Questions For Mechanics

[ELtim]

I want to be a mechanic. It's what I want to do with my life. I have a few questions though.

1. How much is the average pay? (It's not big deal for me but I want to be able to still have nice things).

2. What's the study like, and the the usual minimal study requirements?

3. How would I go about getting a apprenticeship?

4. Can anybody in SA help me upon my quest?

Thanks heaps, Tim.

[Windsor220]

1. Well im from WA so I dont know how relevant this one will be to you. Average wage is anywhere from $20 - $30 an hour($40k - $60k a year) depending on your experience, skill level and who you work for. Im 23 and Im getting $25 an hour as a rough guide.

2. Dont know what your actually asking here. Study is done at TAFE or similar once a week.

3. Best way is to go to places your interested and ask the manager if he's looking for someone. Even do some work experience for them if you have to and make a good impression. If that doesnt work then you can join an apprenticeship place that will find you someone.

[EvilChief]

1: $20 to $60 an hour depending on experience, skill level and of course location (remote areas pay well)

2: all done through tafe or now through australian technical college as well. its a competency based course over 3 years full time, in which you do theory and practical assemessments. our assessment pass rate is 100%, to date noone has failes (if thyey did they got helped along ok)

3: i got it through directly my current employer, but employment and apprentice ship agencies can help u there (ie queensland apprenticeship service - QAS, Torgas, etc)

4: Not a clue

be advised apprenticehip wages arent the greatest, unless you bring a huge skillset with you to your new work. i brought good experience in auto electrical, engine management, aftermarket ecus, tuning and operation of a dyno with me to my employer, which gave me a good introcution wage into my apprenticeship. a lot of overtime helps me a long nicely too - 50h to 60h weeks are not unusual for me.

[ratter]

I'm not sure what the award is at the momment, but possibly somewhere around $600 week before tax once qualified

[FlipXW]

Originally Posted by ELtim

I want to be a mechanic. It's what I want to do with my life. I have a few questions though.

1. How much is the average pay? (It's not big deal for me but I want to be able to still have nice things).

2. What's the study like, and the the usual minimal study requirements?

3. How would I go about getting a apprenticeship?

4. Can anybody in SA help me upon my quest?

Thanks heaps, Tim.

1. Average type of tradie wages. Probably around $300 first year up to about $5-600 fourth year. Then $6-700 as a tradie.

2. Study will be easy, 1 day a week at TAFE (or block form a week every month or so). It would be near impossibe to fail unless you get kicked out or dont attend.

3. There would probably be certain agencies that could help you, or just apply at different places.

My best piece of advice for you if you wish to continue down this path is do your time and as soon as possible get out and work for your self, e.g. buy a workshop or start up a mobile van. My old man done this 4 years ago at 46, not a day goes by where he doesn't wish he had done it sooner.
The Pros
- $75 an hour (can change).
- Time off whenever u need it (within reason).
- Don't have to answer to anyone.
- Actually enjoyable getting to know your customers.
The Cons
- The usual worries of owning your own buisness.
- The paper work involved.

That about it really. Good luck mate.
P.S. Please keep in mind this is all NSW, S.A may be abit different. Those wages are estiment of what i have seen also.

[ELtim]

Originally Posted by EvilChief

1: $20 to $60 an hour depending on experience, skill level and of course location (remote areas pay well)

2: all done through tafe or now through australian technical college as well. its a competency based course over 3 years full time, in which you do theory and practical assemessments. our assessment pass rate is 100%, to date noone has failes (if thyey did they got helped along ok)

3: i got it through directly my current employer, but employment and apprentice ship agencies can help u there (ie queensland apprenticeship service - QAS, Torgas, etc)

4: Not a clue

be advised apprenticehip wages arent the greatest, unless you bring a huge skillset with you to your new work. i brought good experience in auto electrical, engine management, aftermarket ecus, tuning and operation of a dyno with me to my employer, which gave me a good introcution wage into my apprenticeship. a lot of overtime helps me a long nicely too - 50h to 60h weeks are not unusual for me.

I know how to change a light bulb.. I'm no genius. But I want to learn. The crappy salary through the apprenticeship doesn't really bother me all that much.

[The Yeti]

my only sugestion is as far as Money goes stay away form cars, car mechanics are every where and as such only the absolute cream get good money,

I started out on cars and loved it then moved to fork lifts / intermodal and the money I'm no longer on the tools but am still in that industry and I dont regret bcoming a mechanic for a second even though Ive since done my mba & currently studying for my CPA I still refer to my self as a mechanic. Beleve it or not the trade is very versatile as long as you are, it can take you anywear you want to go.

[Russ]

Hey Tim,

My only advice to you is that if this is what you want to do GO FOR IT !!! Don't wait, the sooner you get yourself started the better. If you have any decent (respected) local mechanics in your area why not see if they would be prepared to give you an apprenticeship. There is plenty of federal government incentives available to prospective employers nowadays just make sure that if there is something you are unsure about with the working contract ask first before signing the dotted line. Best of luck!!! _2:

[stitty]

If you are not scared to have a go, you will be fine... everybody started at one time or another. If you took one day out of your life and went door to door (workshop to workshop) you should at least get a look in.
Once you are qualified, jobs can be had over the phone.
Oh, and never pay retail for car parts again! :

[TEaaron]

Originally Posted by ELtim

4. Can anybody in SA help me upon my quest?

You gotta collect 15 moon crystals and deliver them to raider bork in Oggrima, you will get epics.

[itsabitsa]

my only piece of advice would be to stay away from dealerships, you will learn alot more from a local mechanic, at a dealership you will spend most of your 1st and 2nd years cleaning up after everyone else and will hardly touch any cars except to move them, the pay would also be better than at a dealership and the hours wouldnt be as bad. :

[LOWBA6]

My girlfriends mum and dad have their own workshop and she was telling me the other day the average take home weekly pay for a first year apprentice is about 250 - 300 a week. It gets a little better as time goes on but thats the reality of it.

[TEaaron]

Originally Posted by fairmont599

My girlfriends mum and dad have their own workshop and she was telling me the other day the average take home weekly pay for a first year apprentice is about 250 - 300 a week. It gets a little better as time goes on but thats the reality of it.

That's a good take home for a 1st year, 250-300 is about 2nd year wadges.

[ELtim]

Thanks heaps for the tips guys. My dad has a friend who owns a crash repairers so I'll ask him if he has anything.

[boss-290]

I'm $6.80/h first year

I havn't started study yet.

[nb_351]

i was on about 210-220 first, then 300-320, then 400, then 470, with a few hours overtime... at a dealership though...
now ive moved to a tyrestore where i do all the mechanical work, and im on about 19 an hour, so i expect that to go up once ive been here a while, only about 3 months qualified...
i love it, even going to tafe was great, like stated before, dont go to dealership... youll clean for the first year, then do accessory fitting, then oil changes...
thats about it really...

[waggaclint]

ive been doing it for 18yrs now..i reckon its a good job hey i found tafe pretty easy but that was along time ago as far as i no its easier now....as long as your keen and willing to learn youl do fine....some times its a bugger of job depending on what ya doing and how good at it you are but mostly its pretty good....as for pay it varies alot depending on experiance ie;the better and longer youve been in the game the more money youl get i make around the 100k mark but a do alot of hrs to make that...so if ya keen to earn good money ya can...these days its starting to get hard with the modern vehicles so ya need to keep us with the new technology....as for were to find a job i reckon ya better of going for a smaller place as youl learn alot more...dealers dont teach ya much hey... ya mainly be doing services and cleaning for the 1st 3yrs...i did my apprenticeship at a dealer and have worked in alot of dealerships as well... they can be handy for finding out little tricks etc about certain problems... but i find im still learning stuff every day and the if ya move around different places ya learn heaps as well....

[XBeast]

God,i should of got into mechanics lol,rather then earn`g like under half that
I`d try the local fire brigades ;)
Don`t forget the pre apprentice courses
stewy..

[[dave]]

dont waste ur time with the pre apprentice courses

get stright into a job

trust me this is comin from a apprentice

[nb_351]

thats what i did, even though i did my year 12, still dont regret it, i think i ouwld regret it if i didnt finish it...
had a 3 month break between work and leaving school, havent looked back since...