Auto Technician Careers: Your Fast Track to Success

You love cars and cars love you back. You're good at working on them and making them purr. You like to learn about them.

The nation needs you. "The shortage of qualified automotive service technicians is a very real concern for the aftermarket," said Alfred L. Gaspar, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). "For every 10 technicians who retire or change careers each year, only two to three new technicians enter the work force."

That spells opportunity. How can you turn a passion for tinkering with cars into a paycheck and career?

The route to a career as an auto technician

Formal training, says the US Department of Labor, is the best route to success in today's auto tech jobs. As technology advances, it's important to have diagnostic and problem-solving skills and knowledge of electronics and mathematics.

According to the Department of Labor, the quality of automotive training varies widely. Look out for schools with ASE/NATEF (Automotive Service Excellence/National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) master certification. This certification comes from two non-profit groups created to improve the quality of vehicle service nationwide.

When you've found a certified school, examine who hires its graduates.

For example, one of the nation's largest certified training schools is UTI (Universal Technical Institute). UTI has seven campuses nationwide. Car companies like Audi, BMW, Ford, International Truck and Engine Corporation, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen and more have set up specialized training on different UTI campuses. They'll pay for qualified students to earn advanced certification -- translating into better jobs and wages.

Another group that has an alliance with UTI to attract technicians is NASCAR, home to some of the finest auto techs in the world.

Where can your path through UTI lead? To a NASCAR team? Your own business? Options qualify you to be an automotive, diesel or collision repair technician. Select from six different program tracks, including:

Automotive Technology

Learn how to diagnose, service, and repair both domestic and foreign automobiles. Troubleshoot problems of all kinds using the latest engine analyzers, hand held scanners and other computerized diagnostic equipment. Learn everything from basic engine systems to custom-built, high performance engines with UTI's Hot Rod U Power and Performance courses. Complete training in computerized fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, passenger restraint systems, computerized engine control and more.

Automotive/Diesel Technology

Take a few more courses and become more versatile. This track makes graduates into entry-level automotive and medium/heavy truck technicians.

Automotive/Diesel and Industrial Technology

This is the most popular track, as graduates take advantage of every automotive, diesel and industrial course UTI has to offer. Graduates are prepared to work with any major company that maintains both automotive and truck fleets. They become twice as valuable.

Diesel and Industrial Technology

Hands-on training with some of the world's most powerful engines like Detroit Diesel, Cummins, Caterpillar, and International. Become a skilled technician ready to maintain bus and truck fleets, construction and farming equipment, marine diesel engines and oil drilling rigs.

Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology

Prepare for ASE certification in all five areas of collision repair and refinishing. Also, students who qualify have the option of expanding their education with advanced certification from companies like Toyota, Ford and Mercedes.

Automotive Technology with NASCAR

NASCAR has teamed with UTI to create the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina -- the heart of racing country. It's the first school to combine a complete automotive technology training program with NASCAR specific courses.

"It is well known that there is a critical shortage of automotive technicians today," said Steve Boguski, vice president of strategic marketing and licensing for NASCAR. "UTI, the recognized leader in this field, has been addressing this issue since it began operations in 1965. NASCAR has joined with UTI in drawing some of the top students into the field of automotive technology. Not only does this school help the automotive industry as a whole, it provides a place where NASCAR race teams can look for qualified, trained technicians."

If repairing cars isn't for you...

UTI also offers exciting training programs that will teach you to work with some of these other motor vehicles:

• Motorcycle Mechanics Training
• Marine and Watercraft Technician Training

America needs auto technicians

Job security in the auto tech field is good, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. More than one car repair is done annually for every licensed driver in the United States. Auto technicians earn a median of about $30,000 with top technicians pulling in $70,000 and more. Pay has been rising faster than the rate of inflation since 1988. If you're willing to keep up with changing technologies, the US Labor Department says, the jobs will be there.

Sources:

• Car mechanic
• Diesel mechanic
• automotive occupational outlook handbook
• UTI
• Trends & Traits of Today's Technicians: The 2001 Professional Automotive Technicians Survey, Ed Sunkin, Underhood Service, March 2001
• The Automotive Technician Shortage
• NASCAR and UTI To Break Ground On New NASCAR Technical Institute
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• Technicians' Average Salary Tops $30,000, Tim Fritz, Brake & Front End, February 2002
• National Auto Dealers Association