david_hornet27
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| posted on 30/7/11 at 09:59 PM |
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Car mechanics courses, advice needed pls...
Hi All,
I am looking to become a qualified car mechanic and was wondering if anybody has any suggestions as to what I should be looking for?
I currently have a full time secure job but I am bored and thought that getting a qualification in something I am interested in and enjoy (car
mechanics) could make me employable in areas that I currently would have no chance in. I am pretty handy with a spanner and have taken apart and
rebuilt my Locost Seven many times, including putting different engines in etc. In other words I am not a complete novice, but would be limited in
what I could offer as a full time mechanic working in a garage for instance.
I can only seem to find apprenticeships with part time learning at college (not an option as I have a good job already), or car maintenance courses
(which seem to only teach what I already know - the basics).
Any ideas guys?
Thanks for any advice...
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norfolkluego
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 01:30 AM |
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Don't know your personal circumstances obviously but you say you have a secure job, might be worth thinking about delaying a move until the
economy is in slightly better shape. There again there's always a reason not to do something but might just be worth hanging on until the worst
of the current debt panic is over.
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snapper
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 03:31 AM |
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In my experience (photographer) trying to turn an enjoyable hobby into a full time carrier will only take the fun out of the hobby.
My job has always been my job, never a hobby, at the weekends or in the evening I play with cars and do DIY, I do what I want, when I want, I
don't have time scales, well only self imposed ones, and I don't answer to anyone.
Just my humble opinion.
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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froggy
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 05:55 AM |
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The problem is that being a mechanic is all about knowledge rather than skills nowadays . I have to invest in technology to be able to work on modern
stuff and with the amount of electronics I spend more time on the laptop than spannering .
No idea what you earn but £25k will be good money for a mech at an independent and most work is run of the mill and boring just like any other .
I went into the trade at 29 mainly because I had worked for every engineering firm I could locally so had to do something else and put up with shitty
work and wages until I was up to speed and now run a busy mot station so don't let me put you off.
[Edited on 31/7/11 by froggy]
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r187/froggy_0[IMG]
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shindha
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 07:38 AM |
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Hi David,
Doing a car mechanics course will be good, no matter what career path you want to pursue. An academic qualification shows you can commit time and
effort to achieve an goal.
Depending on your financial situation, age etc. You could do it part tome or full time at a local FE college - look up in your local area.
I think the qualification now days is called IMI - this is what my son is doing - I did City & Guilds back in the day, but never worked on a car
in a commercial enviroment i.e. garage. I just could not get my self to work in a cold, dirty enviroment - as garages were then.
By all means go for it but the fun factor might diminish some what when it becomes a daily wage earner. But then again if you work for your self and
gear the business towards what you enjoy it could be fun - may be not always as financially rewarding. Having said that there are a lot of Automotive
businesses out thier that enjoy what they are doing and make good money as well - mainly it seems in the motor racing field.
Hope my two pence worth helps!
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Stott
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 08:08 AM |
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The problem is mechanics courses are part time in tech but the bulk of your training is done on the job so IMO you're unlikely to find a course
that can teach you what you want to know along with keeping your regular job.
I'm a qualified mech, trained as day release to college and 5 days a week in work. I loved it, but there were days (seasons) where it
wasn't as nice. I love cars which is why I went into the trade and working on them every day never really dulled my enthusiasm for them, I guess
that's down to the sort of person you are.
In the end I left and retrained as an electrician for purely financial reasons, if I could take home what I do now as a mechanic then I'd be
back on the spanners.
ATB
Stott
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 08:48 AM |
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I've been in the motor trade since leaving school in 1967, I still enjoy a lot of the work but as Froggy points out it's now less about
spannering and more electronics which can be a real pain. Modern cars are not really designed to be worked on with so much being difficult or
impossible to reach . Would I do it again? Probably or not depending what job I'm doing but working in a village garage we tend to get a very
good variety of cars to work on from 1920s classics to modern cars . Better money being a plumber or plasterer etc for sure
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david_hornet27
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 12:15 PM |
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Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.
I only really want another string to my bow at the moment and don't have the desire to be a mechanic in someone else's garage, however I
possibly would like to buy a garage as a going concern in the not too distant future so would like to get a helpful qualification under my belt sooner
rather than later.
Shindha, thanks for the heads up about the IMI as I now know what to look for. So many courses out there and it is obvious some will not be worth the
money which is why I needed a nudge as to what to look for...
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norfolkluego
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 06:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Better money being a plumber or plasterer etc for sure
Or repairing gas central heating boilers judging by some of the quotes I've had recently
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 31/7/11 at 07:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by norfolkluego
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Better money being a plumber or plasterer etc for sure
Or repairing gas central heating boilers judging by some of the quotes I've had recently
I know a guy in Cambridge that is qualified to examine gas boiler etc installations to CORGI??standards who has NO practical experience himself, he
just like getting qualifications.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 1/8/11 at 08:33 PM |
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Wouldn't bother, I'm a qulified mechanic and can't get a job because I've not done it for a job before. I ran up a £70 phone
bill each month for three months ringing every single mechanic, bodyshop, tyre fitter and restoration workshop in a fifty mile radius. The only people
that are hiring demand main dealer experience, and often they are the main dealer.
Overall a waste of a year's kicking and screaming and fighting by nuts off for a chance of a better job, and the worst bit is I now can't
remember 95% of what I was taught.
Imo you'd be better off knowing the owner and having them hire you
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ianclark1275
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| posted on 1/8/11 at 09:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
quote:
Originally posted by norfolkluego
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Better money being a plumber or plasterer etc for sure
Or repairing gas central heating boilers judging by some of the quotes I've had recently
I know a guy in Cambridge that is qualified to examine gas boiler etc installations to CORGI??standards who has NO practical experience himself, he
just like getting qualifications.
How about setting up as a LPG conversion company?
you need no experience or qualifications and there is no law covering the installation!
IC
measure twice, cut once, scrap it, start again.
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