Posted: 2/17/2005 8:25:49 AM EDT
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Hello all. i'm seeking career advice here. first i'm currently attending a 4 year university and will be graduating with a degree in Aerospace Maintenance Management, with an A&P (airframe and powerplant) rating in about a year. Now that i'm this close to the end i'm thinking that automotive work may be what i'd really like to do- not so sure about this aerospace stuff anymore. I've looked on UTIs website and some others, but they're alot more into selling the school than they are to giving information on the industry. I'm not sure what route i'd go- i'd like to become either a toyata mastertech, a mercedes mastertech, or go for ASE mastertech certification. admittedly i'm not 100% on what exactly it is that i'm asking here. so here's a blitzkreig of questions. Will my 4 year degree in aerospace help me in this industry? what kind of training to i need to seek out? what do current mechanics/technicians think of where they are in the industry right now? is there money in this?- i don't need to be rich, just comfortable. Are there any avenues that could grandfather in my A&P certification to reduce the amount of training? alright- i'm just lookin' for a little advice here, thanks in advance. if there's anything else you wanna add then by all means please do so. -Grant |
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It's doubtful any of your Aerospace training will carry over to ASE certification. Why do you want to leave aerospace, it will more likely pay more in the end then autotech. You will probably need to take some coureses in auto maintenance if you have little experience. My friend is a Porsche mechanic, and has been doing it for about 2.5 yrs now. He loves it though every now and then a real shitbox comes in. The dealership sends him off for Porsche specific training. Though he must get his ASE certs. on his own they will pay for the books/tests if he passes them. It also opens him up to more Porsche training. Though they already have a Porsche mastertech, so there is very little likelihood of getting to far up the ladder at this time. Does he make more for his age then most do? Yes. Is it because he works on Porsche's? Yes. He has gone between 2 dealers twice, getting a raise each time because of his experiance with Porsches. Though you will need something to get your foot in the door, luckiley his neighboor also worked on Porsches and got him in on good standing at 19, he earned the rest. |
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I've been in the auto repair business for 32 years now. I've never been fully certified as a master tech by the ASE or any of the manufacturers I worked for. But I'd put myself up against any certified master tech any day of week. It means nothing other than you can read a book and pass a test. I've never felt the need to "prove" my abiblity by spending time taking all the ASE tests. I've known lots of certified master techs who couldn't do shit. But shop owners, whether independant or dealership want certified techs as a selling point. The only way top make a lot of money as a auto mechanic is if you are working individual flat rate, you are really good, and really fast, and fix things right the first time. But you can't be too good. Because if you are too good you get ALL the really hard drivability, electrical and NVH problems. And while you are busting your ass to to make a few 10ths on every hour of repair, there are 10 other guys in the shop who say "oh, I can't fix those kinds of things" who are doing nothing but services and brake jobs and getting paid 2 or more flat rate hours for every hour they work. And if you really want to be the best in your field it's like any other profession. You have to constantly school yourself on the latest new technology. Whether that be going to classes at the local college, manufacturers school, or a tech school from a equipment rep. Plus LOTS of reading the info in the manuals as it becomes available. Parts replacers are a dime a dozen. Most anyone with an inkling of mechanical skill can do it. And though they might only make 3/4 of what a really skilled tech makes, per hour, their take home pay in a flat rate shop is almost the same. You want to make money in auto repair? Be a service advisor ( and I use that term loosely ) because they get paid a ton of money for very little actual hard work. All you need is some people skills, the ability to type, and memorize the phrase, "that's what the customer said". |
Normally, yes. But with my back messed up - from work - and now having a bought with the flu or something, I decided it wasn't worth going into work today to do some shit job. I'm taking the day off to try and get better. |
Good plan about leaving aviation. It's in the tank right now and probably won't unfuck itself for 5-7 years more down the road. Where to go now I really don't know  , if you could figure that you let me know. Personally if I get caught in the next layoff, I'm personally thinking about hanging my wrenches up because there are too many people willing to work on cars and planes for 10/hr. I'm seriously considering LE work.
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Pthfndr lays it out really well. ASE was shoved down my throat in my current (20 year) position with my State's Transportation Dept. I got tired of it and took all the tests at one time (well 2 nights) to get my Med/Heavy Duty ASE Master Cert. It fried my brain. I went through auto mechanics 2 years in High School, graduated from Nashville Auto-Diesel in 1979. Worked in Dealerships, shop for Power Company then on to Gov't work. Certified welder, SMAW and GMAW, Fluid Power Cert. Mechanic, GM Factory Cert in electronics, and NATMI Cert. for Supervisor of Maintenance and equipment. State motor vehicle inspector, forgot the rest, I'm tired. I'm the highest certified lowest paid asshat alive I feel. My advice to you is to find something else to do other than being an automotive mechanic/technician. Hell, operators are paid more here than the equipment techs. They have less responsibility, less headache and less strenious work. YMMV and IMO Best wishes, Danny P.S. 9 more years of this crap and 1 more recertification. |