Do you love cars and working with your hands? Do you have a knack for assembling parts and working on projects? If you answered yes, then a career as an automotive service technician may be the right fit for you! Continue reading to find out what it takes to become an automotive technician and what the job may entail.
What does an Automotive Service Technician do?
They are responsible for keeping vehicles safe to operate on the road. Auto technicians perform diagnostic tests and repairs, as well as perform inspections on vehicles. Duties include, but are not limited to, engine repair and construction, pre-alignment system checks, flushing a power steering system, fixing an automatic transmission, and much more.
What Does it Take to Become an Automotive Service Technician?
Get your GED – One of the first steps to entering the career field is to have your high school diploma or GED. Many companies and employers receive tons of applications every day. One easy and quick way employers lessen their application load is to reject applicants who do not have a high school diploma or GED. Though an applicant without their diplomas or GEDs may make a great candidate, many companies consider a diploma or GED the basic requirement. Graduating high school or obtaining your GED can help set you apart from others.
Attend a Trade School – The next step to help you on the road to becoming an automotive technician is to attend a trade school’s automotive technician program. Enrolling in an automotive technician program gives you the basic skills and knowledge that you will need to become certified and enter the career field. Programs at trade schools allow you to get the hands-on training that you would need, thereby helping you get familiar with the types of tasks that you would need to do at work. You learn how to complete common and basic tasks such as running diagnostics, performing tune-ups, replacing brake pads, changing oils, and more.
Get a Certification – Becoming certified after graduation is one way to set you apart from other candidates. Many mechanic shops will look for certain certifications when considering hiring, helping them determine which job and salary suit you best. Certifications from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), particularly the Section 609 Refrigerant Recycling and Recovery, help you become more desirable to companies. Being certified can also help you advance in your career and possibly lead you to work in a specialized area in the automotive world. Once you are graduated and certified you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to enter the workforce confidently.
What Kinds of Jobs do Auto Technicians do?
The automotive field is filled with opportunities. Essentially, wherever there are cars, there is the potential for employment into a range of positions, such as:
- Service Technician
- Mechanic
- Automotive Glass or Body Repairer
- General Maintenance and Repair Worker
- Shop Manager
- And more!
Learning at Tidewater Tech
As a student in Tidewater Tech’s Auto Technician Program, you’ll learn all the fundamentals of automotive maintenance, inspection, diagnosis, and repair, and receive hands-on training to prepare you for an entry-level position.
About Tidewater Tech
Tidewater Tech has been part of an organization dedicated to helping individuals develop careers since 1969. Tidewater Tech is a career training school that specializes in trade vocations including Auto Technician, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Building and Constructions Trades and Welding. The school offers professional facilities, knowledgeable instructors, day or evening classes, job placement assistance, and is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Tidewater Tech is certified to Operate by SCHEV. Learn more at https://tidewatertechtrades.edu/ or like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TidewaterTech.edu/.
