Have you thought about a career path in the automotive industry, but wasn’t sure if it was the right fit for you? If you have a passion for working with your hands and love to problem solve, automotive technician could be the perfect career. We’ve compiled the top eight reasons you should become an automotive technician below.
Why Become an Automotive Technician
Job Stability
The demand for automotive technicians isn’t going away anytime soon. There are about 289 million registered vehicles in the United States. We are always going to need automotive technicians to repair our vehicles. Regardless of the advancements in technology, forms of transportation will never be a necessity that completely goes away. There is a high demand for automotive technicians, and it isn’t a fading industry.
Valuable Knowledge
As an automotive technician, you gain a lot of knowledge and skills. Including skills that can help you outside of the automotive industry. This knowledge can help you save a lot of money when you have a problem with your own car and even projects around your house. We know car repairs are not easy or cheap. It is a huge perk to be able to fix your own car and not have to worry about it or hire someone else.
Light Student Debt
Becoming an automotive technician gives you the opportunity to save a lot of money from student debt. The cost of four-year colleges continues to go up, and it doesn’t look like it will be slowing down soon. The average cost of college in the United States is $35,720 per student, per year. That is a HUGE expense for a person in their early 20s trying to get their first career started. Attending a trade or tech school can range from $5,000- 15,000 total—which is more manageable to pay, and pay off sooner.
Constantly Learning
In the automotive industry, you are constantly learning, even once you graduate from school. Due to all the advancements in technology, you need to stay up-to-date with schooling and training. It’s important to find a shop that prioritizes training and provides you with the resources you need to be successful. You need to have a passion for learning new things. If you’re not constantly learning in this industry, you’re going to fall behind quickly.
Social Interaction
With many companies working from home nowadays, being an automotive technician gives you the opportunity to go to the shop everyday and see your coworkers face-to-face. Some people don’t like the idea of sitting at a desk and looking at a screen all day. Instead, they thrive in a high energy environment. As an automotive technician, you have the freedom to move around in the shop and communicate with coworkers and customers.
Passion for the Job
Automotive technicians have so much passion for the work they do. They love the opportunity to go into a shop everyday, solve a problem, and work with their hands. A lot of automotive technicians have had an interest in cars from a very young age, and turned their passion and drive into a career. Having a job you love can be hard to find, but it allows you to enjoy work so much more.
Job Satisfaction
Working on a really tough problem and finally figuring it out can be such a rewarding feeling. Technicians get a lot of pride in fixing problems most people don’t even understand. It allows you to feel important in fixing a problem all on your own. Some of the projects you work on won’t be an easy and quick fix, but the satisfaction you get when you fix it and everything is working correctly is worth it.
No Day is Exactly the Same
Walking into the shop every morning you never know what type of car might come rolling in.. The possibilities are endless on the different types of project you could be working on. You can expect to see new and different problems every single day. It keeps your days exciting, because you’re not stuck doing the same thing. Some people get bored with the consistency of doing the same thing, and strive for change.
We know not everyone is born with the skills needed to join the automotive industry. If you have a passion for working on cars, you owe it to yourself to get involved in this industry. The automotive industry is filled with opportunities, knowledge, and great people.
Learn What It’s Like to Be an Automotive Technician
Every week, we spotlight a current or former technician to learn more about what it’s like to work in the industry. Check out some of our favorites:
Zach E.
Carolyn C.
Lindsey B.
