How many professional technicians Car,Truck,Bus,Motorcycle,and Boat are on the board

[short-haul]

I seen a pole on the age of technicians and was amazed that most of us 68% have been at it for 30 Plus years and less then 15 % have been doing it 20 years or less.

 

Where is the pool of technicians for the future going to come from.

 

How many of you make your living working on Car, Truck, Bus, Motorcycle,and Boat?

How many are ASE certified?

How many work at a dealership?

How many work at independent shop?

How many work for the government?

And how long?

 

I would just like to know.

 

Me I am a School bus technicians ASE Master Auto, Truck, Bus, L1, L2

10 years Cadillac 8 years custom car building 12 years fleet on large trucks and buses

Edited March 17, 2010 by short-haul

[MiCarl]

I'm earn my living spinning wrenches on motorcycles.

 

I've owned my own independent shop specializing on machines from the 70s, 80s and 90s for two years now.

 

I have some formal training. Most of my ability comes from 30+ years busting the knuckles on my own stuff.

[Monty]

Former ASE Certified Technician, Service Manager and Service Writer. Have worked on Autos/light trucks, motorcycles/ATVs and outdoor power equipment.

 

Too many years of turning wrenches damaged my hands, wrists and shoulders.

 

 

I work for the Government now.

[midnite]

If you include when I owned my on trucks about 25yrs diesel mechanic. Last 10yrs, working for company running thier shop and doing all ac and reefer work on thier equipment. Only formal training was 3 wk course for Thermo-King refrigeration, the rest I learned out of necessity on my on equip.Also work on farm equipment since I was 8, now 44:bawling:. When does it stop:smile5:

[short-haul]

Nothing wrong with that Midnite. that's how I wound up as a diesel technician.bought a truck and leased it to Hot Shot Express then another and another and soon all I was doing was repairing my truck's. When diesel hit $2.00 sold everything and started my new career as a school bus technician. Never been happier School District are the way to go. I don't think it ever ends I'm 49 and just hopping to get out alive.

[flb_78]

Graduated Nashville Auto Diesel College in '97.

 

Worked for a Peterbilt dealer for 9 months

Worked for a International dealer for 1.5 years

Worked for Petro Truck Stops for 9.5 years

Worked for YellowHouse Machinery (John Deere C&F dealer) for 1.5 years.

Working for Hansford Implement (John Deere Ag dealer) for 6 months now.

[KarlS]

Was at one time Michigan State Certified Mechanic for Cars, Light Truck and School Bus. Was School Bus Mechanic then became Director of Transportation. Could not put up with all the Women bus drivers so went into Auto Service management at State level Auto Service Centers. Then Auto Service Manager and/or District Manager for a National Chain of Service Centers, then to Auto Service Manager at Dealerships for Ford and Chrysler. December 2001 broke my back in three places and couldn't do it anymore.

[1 Canuck]

• Licenced Ontario: Auto Mechanic, Truck and Coach Mechanic, Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Propane Installers Certicate
  
• Worked in a GM dealership as a apprentice/mechanic - 5 years
  
  
• Worked for the Provincial Highways repairing cars and trucks (all sizes), graders, transport trailers, highway snowplows and spreaders, Bridgemaster, Loaders, Zone Stripers, etc... - 15 years
  
  
• Worked in my own business (part time) repairing commercial landscaping equipment, JD, Steiner, Bob-Cats, Kubota, Pick-up trucks with snow plows and spreaders - 4 years
  
• Robotic Technician / Hydraulic Test Technician - Husky Injection Molding Systems - 10 years
  
  
• Currently working as an Area Fleet Coordinator
  

[scotty]

Heavy duty with interprovincial for 22 years.

First 12 were ag dealerships, last 10 has been independent truck shop.

Average age appears to be going up here as well.

My knees hurt, back hurts and i have only spent 40K on tools. Can't figure out why young people don't want to do it for a living?

[GigaWhiskey]

How many of you make your living working on Car, Truck, Bus, Motorcycle,and Boat? Not anymore. About 15 years.

How many are ASE certified? Nope but I do have an Airframe and Powerplant license. That means Lord FAA said I was good enough to work on aircraft. Worked in Vegas at McCarren airport. Only a year because I quit. Learned how corrupt a minor airline is. I would do an inspection on one part of the plane, find 60+ discrepancies and not enough time to fix them all - plane is grounded. So, they would ask me to sign off on the logs saying I did the work but we will do it later. Yea right, I always said no so they got someone else to sign it off without the work being done - plane flew. They would constantly wave my job in my face so after year I quit. P.S. the airline I worked for went out of business thank God!

How many work at a dealership? Nope. Did though for about 11 years.

How many work at independent shop? Started in one of these kinda. Mum owned a used car lot for a few years. I started working on them at about 14.

How many work for the government? Nope.

 

Now I am a computer geek, much cleaner! Makes my hobby more enjoyable too!

 

I still have my first roll away Waterloo tool box with stickers all over it.

 

[islandmech]

I am a licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineer working for an Airline in Canada, 52 years old,32 years in the business.

I also work on my boat,my motorcycle and with 5 kids, LOTS of cars!

PS did I mention I hate working on cars.......

[1 Canuck]

Heavy duty with interprovincial for 22 years.

First 12 were ag dealerships, last 10 has been independent truck shop.

Average age appears to be going up here as well.

My knees hurt, back hurts and i have only spent 40K on tools. Can't figure out why young people don't want to do it for a living?

 

I hurt as well. Breathed in more brake and clutch dust than I care to remember. Why didn't I choose to be an electrician? One pouch of tools, electricity has never changed over the years, just the components and my electrician buddies I know are paid very well, plus their side jobs on top of that.

[mm482]

Ford Tech 1967 to 1971

NC Highway Patrol Auto Tech 1971 to 1978

High School Auto Instructor and part time Community College Auto Instructor 1978 to 1995

 

Community College Auto Instructor 1995 to 2000 (retired 12-01-2000)

Part time Community College Auto Instructor2001 to ????

 

Master ASE and L1,

 

Earl

[Skid]

Just a shade tree mechanic...

[sleadhed]

Started out at 18 in the local Chevron (two years)

Got hired on at a Dodge dealership spent 18 years at various Chrysler,Jeep,dodge dealerships.

Have been in the independent world now for 7 years with the same owner

ASE master technician L1 and certified emission specialist.

currently I act as more of the shop foreman/ assistant manager/ service advisor.

When I have to turn wrenches it is on the problem cars.

just livin the dream or nightmare as it may be.

If it were not for the great man I work for I would have gotten out of the industry 7 years ago. He truly is the greatest boss in the world!!!!!

[Eck]

I've been called a jack of all trades - but master of none.

 

Like many here, I have been around the block a few times and have learned a whole lot from listening and watching others.

 

I feel a lot of my abilities were gained from the mistakes others made and of course learning from my own mistakes but most of my knowledge I feel I earned by taking "adventures" trying to fix something I didn't know a darn thing about. Like tearing something apart that was broke and miraculously finding out what the problem was and then putting it back together and having it actually work.

I have always been intrigued to disassemble something just to find out how it works.

And now, thanks to the wonderful world of web surfing, I do feel a whole lot smarter...

[murph35640]

26 years in the heating and cooling trade. First 8 years as a service tech for a mechanical contractor, then 9 years as a factory service rep for Carrier corporation in the heavy industrial division. Since then I have been owned by Murphy Refrigeration Services! Dont let anyone ever tell you that self employment is all bad! Heck I will only have to work about ten years after I die and I will break even!

[wes0778]

Johnson outboard and Bridgestone M/C mechanic - summer and after school 1963-64

Shop foreman (only guy in the shop) for Honda M/C dealer one summer 1965

Mercury outboard and Yamaha mechanic - College summer 1966

Spent 33 years working for 2 different Caterpillar dealers.

Cat dealer shop foreman

Cat dealer service manager

Cat dealer training instructor (certified Caterpillar instructor on several non-current machine and engine families)

Now semi retired.

[Guest HotMech]

I've been doing this for longer than I care to remember.

 

Had several "Starter Jobs"

Then kicked it into high gear

early 80's I was at a small independant shop.

then I thought it would be cool to drive a limo. (it was)

more small shops, getting more discouraged...

a short stint with Ford....( we all know that story)

marriage...(oh brother)

a time with my own business, a mobile repair van. Then failure.

more local shops...

D.I.V.O.R.C.E, Then The big change, "The bailout" Mine that is, I went back to driving, vans at the airport, then busses.

then a break, a chance to do my own thing again. Bought a truck and trailer and started hauling cars. (1 ton ford diesel and 4 car wedge)

did good

Upgraded to Freightliner C-120 Sweet truck, and 8 car quick load trailer.

too much overhead

Went Broke, sold the tractor, lost the trailer

So, back to what I know

more local shops

Finaly, at a small used car dealership, as Service Manager

 

"I should have Stayed in school":nanner:

[hillrider]

40 years working on mimeograph machines. (and their successors)

[Caveman]

My father had trucks and a salvage yard/shop when I was a kid groing up. Worked with him for years after school and in the summer. Soon I was rebuilding trans/ rearends, broke down alot of tires before then. Tore down alot of trucks pressure washed serviced and logged alot of parts. Some of my best memories are from those days with my dad at his shop or on the road with him. He tought me everything I know about wrenching on anything gas, deisel, 2 wheels, 4 wheels and above, which also tought me another lesson....... stay in school. I am a registered nurse now working as an administrative supervisor been at this hospital for 16 years now. Don't miss trauma nursing at all.

[Sonnyboy]

I am a third generation mechanic. Worked for Ford Heavy Truck as a Journeyman mechanic for 18years, Volvo Truck for six years. Was a guild member of DDA and warrenty certified for Cummins and Cat. Did marine diesel engine work for close to ten years on DDA's and MTU's. Now I work on construction equipment as shop foreman. Do most of the metal fabrication and welding. No formal schools on welding but I was fortunate enough to work with a welder who was nuclear certified. I watched, learned and was was taught how by this very gifted man.

I feel for the people coming into this business now. They think going to school for a few months, getting a line of Snap-On credit and a roll around tool box makes them a mechanic. If the computor scanner they just bought can't tell them whats wrong they are lost. I use to work with men who had been around equipment and trucks on family farms. When I hot rodded it was what was under the hood that was importent not the paint. Heck some of the better running cars had primer as my money was spent on engine parts.

Now after 42 years in this business I realize what my dad said was true. Mechanics will become scarce and parts changers will fill the void.

[short-haul]

sonnyboy said"I feel for the people coming into this business now. They think going to school for a few months, getting a line of Snap-On credit and a roll around tool box makes them a mechanic. If the computor scanner they just bought can't tell them whats wrong they are lost."

 

I agree 100%They are total lost, if the diagnostic equipment does not tell them what's wrong.

 

I spent my last 3 years in high school in auto shop 3 hr a day.

I got my formal training through a very good program in North Texas sponsored by the new car dealer association.It was made up of 3 years apprentice days at the dealership hand on training in what was taught at collage and 4hr nights at the collage over the theory of how and why it worked.

 

Wound up with an Associates Degree in Applied Sciences Automotive Technology, Journeyman Certificate from the federal government and a grate job at Frank Kent Cadillac making $75,000 in 1984 and when I left (got burned out same thing day after day)in 1991 my last year $124,000 Now I found a place to retire from. A small School district (with 22 buses, 18 support vehicles,And grounds equipment) not as good of pay but in this 1 man shop life is an adventure.

[Pecker]

Started out as a light wheeled mech. in the Army, pulled five years and traveled all over the world. Went to local Community College to get a 2 year certificate in diesel tech. Worked 15 years for a trucking fleet, started out as a 3rd shift lube tech, worked my way up to shop manager of 2 shops. Got burned out running between the 2 shops, decided to go back to school to get more education. While in school to earn a degree in Mech. Engineering, I worked at our local Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Can-am dealership as a technician. After earning my degree, I have been employed at an automotive filter manufacturer as an applications engineer, 3 years down the road, I am being layed off. I think I'll get back to turning wrenches, I can just about do that in my sleep.

Dave

[Vanantwerp]

Out of High School went to Auto school. Worked at a couple of mom and pop trucking. Started at Aisin USA in 1989 on the lines. worked in the fab shop there. Love my job now get to build things all day. But like most here work on very thing from cars to computers. Just because I to Cheap to pay someone else for what i can do. Get a lot of side jobs.