As 2018 rolls around, there is plenty of young blood toying around with the idea of building themselves a career in the automotive service and repair industry, but discussion around the investment and training required as well as wages and working conditions is turning many away.
So, is it a good idea to become a mechanic in 2018?
Unfortunately there isn’t a simple YES/NO answer, it depends largely on the individual so let's take a look at some of the Pro’s and Con’s of being a mechanic in 2018.
Let’s start with some of the challenges a mechanic in 2018 faces:
As a general rule of thumb, the pay structure is behind where it needs to be to work on today's vehicles. When we say ‘work on’ we mean accurately and efficiently diagnose and repair vehicles, not just do oil changes or throw parts at a car and cross our fingers and hope that it fixes the problem. There are a number of factors that come into play here but we feel the industry is currently in a transition period where wages are already starting to accurately reflect the skill sets that are required.
Cars are getting harder to work on. The control systems and components are more complex and there is less space available to be able to work. This puts demands on a technician to be smarter in their approach to diagnostics and diversify their range of tools to access and work on tight areas of a vehicle.
Getting information can be difficult, especially as a technician at an independent workshop. On many vehicle systems, unless we understand how it works we will struggle to effectively work on it. This is a major frustration for a lot of mechanics but is another burden that will be lifted over time with the introduction of new data sharing legislation.
In the interests of being transparent, those are a few very real problems that we face as mechanics today, but thankfully they are in the process of being solved. Challenges are often looked at as a hurdle but what they really spell out is opportunity if you are smart.
Let's now take a look at a couple of the reason we absolutely love being mechanics
There's nothing quite like having a customer come in with a broken vehicle and being able to diagnose, repair and give it back to them with nothing but your brain and tools. Getting to the bottom of a complex issue, especially if it has stumped other technicians is an absolute rush and in our eyes, the pure definition of job satisfaction.
An environment of an automotive workshop is like no other place on earth. The atmosphere, sounds and smell is just ‘home’ to some of us and it’s where we need to be. Working with other great technicians is also a fantastic experience and many friendships are often forged over the years.
Having a trade you can actually use in day to day life is also really handy, it often means you can save money on your own vehicle repairs and help family and friends out if you choose to.
The highest paid technicians of the future will specialise in diagnostics. We are already seeing a shift in workshop dynamics where there are 1-2 skilled diagnostic technicians coupled with 2-3 technicians that change parts and carry out services. Guess who is making the better money?
But you need to remember, good things take time. You need to be committed to your craft and work on actively developing your knowledge and skills.
Conclusion
Is it a good idea to become a mechanic in 2018?
If you plan on being average and coasting along, no.
Anyone with a bit of training can change oil or carry up software updates and the wage structure to carry out those tasks is structured accordingly.
If you are truly passionate about working on cars and put in the time and effort to learn and work hard, opportunities to work in some well-paid roles at fantastic workplaces will open up for you.
If you’ve made the decision that you want to start an apprenticeship in the automotive service and repair industry, create a profile on mechanic.com.au and see what roles are available.
If you’re a workshop owner/manager and are on the lookout for an apprentice or technician, create an account on mechanic.com.au, followed by registering your workshop to see which candidates are available in your area and post a Job Vacancy
