Three Career Plans

Three Career Plans

Three career plans that I would choose would be, an Automotive Technician, a Diesel Mechanic, or an Auto Body Technician. I would choose these careers because I am a more hands-on learner. I like to take stuff apart, and work on cars.

Automotive Technician

Job Description- In this career a person would work on cars. Although it’s not just working on cars, a technician goes in and finds the problem, then fixes it. It’s basically all diagnostics. A customer comes in and tells you some things that are going wrong with the car, then you run some tests and try to figure out what’s wrong.

Education Requirements- Education Requirements depend on what kind of Technician you want to be. You don’t need education to change oil and brakes, and detail cars. Whereas if you want to use diagnostic equipment and run tests, then you need a two year degree from a tech school.

Specialized or Extended Training- Internships and Apprenticeships help you get a job, and possibly make more money, but you don’t exactly need any to get a job and make good money.

Salary and Benefits- Your salary and benefits really kind of rely on where you are employed and what that employer offers for benefits. General salaries for an Automotive Technician are anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 dollars per year. Obvious benefits would include, being able to work on your own car, possibly being able to use the tools at the shop to do work on your car, and possibly having the opportunity to keep your car in the shop in the winter to keep it warm during work.

Projected Availability of the Job- The job outlook for this career is very good. In the next 4 years 100,000 new jobs will be created, and need to be filled. In addition to those 100,000 openings there will be 300,000 jobs that need to be filled from employees either leaving the field or being fired.

Diesel Mechanic

Job Description- I this career a person would work on diesel engines. Now there is a wide range of diesel engines. They include diesel consumer trucks, like pickups. Or transport trucks like semi-trucks, or FedEx trucks, basically just big trucks like that. Although this career could also include working on off-road diesel engines. Such as, skid loaders, off-road dump trucks, construction equipment. You could also work on marine engines, like cruise ships, deep sea fishing boats, commercial transport ships, etc.

Education Requirements- With this career you need to have schooling, because diesel engines are more complicated than gasoline engines. For example, the diesel engine fires on compression, whereas the gas engine fires on combustion. Usual degrees in this field are a two year degree from a tech school.

Specialized or Extended Training- This section is the same as the last career, Internships and Apprenticeships help, but you don’t need them.

Salary and Benefits- At this time, a fair mechanic will make anywhere from 40,000 to 50,000 dollars per year, for an independent shop. If you go to a dealership and get a job, you are going to get paid more. Along with the higher salary, a career at a dealership will also bring better benefits.