Employment Options in the Automotive Industry

Most of us need a job for income, but does just any mundane job make you happy? Are you living your best life if you’re bored or miserable every time you report to work? Probably not. Yet 53% of American workers report being unhappy with their current job. Maybe a better plan might be to follow your passion into a career that you truly enjoy. So what do you really love to do? If your answer involves cars and the automotive repair industry, Spiteri’s Auto Service in Belmont, California, has a career for you.

One Industry, Many Options

If you love cars and enjoy helping people, there are many career choices for you in auto repair. You can find employment in a service and repair shop (independently owned or part of a franchise), at a dealership, or in a collision repair and body shop. Each of these business categories includes a variety of specific jobs. Your choices include becoming an automotive technician (mechanic), a service writer, a collision repair technician, and a service department manager, among many others.

You can specialize even within these options. For example, you may be a general auto technician, performing a wide range of routine maintenance services and repairs, or you can focus on a specific segment of repairs such as brakes, transmissions, or air conditioning. You can focus on bodywork, or you can limit your scope of work to painting. You can specialize and get a certification working on the brand of vehicles you like best. Regardless of your path, you can find the exact niche that appeals to you.

In addition to these positions where you perform hands-on service and repairs, you can also find opportunities with auto related businesses. These include auto parts stores, insurance companies, educational agencies, and parts manufacturers/distributors. Not only will you be happier at work when you allow your passion for cars to drive your career choice, but you will also provide a much-needed service for your community.

Learning Opportunities

Just as there are many avenues for pursuing a career in the auto repair industry, so there are lots ways to prepare yourself and stay current in your field. The training you will need depends upon the segment of the market you choose. Options range from on-the-job training to engineering degrees. Most individuals find that they need to obtain some formal training.

A common requirement is the combination of education, experience, and testing that leads to ASE certification. There are eight individual certification areas — Engine Repair, Automatic Trans/Transaxle, Manual Drivetrain and Axles, Suspension and Steering, Brakes, Electrical/Electrical Systems, Heating & Air Conditioning, and Engine Performance–that lead to ASE Master Technician certification. However, there are many other areas of certification, including topics within gasoline and diesel engine repair, collision repair, and heavy-duty vehicle repair.

Most local community colleges offer certificates and/or an Associate’s Degree, as well. You’ll quickly find that although auto service and repair are usually hands-on endeavours, they are also very much part of the growing field of high-tech careers. Therefore, many technicians participate in continuing education opportunities to remain up-to-date in their specialties. ASE Master status must also be renewed every five years to ensure that technicians stay abreast of the latest information and technology.



To observe first-hand some of the possible careers in the auto repair industry, visit Spiteri’s Auto Service in Belmont, California.