work and ethic offered references. It will be tough.

Join the ADF as an adult trainee? We no longer do apprenticeships but a full time course at Army School of TAFE at Wodonga. OK I'm pissed with Army for a number of things, but I've been here since 17 years old and it builds up. Use it for the few years it takes to get qualified and earn some nice bucks while seeing the country, or even the world. In the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME or Spanner Gods to the non-technicals) we are treated a bit better. I should know as one of those early jobs was as an Infantry specialist in a couple of different fields. Some even stay on and take a few side tracks like Special Air Service or Commandos before going back on the spanners. There is basic training first then TAFE then OJT while you are managed by some real pros (what we call Artificers or "the ACE" for short) to fill your skills book. We train to B grade and the rest is up to you. Specialist courses for Tanks etc came as required, as well as drivers courses and any promtion courses. You still of course need to do some Army stuff along the way. I'd suggest join the reserves for a couple of months for a bit of a look if this interests you at all, but there is a difference between reg and reserves.

Then there is the after. What the guys have said above. You might not name your price, but you can certainly compete for the top jobs. And what is to stop you changing to a new vocation later??

Good luck.

[JCMarshall_Law]

Yeah, become an engineer, we get it pretty good (we work for it though). In my job I can do anything from office work in the city to turning a spanner 3km underground in the middle of nowhere. Pay is good (although don't expect to be rich), conditions are very good, the variety of work is incredible, the work is long and mentally draining, but I have a lot of fun as well and its worth it.

When your a young engineer in the mining industry (as I am) relationships can be a bit hard to hold onto, because I spend a fair bit of time away from home.

We have quite a few mechanics that have become engineers and they usually do well because of their practical skills and experience.

[PHATR32]

my dad used to drive a truck for a living, and id go down with him when he got his truck serviced and repaired etc

from what i saw those truck mechos charge like you wouldnt beleive! even small jobs cost big bucks.

trucks is where the money is at.

steve

[Duncan]

if you want to work on cars all day you could always try building your own race car

[BOZ22N]

Hay mate I am a fourth year mechanic in the mining industry and I love it to death but don’t get me wrong it is very hard and mentally draning work. I also study mech eng on the side with keeps me in touch with the technical side of the industry, so if you do start an apprenticeship do not stop studying keep learning and have a go. If you do that you will go very far and make a bucket load of cash. Good mechanics are hard to find, just be prepared to loose fingernails and lots of skin off your knuckles.

Hope this helps

Boz

[NinetySix]

i know exactly how you feel, i recently got out of office/computer work for the same reasons and took up a trade at the age of 23, and i could not possibly be more happy with my direction in life.

tho i couldnt help that think mechanic would be a bad apprenticeship to go with, even at any age

the money is extreamly average for something that takes 4 years to become qualified (average qualified mechanic might take home about 500 a week?) and as already stated the working conditions arent always ideal. and its not quite like the workforce is screaming for more mechanics any way. your only hope to be well of would be to do an apprenticeship, get a few years under your belt and then open up your own workshop, employ a few mechanics to do the dirty work while you sit on your ass... but that has plenty of risks attached

i hear of diesel mechanics working in the mines earning 120-200k per year, but i think that wage is pretty common for anybody working down in the mines.. for a good reason

also just because you might be a car enthusiast, dont assume that being a mechanic would be a good career... you should always keep your work and your hobbies seperate

I went with the electrical industry, one of the harder apprenticeships due to the schooling (hope you know your maths... i dont ) but its all very interesting stuff... there are serious skills shortages in the electrical industry at the moment aswell, and the pay is a hell of a lot better than a mechanic aswell..

im in my 2nd year getting adult wages in a pretty good job with a union EBA so the money is pretty good... if i work on construction sites the money can be a lot better (some sites have $3+ an hour site allowance) and throw in a saturday and im taking home $1000 a week and the qualified guys are getting about $10 an hour more than me... but even on a bad week with no site allowance (or even travel & fares if i take the whole week off sick) and no overtime theres never less than about $600 a week dropped into my bank account... and im only 18 months in!

stress is almost non existant, plenty of overtime available usually (gets addictive) and once your qualified you usually hold the power over your bosses - not the other way around! just hope IR reforms dont spoil the party in years to come

another good trade with basically identical pay and conditions is refrigeration mechanic... sometimes slightly better money too! plenty of working with your hands and also using your brain a bit too (helps to understand the concept of refrigeration)

likewise plumbers, carpenters, plasterers can all get paid fairly well too... tho it all depends who your working for... dodgy dave's domestic style work usually is pretty average pay and conditions, but unionised constructions sites etc has fantastic rates with good EBA's and site allowances

tho you might have a little trouble finding a job being and adult... but i managed it so its not impossible

try looking around, even ringing up contractors, factorys etc asking if they are hiring, most jobs are not even advertised i have found... you gotta find them yourself!

if you could handle being unemployed for 6 months then a pre-apprenticeship would help too, 6 month full time course at most TAFE's which doesnt necessarily teach you a lot but can look good on your resume. i didnt do one tho and the employer didnt care... usually its more important if your younger

good luck

Edited November 1, 2005 by NinetySix