Son wants to go into Automotive Tech

[cdnEHbody]

UTI was an option for a buddy of mine until he saw the tuition, NOPE! Was in Arizona I believe so housing was included. Diesel mechanics can go anywhere ie. boat motors. here is a stat: 6.5 million jobs available today in USA, 75% do not need a college degree. Why would you want to put your 18 year old 50-100K in debt right out of the crib? Fiber optics/Telephony/electrician/plumber. Good Union jobs, easiest one listed first! 75K starting without OT. As a telephone man, I sometimes spend more time on the phone or in my truck than outside. No heavy lifting, tools provided. Can you work at 18 feet? You get used to it real fast. No where as dirty as plumbing or monotonous as electrical new build stuff. I would think as a mechanic, the last thing you would find relaxing is working on your hobby car, that would suck. I trained for 18 months in IT, bottom line was that a guy in India will do the terminal work remotely for $10 an hour, and the cabling guys are not paid much for running cat-X wire. IT is out there, it just seems to be so competetive wage wise, and not in your favor now days as everyone is learning it. Supply and demand. Look into the Armed Forces reserves for some great tech training: Diesel mech/Nuke propulsion/steam fitter/welder/communications. Its free and will get him out of the house for at least 6 months! Hell, he may even like it......free room and board !

guys get hosed in the states in the electrical trade Electricians do it all here. even the data cable pulling and terminating/testing. Fibre optic terminating too.

 

[rrvolare]

MUST get an associates FIRST in automotive technology if he wants to be a tech... this way if he does not like it he can always continue his education in some sort of automotive field ....You can make good money after being a tech for a couple of years ...there is many jobs out there .. technical assistance ... field engineer etc....

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I have some history in this, I am now 31 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA...But I also graduated from UTI.

Out of high school I had very little direction, my parents didn’t go to college and I didn’t understand the limitations behind being a tech. It’s a fine job, but the long term physical requirements add up and there aren’t many positions the can get you out of that part of it.


Out of high school I attended UTI-Orlando and followed it with the BMW STEP program. From there I started as a technician for BMW of Las Vegas, which was pretty good for a new grad. A year and a half later I understood how constrained I would be in the future. I didn’t want to fix cars everyday. I didn’t want my back blown out and my hands burning with arthritis.

I had the opportunity for my wife to hold down the fort while I went back to school. I earned a bachelors in Mechanial Engineering and landed a position at a Class 8 truck OEM. I’ve since earned and MBA and life is very good!

I wouldn’t say that my time at UTI was a waste, not by a long shot, but I would strongly discourage going that route. I know one or two people from my class that still work on cars.

 

[abodyjoe]

i'd try to steer him away from being a tech.. that flat rate crap for one. plus most of the techs i know their body is trashed by age 50... screw that ****. you want to be able to function in the older years. only gonna get worse for those guys.,..

 

[abodyjoe]

you want a good paying, steady, needed job? boilers and chillers.. can still do mechanical things with his hands and you shouldn't be worked to death either. have had my nj boiler license since i was what 19? very steady work, last to be laid off if it comes to that because they need a licensed operator in the building if the boiler are running and people are in the building.. high pressure is where its at... on the chiller side.. if you learn chillers you'll never run out of side work on home a/c units..

 

[TRWRacing]

Lots of good info here. I’ve in IT for 23 years and sitting at a desk causes havoc on your body. I have forward head/upper cross syndrome causing upper back pain. My head feels like it weighs 3x it’s normal weight. Sciatica with piroformis syndrome and plantar fascia and carpal tunnel. There is not one day or moment without pain working at a Corporate retail office.

I am trying to get him to consider the Associates degree which at the Triton Community College with the Honda/Acura program we could paid for the degree and $10k in tools with little to no loans.

Cars, auto shop and not a traditional school is what he likes. He was born a car guy

 

[george joseph reid]

I did it for 45+ years, good living not for the faint of heart. Back in the 80s when flat rate was just that you got a raise every time shop labor went up. Now they give you lets say $25 an hour but you never get the raise when the shop rate goes up. Back in the good old days we were at 40 % making $90 to $100 G a year. Busting *** 10 hrs a day of course. If you are good, fast and fed IE sucking the dispatchers you know what you will do well. Now get training, work for someone else and then open your own deal. Your body will also start to break down and by the time you are 50 you will be done. Although I know of a guy just retired from a dealer as a Trans tech at 73. Ya pay your $$ and you take your chances. Reccomend it as a carrier F NO.

 

[75Sport]

Rob's right. I guess it depends on how smart someone is. By smart i mean capacity to learn. If you're smart get the highest level of education you can. Go for the best paying job you can tolerate. With an upper level education you'll have the money to enjoy your hobby. Skilled trades is the way to go if you find advanced learning difficult. Welders, electricians, instrument fitters, refrigeration, commercial plumbing/pipe fittings. All respected hands on trades. I started over 50 years ago with an associate degree in automotive machine. While looking for work as a machinist I took an opening for as apprentice high pressure weldor. I've never looked back. Never once was laid off. Always ample money plus happy. You can choose a brain job or hands on job.

 

[tanis4457]

I graduated in 2006 with an associates degree in electronics, worked in avionics repair, marine and got into 2 way radio communications. Went and worked for two local counties on the 911 radio system. Now the past two years for a power utility doing SCADA, SONET, radio, telephone, microwave, fiber optics etc...Don't most power utilities offer paid apprenticeship programs? I know mine does.