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  • Tom

    Member
    October 19, 2020 at 4:07 pm

    All of those look like good options. Some may be low – I think the mechanic one is low. I would recommend a mechanic career to someone who has a solid interest in cars. Then, I would caution them to shop carefully for an employer and look for one who is forward looking in all they do. If I were a tech today, I would not consider working in most shops. Too dirty, too cold, poorly equipped, too hot, too loud, disorganized, poor ergonomics, low tech, etc. I believe these are key reasons why so many have left and are leaving. I think there is nowhere near enough focus on improving the workplace for techs today.

  • William Mays, Jr.

    Member
    October 27, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    With the current pay and benefits issues with auto repair, i would not recommend it. Other industries (HVAC, electrical, etc) treat their employees much better than we do in auto repair.

  • Andy Pollina

    Member
    October 28, 2020 at 10:02 am

    I would not recommend the automotive industry in the shape that it’s in. This industry is broken and has yet to value the technicians’ time. Long hours and difficult working conditions for little pay. Not to mention explaining to their spouses why they have a never-ending $200.00 per month tool bill.

  • Randy Lucyk

    Member
    November 5, 2020 at 6:33 pm

    I believe Tom hit this on the head. If your tendency’s are  such that fixing things is in your dna, and you chose to be good at it, then finding a shop that respects your talents, and has the courage to operate in a profitable manner, can create a rewarding environment.

    I tell this to techs at all levels , and few listen. I believe it is the single most important step to a better future for yourself. Not a single tech in 40 years has brought me what i describe below. Imagine how that would make you stand out in an interview.

    “Every single day you work, you will benefit greatly by tracking number of hours you work, the number of billable hours the shop billed for the work you completed that day, and the amount of labor sales associated with those hours”

    Not just look at the numbers, write them down or better yet put them into a spreadsheet. At the end of the pay periods, calculate your percentage of pay vs labor dollars sold and your hours worked vs hours sold.

    If you watch these numbers, and keep the records to present to a potential new employer, you will be light years ahead of most of the techs in the industry.

    My folks do this every single day.

    My 2 cents.

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