Automotive Technical Schools Keeping Up With the Times
A lot can happen in a year, especially in an industry as rapidly changing and high-tech as automotive. So it should come as no surprise that auto mechanic schools need to change and evolve with the times too. We’ll give you an overview of what’s changed, what these changes mean, and how they affect people like you who are looking to earn technical qualifications in the automotive field.
The Facts of Life in the Automotive Industry
This year, I’m doing a complete study of driving a car in the great state of Texas. This will include driving around town and out on the highway, so it seems only natural that I should begin my education at an automotive school. After all, what can be more fundamental to the art of auto maintenance than learning how to drive?
So I’ve created this auto repair guide to help you make your way through this sometimes daunting world by passing along some advice and information I've learned over almost 20 combined years working in all kinds of automotive departments.
The most important thing I can tell you is that technical training and hands-on experience are the only things that will give you a chance at a good job in the automotive business, especially if you want to do anything other than simply drive cars.
This is why I think it’s important for today’s auto repair mechanics to have some sort of education or training in their chosen field... but it’s also important to know when change is necessary and what those changes mean.
If you don't like where car repair is going, then consider your options. Everything is changing so fast these days that sometimes it seems like nothing stays the same for long.
Every year, automobile manufacturers are finding ways to build a significantly better car. And every year, the auto industry changes in response.
The days of having an old Pontiac or Chevy just sitting on a lot are gone, replaced by sleek vehicles that go from 0-60mph in no time at all. Auto makers keep coming up with new technologies to make their cars better, often more sophisticated in how they run and how they look.
And when you sign on for an auto mechanic apprenticeship or post-secondary program, you’ll be expected to do pretty much the same things with your own car as those other mechanics have been doing for years.
Check Engine Lights, Automatic Transmission Fluid Levels, U-Joints and Spark Plugs are just a few of the things that you can expect to learn when you walk through the doors of your local mechanic shop.
The truth is that these days, everything that goes on under the hood of a car has become increasingly complex. And this is because it’s not just automobiles we’re talking about here. There are now vehicle systems in almost everything we buy from cars to TVs to kitchen appliances.
It’s really a “Field of Dreams” mentality for auto manufacturers, one where the most profitable products are those that make us use more of them.
So it should come as no surprise that car manufacturers are constantly building new, more and more sophisticated ways to help you do the things you already need to do on a regular basis.
And this is where auto mechanics can start losing their jobs. Don’t think for a minute that your job has no future in this highly technical world of vehicles.
The automotive industry is quickly becoming the most technologically advanced sector of our economy, making those who keep up with changes more valuable and those who don't find themselves out of work pretty fast.
This is why I was interested to learn about an innovative new program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville in Kingsville, Texas called the Automotive Technology program .
The Texas A&M-Kingsville Automotive Technology program is a practical auto repair technician training program that includes both auto body, maintenance and engine technology.
Students in the Automotive Technology program receive hands-on experience in many fields and extensive instruction on current trends and technologies.
From working on engines to repairing auto parts, students learn about the modern auto industry and how it operates. This is especially important for those who want to work in the automotive aftermarket of selling parts to consumers.
Students also obtain a certification in computerbased diagnostic (CDL) testing, high performance automotive engine diagnostics, autocross coaching driving courses, autocross testing courses, collision repair course and customer relations course.
Students in the Automotive Technology program receive hands-on experience in many fields and extensive instruction on current trends and technologies.
From working on engines to repairing auto parts, students learn about the modern auto industry and how it operates. This is especially important for those who want to work in the automotive aftermarket of selling parts to consumers.
Students also obtain a certification in computerbased diagnostic (CDL) testing, high performance automotive engine diagnostics, autocross coaching driving courses, autocross testing courses, collision repair course and customer relations course.
You can find a lot more information about the Automotive Technology program at Texas A&M-Kingsville by following this link: http://www.tamuk.edu/auto
But while this program is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door, it’s also important to know that there are other options if you don't want to go through all that schooling.
Some schools, like CarTech Auto Training Center (College Park, Ga.), offer three-day programs where you can learn pretty much everything a mechanic would normally be expected to do on the job. This includes automotive technology, electrical training and even emissions certification and repair programs.
There are also many fast-track programs out there that you can take if you want to learn on the job. These typically last between two and six months, depending on how much time and money you have to devote to learning the trade.
In the end, I hope this article has given you some idea about what it takes to become an auto mechanic... or at least a good base from which to build upon. If nothing else, I hope this information will serve as a valuable warning about the state of your chosen profession.
If you’re a current mechanic, it might be time for a change in career direction. If you’re not already working towards a career in auto mechanics, it might be time to consider some kind of auto mechanic apprenticeship.
Either way, it’s important to remember that this is a highly skilled and very technical field that is constantly changing. If you don’t keep up with the changes, you could find yourself out of work.
And while there are still plenty of auto mechanics who can make a good living without keeping up with new technologies, it won’t be long before they too get replaced by machines that can do their jobs better than they can.
This isn’t really news I know - the day is coming when automobile repair just won't need human intervention at all.
Conclusion:
It’s a fact that the auto industry is currently dominated by computers, but it’s not a fact that every mechanic out there uses them. Computerized systems are everywhere in the auto industry and if you're going to succeed in this business, you'll need to keep up with the times.
You don't have to be an expert to keep up with this technology, but it will help if you do.
If you're interested in learning more about these systems, I'd suggest taking a look at my new book: The Auto Tech's Survival Guide: How A Guy Who's Not A Tech Broself Can Survive And Thrive In The New Automotive World .