Career Change question?

[rango88]

Let’s discuss career changes and potential jobs:

As some of you know I am currently in the market for a complete career change. I have been looking around for months and haven’t found anything that inspires me. My fiancé suggested that I look at being a mechanic. Being the son of a reputable mechanic, I have a general idea of what the job consists of, but being the son that was never interested in being hands on, I learned a lot about cars and how they work, but my garage skills are lacking since I was never in the garage. Since I have owned cars of my own and especially my Ranger, I have found a passion for learning about the inner workings about cars and working on them, but again my practical experience is null.

Do you think this is an ideal career choice based on what little you know about me. I am aware about the education required, the tools needed and a garage willing to take on an apprentice, but I like a little wisdom on the trade. I found a job posting for a Ford dealership looking for Automotive Techs and they are willing to hire those with no training and train them in the trade.

I know this is a weird question to ask on a Ranger forum, but I am at a loss in terms of my future and I need some guidance. Any constructive opinion is welcome as I respect a lot of you and those who know me respect me.

Thanks for any insight, cause I am stumped.

 

[06FordFX4]

believe it or not, I have been going through the same situation. im currently working in the printing industry, its pretty boring, and the pay sucks. highly regretting my choice in jobs. but hey, its a job.

I've been looking at several schools that offer a year long course (10 months)
so im going to save up my pennies, and see what happens in a few months time.


now, this is what i plan on doing while saving up, working on family vehicles and seeing if i like it, or can even do it. simple things, like changing oil, swapping out old parts for new ones etc. im going to be doing my ball joints soon, as well as my parents vans shocks, and other front end stuff.

it will give me an insight to what id be doing as an automotive tech, and if i like it ill go ahead with schooling. If i dont like it, ill use those pennies for something on the truck lol

win win

based on your post, i think you should do something similar. you say you have an interest in it, but dont know if youd be any good at it since you were never hands on, so, go be hands on for a while on your own time/vehicle and see if its the right job for you.

ok long post over.

 

[mcdonald58]

How old are you? Look at uti it's a great program I had a representative visit my school and its amazing. If I weren't going to be a cop I would be a auto tech. I think it's a great profession to get into especially if you can get a job at a dealership or fleet shop.

 

[buggman]

Do something you like & you'll never "work" a day in your life

 

[rango88]

Thanks for all the Insight guys

 

[Scrambler82]

Do something you like & you'll never "work" a day in your life

Although true, some of what we like to do doesn’t pay well, especially if marriage and kids are in the equation.

My first thought is EDUCATION, yes you know car/trucks but in todays vehicle repair world, it take knowledge of the inner working of the computer systems and IMHO that takes training.

Where your father works as a mechanic, is there any training programs that you can get into ? You get two things out of a larger shop training program, one is you get education and the other you get a taste for what is to come and you might change your mind half way through.

I have a friend that works for Ford, he is paid well, does most of the Dealerships electronics/computer repairs BUT he thinks his job $ucks.
I think you need to get your feet wet, get some training and start thinking about the long haul. We all kind of face the same problem somewhere along our career paths.
Lots of us never find "the job we always wanted" but we do find that the pay and security of a full time job with a good shop, worth while.

I was working as a mechanic but not automotive, mechanical assembly for an Ion Implanter Company (the machines that make the computer chips). Pay was good for the area but not the best; once I started working for the company I found other job opening in the company (something to think about) and went for them and every internal job change came more money.
I finally settled on the Quality Assurance (QA) Department, like Quality Control but the QA department makes plans, check the flow of the whole assembly process and controls the overall quality but back to the job thing.
I found I liked the QA Dept, liked the idea of being part of every process in the Shop, liked checking the flow of parts and assemblies and writing procedures on the flow process and assembly steps; turned out to be the job I never thought of but loved enough to get an Engineering Degree in Electronics and Statistical Process Control and a few other lesser things.

Sometimes working because you "have to" may lead to unexpected returns that will pay off big.
Check out some larger manufacturing companies in your area, may be a Mechanical Assembly position there just waiting for a good mechanically inclined individual.

Good Luck in your search.