There are approximately 62 million cars registered in the United States. By law, each of these 62 million cars needs to be inspected every single year. Additionally, each vehicle receives oil changes roughly four times a year and will likely need a major repair every few years. All inspections, maintenance, and repairs are handled by trained automotive technicians.
Modern vehicles are very complex machines. This means the person working on a modern vehicle needs a large variety of skills. Automotive technicians need to be able to service every part of the vehicle. Basic mechanical skills and knowledge are required to replace tires, replace a headlight, install a carburetor, or repair a muffler system. Technicians must also be trained to fix electrical systems, like most modern ignitions, sound systems, and safety systems. Inspecting, testing, and diagnosing an electrical system requires training in industry specific computer systems.
In order to work on body repair, an automotive technician needs specific training for that job as well. Automotive body repair involves working with lifts and other heavy machinery to safely pull cars apart, replace damaged or destroyed parts, and then to repaint the new parts to precisely match the original car.
A person trained as an automotive technician can perform the following types of work:- Repairing and inspecting cars at automotive repair facilities
- Repairing body damage at a body shop
- Maintaining vehicle fleets at car rental companies
- Building cars for automobile manufacturers
- Providing brand specific repairs and maintenance at a car company sale facility
Training Required to Become an Automotive Technician
While it is possible to become an automotive technician with a high school diploma/GED and receive on the job training, the increasing complexity of modern vehicles means that most employers want candidates with more rigorous backgrounds. High school shop classes are a good start, though two year vocational schools are preferred, especially for specialized jobs like body repair or foreign car repair and maintenance. Also, because this is an industry that is constantly evolving, it is critical for automotive technicians to take refresher courses and receive training on the newest innovations in vehicles.
If you want to make the most of your career repairing and maintaining automobiles, an automotive technician training school will help you achieve your goal.
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