When you are thinking about changing careers becoming an auto mechanic is not the first thing that comes to mind, but maybe it should be the second or third thing you should think about. The auto repair business has become a very lucrative field to work in, the jobs are stable and the pay is good.
What Does it Takes to Become an Auto Mechanic?
Auto mechanics these days need education because of changes the cars themselves have gone through. Cars have become much more complex in the last several years, you have on board computers, much more electronics integrated into vehicles and diagnostics. So, employers are requiring a more stringent education for people entering the field.
It helps if you are somewhat analytical. Repairing cars these days can be like solving a puzzle, a few pieces fit, but the puzzle itself doesn’t work. Well, repairing a car can be just as perplexing. You can spend hours upon hours tracing down a problem before all the pieces fit together and the problem is finally fixed. This is where your analytical skills come into play and your patience too.
Physical Requirements
Of course there is lifting of parts and other things required as an auto technician, but this is not the major factor.
The complaint heard most often is what occurs in the long run. The constant stretching over the hood, the prolonged bending, the stress put on your hand muscles over a long period of time, these physical requirements takes its toll on these body parts.
It is when you have put in 20 or 30 years as an auto mechanic that you feel the effects of these physical attributes. These are the physical complaints that we hear from employees, it’s not the lifting 50 pounds here and there that is a problem (this is a physical requirement) it’s what happens in the long run, but knowing this means you can practice prevention too.
Career Options for Auto Technicians
When you enter the field of auto repair you are not restricted to just repairing cars, Oh no – you have options.
The knowledge and experience you get as an auto mechanic can be used in other areas of the automotive field. The most natural move that an auto mechanic can make is to learn the job of a service writer. Combining the knowledge of repairing cars and customer service is the perfect blend for a service writer.
This is just an example of other career options an auto mechanic has, especially if there is concern about the physical ailments talked about above.
