72 replies to this topic

[Noah]

So from day one I've always wanted to be a mechanic, and even up to know studying it I still really enjoy it but I'm constantly having nagging thoughts in the back of my mind that I'm investing precious time and effort into a trade that well let's be honest is dying out.

Its not a trade that will always be needed, and I don't want to be a grave digger. Though I suppose there is always a grave that needs digging. At the same time as really enjoying working on cars, i prefer doing work on engines out of cars. Is there a specific trade for engine building, but again this doesn't seem like a trade that will last that long.

I wan't to be able to go into a job, especially if I'm planning on doing it for the rest of my life and supporting a family from it, that isn't going to be teetering on the edge of death.

I know I'm only 16 and have a bloody long road ahead of me but doing things with my Dad and uncle have opened up my eyes to other career options available, I really enjoy what my dad does, PR and what my uncle does, advertising. Though two very similar things, they can be at times worlds apart.

Am I just being a stupid idiot, or is there some logic behind my thinking. I love cars, I really do, they have been my life ever since I was born and since primary school the only thing I've ever wanted to do was build cars, but maybe now in the cold light of day, I should finish my college courses and find a career that is more stable? I know people make career changes and plenty of people do, I've spoken with Jason about stuff like this, he was a mechanic and now, well I don't actually know what it is, he doesn't seem to do much ;)

I suppose I just need a bit of re-assurance. I've got to the point where an apprenticeship no longer appeals to me, I don't want three years training to work at a dealership or in a crummy MOT garages working on an Astra diesel. Plenty of people end up doing that for the whole lives.

Help?!

[rally515]

im 18 now & am a 3rd generation car buff but to be honest noah you need to stay away,does your back in with little money in return.
Become a beautician instead

[OllieTheWelder]

You need to find a niche in the market, specialize your skills into a niche area and you will be able to determine your own prices as you will have few competitors. I'm thinking about doing a specified engineering diploma such as toolmaking/machining.

[sonikk4]

Aviation. It will always be here in one form or another . You can play with very big engines, computers, sheet metal, composites and so on.

Oh and the pay is good as well.

[minilee94]

I feel the same way to be honest I have been a be commercial for the past year and half and yet I love working on cars /vans it don't bother me if car or van but yet things are telling me don't be stuck doing it but I don't want to drop out of my apprentership then not have a trade of it don't work out for me I would love to be an engineer like working for Swiftune etc but I really don't want to drop out just in case it goes tits up I enjoy doing what I do and at the end of it will be on very good money and the firm I work for are pretty good so I'm stuck in same situation as you Noah

[F1L8EY]

REME ?? brother is a trained mechanic in the British army working on big trucks and track vehicles... paid to learn his trade.

Im a Helicopter engineer in the Royal navy and its like fixing cars but they fly

[AVV IT]

At the end of the day you have to accept that just about every profession will evolve over the years and that as a result, job security may well change too. In fact thanks to the popularity of cremation in modern times, even grave digging is a bit of a "dieing art" these days. Ultimately, if you are in any profession for any length of time it will cease to become the job you joined at some point, at which point you either have to embrace the changes, or get out and find something else to do instead. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, in reality few people stay in the same field of work for their entire working life anymore. In the modern world it's far more common to retrain to do something completely different at least once.

The point with cars though, is that they can still be a passion and a hobby, as well as a profession. As just a hobby you get to do the bits you enjoy and not all the dull necessities that you need to endure in order to make a living out of it.....And whilst some people seem to think that being paid for your hobbies is the route to eternal happiness, I'd have to disagree. I love tinkering with cars in my spare time, but really don't think it would be much fun doing it for a living. Similarly I work in the emergency healthcare profession, but certainly wouldn't want to be one of the many people who give up their spare time to do that for free either!

Edited by AVV IT, 24 February 2013 - 08:32 PM.

[samsfern]

Im mot testing, moneys not bad, theres always people out there looking for a tester too, and testers will always be needed. Plus i dont fix things, just find the faults, so i stay relatively clean :)

[JustSteve]

I work in injection moulding as a tool setter. The job's not particularly interesting but the people can be. I think most jobs are like that, especially after a few years.

[Noah]

I wouldn't pass the army medical, though it did appeal to me. I'm colour blind, asthmatic and not particularly fit.

I believe very much that if you do something you love, you'll never have to work a day, which is why I don't think I could do working in a crummy garage thats bolted to the back of a petrol station if you see what I mean.

Neil, Planes don't interest me in anyway, I couldn't work on them any way. I'm scared of heights.

The reasons apprenticeships don't appeal to me is the lack of pay, the way people get treated and the fact that I'd have to repeat myself again. All I ever hear is off people getting treated like **** in apprenticeships. Craig is just one example, £2.95ph or whatever it is, is not physically enough to live on. I work as hard as the rest of them I really do. I don't see why because I'm learning and working I should earn less than what I'd be earning, by just working. Thats not an incentive. Especially with the rate of people getting to the end of apprenticeships and not getting jobs going up. It'd also mean I'd have to stop working elsewhere.

[Chance]

Im on an apprenticship and love it
It's in Maintenance Engineering, so basically a maintenance fitter at a factory but I will be both mechanical and electrical trained

I get paid enough at my age and am able to run my mini and do other things I want to

I love messing and fixing things, thats why I went for it

Good pay apprenticships are out there, apprenticships.org.uk have a massive range advertised

[JustSteve]

Noah, some apprenticeships are great. But only a small amount of them! There are some companies who genuinely want to treat you fairly and will help you get where you want to be in life aswell as paying you a fair wage



In an idea world I would work at something like a classic Aston/jag restorers.. Maybe one day

[1984mini25]

I was in pretty much the same position around 8 years ago, having just left college after doing a motor vehicle course. What I've personally found is garages are quite happy to take on 16 year olds or apprentices for cheap labour, but not when it comes to a full time job. Also the big problem I had and still do is without working in a garage (the years messing around with cars outside of work doesn't seam to count for much) is without years of experience, most won't even bother talking to you. But just how can you get experience doing something if no ones willing to take you on in the first place? Being messed around, used as cheap labour etc is fine when your younger, but I'm past even bothering with it now. It's not even if most garage work is complicated anymore, all you do is remove parts, throw them in the bin and replace with new ones.

Sorry maybe I'm just bitter from being lied to for a qualification witch in my eyes is worthlessness and being constantly set up to fail. Oh and good luck if you ever turn to the 'job' centre for help.

[cambiker71]

I run a busy MOT station and repair garage and can never find anyone qualified, all I've had recently applying for a trained technician vacancy are people who say "I've fixed and serviced my own car" but when pressed on a few technical questions appear to know nothing, get yourself trained and bear with it, we all went through the apprenticeship crap pay and if you're good and a hard worker then they'll want to take you on, garages are crying out for good qualified technicians right now.
It's not a dying trade, just remember somebody will have to fix all those shiny new cars sitting in the dealers forecourts eventually!
The pay is not bad for the right people and you'll save a huge amount of money not paying somebody else to fix your own car over time
Get good at fixing and diagnosing electronic problems, that's where the future is with modern vehicles!

[rids]

Im on an apprenticship and love it
It's in Maintenance Engineering, so basically a maintenance fitter at a factory but I will be both mechanical and electrical trained

I get paid enough at my age and am able to run my mini and do other things I want to

I love messing and fixing things, thats why I went for it

Good pay apprenticships are out there, apprenticships.org.uk have a massive range advertised

thats what i do 20 years plus now, worked on power stations high volume factories for motor trade (got sent to italy with that 1 to look at new grinding machines) hydraulic companies servicing companies world wide ( although I never traveled) and now maintenance engineer for two factories, 1 specialist welding, the other a fabrication shop (same company owns both) not a glamorous occupation but never been out of work. pays well and work is quite varied