Automotive Technician
Automotive Technician Career Overview
Automotive technicians must have good logic and critical thinking skills and enjoy working with their hands. In addition they must be independent thinkers with good people skills. Automotive technicians should be able to diagnose the source of a problem quickly and accurately, which requires good reasoning along with a thorough knowledge of automobiles. Many technicians consider diagnosing hard-to-find troubles one of their most challenging and satisfying duties.
While automotive technicians were once known as mechanics, that job title does not describe the type of work in which automotive technicians engage. The work of automotive service technicians has evolved from mechanical repair to a high technology job. Integrated electronic systems and complex computers run modern vehicles and measure their performance while on the road. Technicians must have an increasingly broad base of knowledge about how complex vehicle components work and interact, as well as the ability to work with electronic diagnostic equipment and computer-based technical reference materials.
Automotive Technician Training & Education
Automotive technology is rapidly increasing in sophistication, and it is strongly recommend that persons seeking automotive service technician and mechanic jobs complete a formal training program in high school, or in a postsecondary vocational school or community college. Postsecondary automotive technician training programs vary greatly in format, but normally provide intensive career preparation through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on practice.
Those interested in becoming an automotive technician must choose between attending trade school in which one engages in a concentrated training program for 6 months to a year in order to earn a certificate. College programs normally award an associate degree or certificate and usually spread the training over 2 years by supplementing the automotive training with instruction in
- automotive repair
- electronics
- physics
- chemistry
- English
- computers
- mathematics
Employers of automotive technicians look for people with strong communication and analytical skills. Technicians must stay current to the field and frequently study technical manuals in order to stay up to date regarding new technology and service and repair procedures and specifications.
Automotive Tech Career & Salary Outlook
The majority of automotive technicians work for automotive repair and maintenance shops, automobile dealers, and retailers and wholesalers of automotive parts, accessories, and supplies. Some are employed by gasoline stations; home and auto supply stores; automotive equipment rental and leasing companies; Federal, State, and local governments; and other organizations. Additionally, a number of service technicians are self-employed.
Job opportunities in this occupation are expected to be very good for persons who complete automotive training programs as employers report difficulty in finding workers with the right skills. Persons with good diagnostic and problem-solving abilities, and whose training includes basic electronics and computer courses, should have the best opportunities.
For well-prepared people with a technical background, automotive service technician careers offer an excellent opportunity for good pay and the satisfaction of highly skilled work with vehicles incorporating the latest in advanced technology. However, persons without formal automotive training are likely to face competition for entry-level jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the hourly earnings of automotive service technicians and mechanics, including commission, were typically between $11.31 and $20.75 per hour.
Career Fields/Specializations
Automotive Service Technician Career
Automotive service technicians use their high-tech skills to inspect, maintain, and repair automobiles and light trucks. The increasing sophistication of automotive technology now requires workers who understand how to use computerized shop equipment and work with electronic components while maintaining their skills with traditional hand tools. When mechanical or electrical troubles occur, technicians first get a description of the symptoms from the owner.
To locate the problem, technicians use a diagnostic approach. First, they test to see whether components and systems are proper and secure. Then, they isolate the components or systems that could not logically be the cause of the problem. Technicians may have to test drive the vehicle or use a variety of testing equipment, such as onboard and hand-held diagnostic computers or compression gauges, to identify the source of the problem.
These tests may indicate whether a component is salvageable or whether a new one is required to get the vehicle back in working order. In some cases, the technician may repair or replace worn parts before they cause breakdowns that could damage critical components of the vehicle. Technicians usually follow a checklist to ensure that they examine every critical component of the problem.
Automotive Repairer Career
Automotive body repairers use special equipment to restore damaged metal frames and body sections. Repairers chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. They use benchmark systems to make accurate measurements of how much each section is out of alignment, and hydraulic machinery to return the vehicle to its original shape.
Body repairers remove badly damaged sections of body panels and then weld in replacement sections. Repairers pull out less serious dents and smooth out small dents and creases in the metal. Repairers also remove very small pits and dimples and fill small dents.
Body repairers also repair or replace the plastic body parts that are increasingly being used on new-model vehicles. They remove damaged panels and identify the type and properties of the plastic used on the vehicle. Automotive repairers do not use the same deductive reasoning system as automotive technicians, but instead have more visible problems that they use their skills to fix.
Small Engine Mechanic Career
Small engine mechanics repair and service power equipment, such as engines powering motorcycles, motorboats, and outdoor power equipment. Mechanics usually specialize in the service and repair of one type of equipment, although they may work on closely related products.
Like large engines, small engines require periodic service to minimize the chance of breakdowns and to keep them operating at peak performance. During routine equipment maintenance, mechanics follow a checklist that includes the inspection and cleaning of- brakes
- electrical systems
- fuel injection systems
- plugs
- carburetors
Following inspection, mechanics usually repair or adjust parts that do not work properly or replace unfixable parts. Routine maintenance is normally a major part of the mechanic’s work. Small engine mechanics deal with more intricate work than automotive mechanics, and also have less heavy lifting involved in their work.
Transmission Technician Career
Transmission technicians are specialized automotive technicians that work predominantly on the components of a vehicle that make up the transmission. They work on
- gear trains
- couplings
- hydraulic pumps
- other parts of transmissions
Transmission technicians must have extensive knowledge of computer controls, the ability to diagnose electrical and hydraulic problems, and other specialized skills in order to work on these complex components. A profession as a transmission technician is challenging because it requires expert knowledge about transmissions, which employ some of the most sophisticated technology used in vehicles. Transmission technicians must have excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills and must also stay up to date on technology and improvements in the field of transmission maintenance and repair.
Diesel Service Technician Career
Diesel service technicians are responsible for repairing and maintaining the diesel engines that power transportation equipment such as heavy trucks, buses, and locomotives. When performing a routine maintenance check on a vehicle, technicians follow a checklist and repair or adjust parts that do not work properly or remove and replace parts that cannot be fixed.
Diesel maintenance is becoming increasingly complex, as more electronic components are used to control the operation of an engine. Also, new emissions standards are requiring mechanics to retrofit engines to comply with pollution regulations. In modern shops, diesel service technicians use hand-held or laptop computers to diagnose problems and adjust engine functions. Due to continual advances in automotive technology, technicians must regularly learn new techniques to repair vehicles.
Brake Repairer Career
Yet another specialty as an automotive technician is that of a brake repairer. Brake repairers must be able to diagnose and repair problems with the break system in a vehicle.
They adjust brakes, replace brake linings and pads, and make other repairs on brake systems. Even though electronics and electronic systems in automobiles were a specialty in the past, electronics are now so common that it is essential for all types of service technicians to be familiar with at least the basic principles of electronics. Brake repairers must stay up to date on automotive technology in order to best perform their job. They must have:
- technical skills
- computer skills
- critical thinking skills
