P/T Vehicle Technician Course???

[Big Dan]

Its a long shot but does anyone know of anywhere that does a Part-Time or Intensive course in mechanics??

Can be either general repairs or or even just a fast fit course to get me going.

I know I'm not going to become a mechanic over night but its something I am genuinely looking into for a career change.

Any help appreciated

Dan

 

[Sp!ke]

I'm not sure of your age Dan but it sounds like some kind of apprenticeship would be the best way into this.

These apprenticeships usually involve studying part time in a college and part time in a workshop. Two years for a city and guilds part time or one year full time iirc. Once that is under your belt you might get a rung on the ladder but better still to then try and pursue some specific manufacturer training scheme.

Do you have any careers advisers locally that you can speak with?

 

[jonnyboy]

If you plan towork for yourself speak to Business Link too, see what funding is out there once you are further on with a business plan etc.

 

[jaymanek]

Your local college is the pace to start with this. At this time of year they are all advertising.

 

[Big Dan]

Hi All,

I'm 33 and working in Retail Management at the moment.

Am struggling to find any Part-Time courses and cant afford to to spend 2 years on £3.50 an hour whilst I complete an apprenticeship.

I am thinking that I may be able to take some short courses such as vehicle electrics, engine diagnosis and Auto Air-Con along with a general vehicle maintenance course and do some free labour days at a local garage/stealership before getting a job as a fast-fit technician whilst I do a day release to college to get fully qualified?

Any thoughts on my plan? Or could it possibly work out?

 

[219]

I'm not qualified to comment with any authority , but the idea of specialising in one small area such as Air-Con , electronic diagnosis or In Car Entertainment , might be a good one and require less study time than a course in general mechanics .

 

[jaymanek]

I wouldnt bother with Air Con, its only busy for a few months of the year.

Electronic diagnosis is a good one as there are limited technicians out there who are actually good at this.

 

[Tiff]

Hey Dan,

I really don't want to piss on your chips, but you've picked a really difficult road to go down. First barrier is your age..At 33 you are considered very old! I'm 36,and just recently got out of being a mechanic/MOT tester because it was taking its toll on me-10 hour days,6 day weeks,heavy work and no heating in winter, most mechanics of my age move on to something else,or move up to management etc. 33 in Fast fit would be torture! You see very few older fast fit guys, and to be honest the 17 year old lads run rings round ya! Been there too...

I tell the young lads I teach now that electronics and diagnostics is the future- this really is the path to go down..Its getting to a point where independent all makes garages are really struggling to cover all marques,and specialisation is the key to the future,cars change so quickly,and the equipment is so frequently updated at huge costs that it just isn't viable for a smaller garage to have everything they need.People like Frank Massey run intensive diagnostic courses. They cost a fair bit but you will learn SO much. College is a start but they obviously wont have dedicated diagnostic equipment etc so you will get a grounding, but theory and practice are miles apart sometimes!

My advice to you would be: Go to college if possible and do a diagnosic type course. Learn,learn learn. Websites,forums,books anything. Knowledge is all in this area. If you think self employment would suit, get a van, diagnostic gear and sell your sevices to the trade and public. If you don't fancy that idea, try and find garages in your area that specialise in this field and pester them for employment. There is a definite shortage in this area,as has been said above.

Think about it. Do you really want to be standing one morning in a freezing cold garage, with filthy overalls on,lifting out a 1996 Mondeo gearbox..gear oil running down your sleeve,dirt in your eyes,with a Citroen Xantia sitting outside needing a clutch-before 5PM..

Or be sitting in a Merc, in your immaculate dustcoat,on a laptop?....for more money?

Best of luck to you, but the best thing I ever did was get out!!

 

[BlackC55]

I have thought of another idea.

Get a saturday job in a busy garage for peanuts. Learing on the job is the best way to learn.

My college was useless and I taught myself most of the time.

 

[kth286]

I have thought of another idea.

Get a saturday job in a busy garage for peanuts. Learing on the job is the best way to learn.

My college was useless and I taught myself most of the time.

Are you making an offer ?

 

[BlackC55]

1/2day saturday.....

 

[NW_Merc]

I have thought of another idea.

Get a saturday job in a busy garage for peanuts. Learing on the job is the best way to learn.

My college was useless and I taught myself most of the time.

But don't some people make a big deal about brand qualified technicians like say MB or VW.

I'd like to do this myself aswell, but how would you go about getting a meaningful qualification out of it?

 

[Big Dan]

Thanks All,

Tiff: Yes I am aware that my age will not do me any favours trying to get into this line of work as I think employers get government funding for taking on 16-19 year olds so its more beneficial for them.
And most definately sitting in a Merc, in my immaculate dustcoat,on a laptop for more money but FastFit may have helped me get the experience and days off to do the college route.
One of my local colleges luckily enough has a dedicated Motorsports faculty and their own race team so could probably look at getting experience in performance tuning as well.

BlackC55: 1/2day saturday..... I may take you up on this if your serious

Looks like the diagnostics side of things is definitely the way to go from what you have all said so will get onto it this evening.

Mechanics I can learn hopefully pick up some courses/experience along the way.

Thanks!

 

[BlackC55]

Qualifications help but they go out the window if you are not actually very able to do the job. You can all the paperwork in the world to say you know the therory but you maybe useles at the physical side of the job.

I had a uni student work for me once. He had all the qualifications but was useless with spanners.

 

[Big Dan]

I'm the opposite at the moment, OK with a set of spanners and quite enjoy being covered in gunk. Have changed exhausts/wheels/spark plugs etc but dont have the knowledge to go any further than that at the moment.

Will be getting my own copies of Hilliers I think, then get myself on some courses and gain as much "Real World" experience as I can along the way.

 

[Tiff]

Thanks All,


And most definately sitting in a Merc, in my immaculate dustcoat,on a laptop for more money but FastFit may have helped me get the experience and days off to do the college route.

Ask about the general feeling on here about Fast fit.. I look on it as the McDonalds of the motor trade.. Egon Ronay wouldn't give you a head chef's job because youve done a few years flipping burgers.. I've done it, both as a service Tech and MOT tester. Pay was pretty decent actually,and can lead to other things, but it'll never make you a mechanic. Don't forget about the costs of getting your own tools either- can be thousands of pounds..

 

[jaymanek]

We had a chap in last week for a days trial...

Plenty of qualifications, even a full degree in mechanical engineering...

The guy couldnt change an oil filter to save his life.

 

[Tiff]

We had a guy who had his Mahoosive toolbox delivered by articulated lorry and forklift.. he had all the paperwork and talked the talk. He lasted 3 days.

 

[Big Dan]

I hear what your saying guys, that there is no substitute for the years on "The Spanners" and I'm not expecting to waltz into a tech's job and be excellent at it but if I'm going to have to work (which my wife/kids/house/pets and car are adamant I am to pay for them) it may as well be something that is of interest to me and that eventually, once I have both the knowledge AND the experience, I can work for myself doing it.
Luckily if I go down the diagnostics route it still allows me abit more flexibilty to pursue my other career (Management) at the same time and ideally at some point the two can merge....................?

 

[219]

Hi All,

I'm 33 and working in Retail Management at the moment.

Would that not translate quite nicely to a job in the sales side of a car dealership , perhaps in a managerial position ?

Otherwise , a managerial position on the service side of a dealership .

Can't you use your existing qualifications and experience as building bricks towards a new career , rather than starting from scratch ?