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Step By Step Guide On How To Become A Mechanic

  • March 13, 2023

Often times I have spent quality time watching some great guys doing crazy things on and with machines and engines. But you know, even when I would fix my gaze on them, I never once understood even what they were doing.

Often, some folks would ask me, “do you want to learn how to become a Mechanic?” and I would chuckle.

Now let me ask you, my reader, do you know what you are looking at when you pop the hood of a vehicle or watch a mechanic do what they do? I bet you would only see a mass of wires, belts, and metal parts that make little or no sense.

A mechanic sees something very different: A complex system of tiny pieces that fit together just as they should. Understanding this complex system helps a mechanic narrow down the options, diagnose the problem, and ultimately get you going again as soon as possible.

But you already know it’s not very easy to figure out what goes on under the hood or in the bonnet of a vehicle. Yea, it requires serious education and training. And now this is when you will consider training or enrolling in a mechanical engineering school.

Table of contents

Who then is a Mechanic?

You may wonder and ask, who is a mechanic? Mechanics are professionals trained to perform repairs and regular maintenance on automobiles, trucks, related transportation, and material-moving vehicles.

Some mechanics perform general maintenance and repairs, while others may specialize in some particular areas of the field like working on tires, brakes, engines, or onboard computers.

Mechanics are expected to examine, troubleshoot, restore, and maintain various types of automobiles, including personal vehicles, trucks, and heavy equipment machinery. Mechanics must be knowledgeable about the various tools, equipment, and procedures used in auto shops for troubleshooting and repairing vehicles.

Part of their job involves understanding how internal combustion and diesel motors work, as well as their components, and how to dismantle and reassemble them in order to fix any problems. Being a Mechanic involves a great deal of hands-on work, they take a direct approach towards problem-solving and are not afraid to get their hands dirty in the process.

With the advancement of transportation and automotive technology, Mechanics now has to stay updated on the latest trends by learning new technologies involved in vehicle designing. Not all mechanics do general practice, that is, knowing how to do all the kinds of stuff at the same time.

Some Mechanics specialize in specific types of vehicles. While some may be experts at handling various brands of cars, some might just be interested in buses or trucks. Others, however, may choose to specialize in specific brands and manufacturers of vehicles, as they might have more intricate engines and systems.

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What Exactly Do Mechanics Do?

Mechanics carry out a number of tasks in their field. Many specialize in certain areas while others may know how to do a whole lot of stuff. But generally, you will find mechanics doing mostly the listed tasks in their places of work. Every passing day and at every given time you found a mechanic at work either;

  • Performing routine checks and service to vehicles.
  • Examining and diagnosing malfunctioning vehicles.
  • Identifying issues and finding ways to fix them.
  • Dismantling and examining engine pieces.
  • Requesting replacements and mounting them.
  • Providing clients with a report explaining all repairs performed.
  • Testing repaired vehicles.

Performing routine checks and service to vehicles:

When you find a mechanic performing routine checks or services on vehicles, you may find him either checking the levels of important fluids such as motor oil, coolant, and brake fluid and refilling them as necessary. You may also find him inspecting and replacing filters when required or cleaning and lubricating engine pieces and checking the battery and the electric systems of the vehicle.

Proper routine checks in vehicles and machines are very important in maintaining safety and productivity as paying less attention to some of these little components might result in fatal mishaps and accidents.

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Examining and diagnosing malfunctioning vehicles:

People who become mechanics also carry the tasks of Conducting a thorough and complete diagnosis of the status of the vehicle using specialized hardware and software systems, inspecting and calibrating brakes, checking the air pressure in the wheels, as well as their condition, aligning the wheels, looking for loose screws and bolts and tightening them; and dismantling engine pieces to look for malfunctioning parts.

This task also stresses the importance of the former. Examining and investigating possible deviations in the machine system goes a long way to prevent unforeseen accidents.

Identifying issues and finding ways to fix them:

This task might include following specific instructions for different types of engines and vehicles, dismantling pieces of the engine to repair minor malfunctions, replacing and reassembling pieces when a repair was possible, requesting a replacement and spare pieces when a repair is not possible, assembling and mounting new pieces; and testing the proper functioning of new pieces.

In some cases, you might find these engineers documenting and reporting all vehicle repairs to the employer or customer. While performing this particular task, you may find them creating a budget of the expected expenses for the repairs, keeping track of all the pieces and parts changed, repaired, and replaced, maintaining a record of all pieces that were requested and bought, and providing clients with a bill explaining all purchases and repairs done.

There is so much more to what mechanics do than you may think of. Mechanics, due to how important their services are, are so much in demand. So if you are one or you are aspiring to become one, I tell you, its a go-go for you.

How Long does it take to Become a Mechanic?

If this is what question you are asking, then you will get your answer in the next few lines.

If you’re considering a career as an automotive technician or mechanic, you’re undoubtedly concerned about the time commitment required to develop your skills, earn your certificate and become prepared to enter the workforce. Aright.

I have to be very honest with you here, one of the advantages of you would enjoy pursuing a career as a mechanic is that you may not really spend four years earning a degree. In the real sense of it, becoming a mechanical engineer or an auto mechanic does not really require you to complete many unnecessary courses that won’t often help you hit the ground running or excel in your field.

You could actually earn your automotive mechanic training in just a few months even though sometimes the program extends in about 1.5 years, with a concentrated education in the areas that really matter. Depending on what an individual wants, you might find programs that might last from two years for an associate degree. Some rare programs offer the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree.

So how long it’s going to take you before you become a certified mechanic is dependent on your expectations and what you want. But on average, it takes just a few months to four years to really become a mechanic.

You have to note that when you want to work with cars in a hands-on environment, a general education course in Geology or a semester’s worth of practice with the five-paragraph essay format isn’t going to help you achieve your goals.

Instead, a targeted program will strip away all of the distractions and filler and teach you exactly what you need to know: how to assess and repair every system, bumper to bumper, so that you can secure the position you want and perform your job optimally.

Not every program allows for this concentrated, fast-track preparation, though. For example, some community colleges offer a two-year program in mechanical engineering or automotive technology. If you’re considering a career in this arena, look carefully at the course of study in the program you’re considering to ensure that you’re getting the most direct knowledge and experience for your time and money.

Which schools offer training for Mechanics?

To pursue your career in automotive engineering, you would need to find and enroll in some of the best schools and institutions for this training. Below is a list of some of the schools that offer training for mechanics. All of these schools offer high-quality technical educations that will help get you qualified to work in the automotive service industry. Over the years it has been proven that students that attended these schools learned how to be the best auto mechanics.

The schools selected here were selected based on the quality of the program, types of courses offered, and faculty strength, as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation.

List of Schools that offer Training for Mechanics

What are the Requirements for Becoming A Mechanic?

If you must be a certified mechanic, there are some basic requirements you must meet to be really certified. We are going to consider these requirements under the following four headings.

Education

Generally what you require to start off as either avionics, auto or industrial mechanic is basically your high school diploma certificate or your General Educational Development. Then you may proceed to a vocational college or select any other option that may be available to you. Some proceed to acquire two-year associate’s degrees while others go longer to obtain bachelor’s degrees. Becoming a certified aviation maintenance mechanic would take you about 18 to 24 months to complete your training. This training is very important as airplanes are very delicate machines to operate.

Training

Mechanics usually get their training on the job, and it takes two to five years to become a fully qualified auto service technician. If you want to familiarize yourself with all types of auto repairs, it would take one or two additional years of training.

Skills

Paying huge attention to details is a great virtue anyone aspiring and working on how to become a certified mechanic must possess. Yes, all mechanics need to be detail-oriented when identifying problems with parts and determining whether to replace or fix them. Furthermore, as a mechanic, you would need top-notch customer service skills to be able to relate with your clients and to be able to explain problems to them and help them make affordable decisions on repairs.

Agility is a skill the aircraft mechanic must possess in order to climb the top of airplanes and fix remote parts, such as rudders and ailerons, which are on the edge of the wings. Other mechanics and engineers in various other areas also require certain kinds of skills to be able to function well in the chosen areas.

Licensing and Certification

Just as in medicine, doctors and nurses require a license to really practice. The license acts as a form of endorsement and authority that permits the person to practice. It shows you have been tested, proven worthy, and competent for your stand.

So it is in aircraft and automotive mechanics, a mechanic requires this kind of endorsement to be able to able to practice since it’s a matter of life. Endorsing quacks for the work means they may do haphazard jobs that may place people’s lives in danger.

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How much do Mechanics Earn?

Knowing how much you would likely earn in your new career before diving into it is not bad at all. You wouldn’t want to spend your whole bucks in vocational college and only earn peanuts at the completion of your program. You would really want to get something commensurate with your efforts. So this is the question on your mind right now; how much do mechanics earn?

A recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the average earning of a mechanic ranges between $36, 000 to $60, 000. It also revealed that Mechanics earn their salaries based on their industry and profession.

Average Pay of Mechanics Per Hour

As far back as 2013 which is over five years, the hourly pay of auto mechanics was estimated at $18.97 which gave the equivalent of $39,450 annually. For these five years, we can confidently say the pay has well appreciated by 10 percent. As I stated earlier, the salary a mechanic earns largely depends on the type of job and the mechanic’s experience.

Places where Mechanics find most jobs

Generally, mechanics find good job opportunities in auto repair shops. As a matter of fact, it has been asserted that auto repair shops has employed 225,500 mechanics in 2013, more mechanics than any other industry, and paid them an average annual wage of $35,930. An additional 208,380 mechanics worked for auto dealers, receiving a higher average annual salary of $43,450. On the other hand, the third-place industry for jobs, auto parts stores, employed 62,180 mechanics but paid only $34,170 annually on average.

Regions where you can get the highest pay as a Mechanic

The top-paying state for mechanics as of 2013 was Alaska, where salaries up to $51,320 were paid annually. The $49,910 average annual pay in the District of Columbia topped the salaries for mechanics in all the remaining states. The highest-paying metro area was San Francisco, which reported an average annual wage of $54,160. Mechanics in Fairbanks, Alaska, earned $51,950 per year on average, the second-highest pay among metro regions.

Currently, the following regions have the best payment plans for mechanics in 2019; Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Utah.

How To Become A Mechanic: Step To Step Guide

Below you will find the best hacks on how you can become a successful auto mechanic. In the next few lines, you will learn exactly the best things that have worked for most successful guys in the field.

  1. Carefully carry out your research

    Before you dive into the pursuit of your new career, it is very important you sit down and do some research and calculations. Find people who are already in the field and find out what exactly they are doing. Find out if there are any challenges they may be going through or they have gone through in the past. Then leverage their knowledge and experiences and learn how not to encounter such challenges. You cannot dispute this fact, it is good to have good dreams but knowing exactly where to take that dream is another. Take out some time to really learn what is involved. Once the focus is narrowed, it will be easier to move to the next step.

  2. Complete a Secondary or High School Education

    Before you carry on with your dream of being a mechanic, it is very important you, first of all, complete your secondary education or at least complete a General Education Development program. You would really need the credentials you acquire from here to be able to move on and enroll in a certificate or degree program.

  3. Find a Vocational College and Enroll

    This is the next thing that should fall in place. Remember while carrying out your detailed research, this is one of the things you will also need to find out: the best vocational schools for your program. Not all vocational schools may meet your standards. So After you must have researched and figured out the best school for you, then you will need to enroll and start taking your lessons. There are so many places where you can find these schools.

    Automobile manufacturers, vocational schools, and community colleges have training programs that award associate’s degrees or certificates of completion in automotive service technology. Some of the courses aspiring mechanics should take include electronics, hands-on automotive repair, computers, math, and English, etc.

  4. Get Certified

    While you are in your vocational college, ensure to really pay attention to every bit of detail. Endeavor to be serious in your studies and try to learn all you can. Remember, it is your performance that determines whether you will get certified or not. So if you are really passionate about your new career, putting all your best so as you can get certified is one of the best things you would do for yourself. Your certificate is what majorly qualifies you as a professional and not just any kind of guy try to play around with spanners, bolts, and nuts. Certification through the National Institute for Automotive Excellence is the standard for mechanics.

  5. Develop yourself beyond the classroom

    Even after you have completed your program, keep working and developing yourself. Do not rely alone on what your instructors tell you in class. Read more books, see videos, attend conferences where great minds in the field converge. learn from the best. You see, technologies change fast, so keeping up with the latest techniques and engine features is very important. If you must stand out in your chosen career, then this learning will continue throughout your career walk.

  6. Keep learning, and don’t burn out

    The next big thing that will happen to you is to get a good job. Now, in your new job, be open to employer training. They are a very important component of your making as a successful mechanic. Employer. Training for mechanics typically lasts for a couple of months. During your training, you’ll work with experts like lubricant workers, trainee technicians, or automotive helpers. It’s important that you learn to work independently and as part of a team during the training.

  7. The Big Dream Master Mechanic

    When you have gone through all of the necessary training and have gotten the required skills, I can bet you, you are on your high way to becoming a master certified auto mechanic. When you have been endorsed, it is unarguable that you soon be the big dream master mechanic you have always dreamt to become.

Conclusion

You show up every day not knowing what’s ahead of you. You have no idea what amount of money you would be making that day if the day is going to be easy, pain-free, or stress-filled, leaving you in some epic bad mood.

You’ll eventually learn what cars you don’t want to work on, what jobs are more of a hassle than others. In this work, the experience you gather is your education.

School, books, company training is just background information and won’t give you the confidence to go elbows deep into something.

Also, before becoming an auto service mechanic, it is important to understand how physical the work is. You can expect to be standing for most of the day and getting into uncomfortable positions to access certain parts or areas of a vehicle.

The work is also dirty, with oil and grease on tools, parts, hands, and clothes at the end of the day. But I can bet you that if you would tilt yourself to learn all there is to learn, you would become your own boss in no time.

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