Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone here is a Master Tech. or even just a Automotive Tech. I as of now am working as a full time apprentice electrician, I'm only 18. I am planning on attending a community college to get a "Associates of Applied Science" degree, pretty much a Automotive Technician course so I can get a job with a dealership ect. and begin gaining experience in my dream trade. Now, does anyone know schools that would be better to attend or that would look better on a resume for bigger companies(AMS, Hennessey, ect.) for when I get older and more experienced then just a community college? Also, what are some top tuning schools in the country? I heard Hennessey has one called "Tunerschool."
-Please and thank you.

 

Where are you located?
Why are you aspiring to work on cars and not, own your own shop?
Goto community college get your 2 year degree, work part time at a mom and pop shop and get the hang of cars.
Do not go to a school where you get a certificate because if in 2 years this is not what you want to do, its useless.
Companies do not care about if you have a college degree. Your work ethic and how well you perform will get you ahead of the crowed. Your 18 now, and you haven't been working on cars, ask anyone who works on cars and they will tell you this is not a trade you want to be in.

 

I am located in West Texas.
My goal is to own a shop later on in life, but experience and training is needed.
I've had a passion for cars my entire life just grew up in a family that only knew cars as something that takes you from point a to point b. So, it took me awhile to grow apart from that. Yes, I'm only 18 and no I haven't been working on cars but I have been around them for awhile now. Also, anyone from any trade will tell you that their trade is not something you want to be in.
I have a desire to; build, drive, work on and own performance cars.

 

I had the same problem as you. I was going to spend big bucks on Lincoln Tech Or other schools which you always see on TV.

I was lucky enough to find a program called T-TEN. Its a Toyota/Lexus 1y or 2y program. A dealer must take you as an apprentice if your enrolled in the program.

I already had my associates degree so I only completed the 1y certificate.

Give that a try.....

My advise...Dont talk! Always watch and listen..ask questions if your not sure instead of breaking something and never be afraid of any repair but be careful and use common sense.

Good Luck!

 

^This is the best advice you can get.

Being a Ford tech for 10 years and now working at the shop that my friend opened (Ford senior master) I can tell you that the dealer sponsored way (Ford has the ASSET program) is the best way to go about it. You get to go to school then apply what you learned, back to school, work, school, ect. This is a much better way of learning then cramming everything into 18 months with no application.

Seeing as how you are fairly "green" at the wrenching game I think one of the big heavy advertised tech schools would most likely be a waste of time/money. I've seen plenty of kids come through those programs having the certs to do the work but couldn't fix a damn thing!

One of the kids I trained that won the Ford trouble shooting contest here in cali went to UTI, finished in the top of the class and is FAILING as a tech now, he had a solid familly background in wrenching as well.

Crossing the line from the passion/hobby side to the professional/business side will change a lot about how you view working on cars. If you can't handle stupid short deadlines with the ability to do your 100% best work a professional career might not be what you want. It's a fairly thankless job as well, at least in the dealer world.

Then theres the toll working heavy line jobs will take on your body. I'm 29 with two bad discs in my back (perm disabled% on the job incedent) a bum left knee and am now getting carpel tunnel like symptoms in both arms. I know everyone won't have these issues just thought I'd share mine.

That's my .02 on the subject FWIW. I've been able to provide well for my familly and do some pretty sweet builds, I can tell you I'd NEVER want to open my own place now...that was one of my plans from the beginning as well.

 

Thanks man! Yeah, I'll have to look into that!
Oh, I understand the no talking thing I work in commercial buildings so it's pretty much live wire the entire time so they are pretty strict haha.

 

@sho669
Hey thanks! I understand the hobby/business thing you are talking about. Like I said, Ill have to look into these programs you all are talking about. I have another question, are rebuilds/maintenance/tuning much different for the brands of cars or is it pretty much all basic/complex in their own way?

 

One of my early mentors (30+years) said it best "Iron is iron" The basic nuts and bolts are all more or less the same.

How some of the automakers put their stuff together can be a pain though! The PCM/data side of things differs software wise between just about every maker but that is easy enough to get around once you have a handle on how OBDII works and what different parameters are supposed to look like. (I was a gas engine performance/repair specialist at the dealer but now work on mostly powerstroke diesel's, plus the random timing belt/tuneup jobs )

So in the end they are pretty much all the same AND basic/complex in their own way if that makes sense.

 

haha, yeah after i posted that I was like uhhh basic/complex? What was I trying to say? lol

 

i went to UTI and as long as you pay attention, don't slack off, and take it seriously then you should learn a lot. honestly, the only reason i went there is because of the MSAT programs that they offer. i graduated in January and i'm waiting for a response from the BMW Recruiter to see if i got into the BMW STEP program. anyway, i was working as a technician at Firestone and now i'm working at Toyota and i have 6 ASE's. btw i'm not trying to stay at Toyota, i'm just trying to get work experience so i can hopefully work for higher end dealerships. i have a couple friends that went with me to UTI and are NOT working as technicians. success is all up to you. lol.

 

Also just remember that there is no substitute for experience.

 

Sho669 and bboy_RES said it the best, I'm a UTI grad, top of my classes, I took Ford Fact and was going to be going to Mercedez MSAT, until I deployed to Afghanistan. The one proble
Mi had was experience, and being able to do any job with perfection faster than I could perform. That's when I Learned, as much as I loved turning wrenches and doing diagnostics, I couldn't do it for a dealership, I can only do it as a hobby. But get experince first and foremost. Work for a tire shop and alignment shop, or an oil change place. Get started somewhere.

 

I work on Cars. I like my job some days,LOL.
Pay can suck.

I'm one of 29-32(depends on if the left the field) Ferrari Master Techs with Full ASE's and L1 cert. What does that all mean. Not a damn thing.

Where I work, I see lots of people who make lots of money.
Most own their own business or are doctors,lawyers,etc.
None of them are ever regular working guys,Haha

If you still want to get into the field, try the dealer network programs as mentioned. STEP-BMW,etc.

Good Luck in whatever you decide.

 

I went to WyoTech from 06-07 for Automotive Technology. They have good training, and their placement program is superb. It is a bit expensive, but it has more than paid off for me.

Right after graduation I went and worked for a Cadillac dealership. The pay sucked, but I enjoyed the work.

I had a friend who worked at a mine, and told me they were hiring heavy equipment technicians. Because I had taken a portion of Diesel training, I decided to try for it.

I ended up at a mine here in WY, and it is the best job I've had.

I only work half the days out of the year, my company provides the tools, and I make over 70k a year.

I don't think I will ever work automotive again.

Good luck!

 

Stick to being an electrician. From what I've seen and the few people I know in both the electrician and automotive field electricians make more money than mechanics.

I work in finance at a company the lends to restaurants. Its amazing how many of these owners know nothing about restaurants. I see each and every customers resume and very very few started out working in a restaurant. They are traders on wall street or doctors or some other rich profession. It takes money to own a shop, not experience. My lil piece of advice on life is to continue as an electrician and save up your money. Work on your car on the weekends and keep learning little by little. In 10 or 20 years you will have more money to your name and possibly make a few friends looking to open a shop with you. Its always better to get partners to share the risk.