feelings about trade schools?

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73goldduster

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i've been really thinking lately about changing jobs. (careers?) i've been working in a grocery store for more than 11 years, and don't get me wrong, it pays the bills, i get health insurance, retirement funds, etc. however this job is just mind numbingly boring.
since i'm a gearhead i tried to get in at some local shops, but nobody wants to hire somebody with zero shop experience. yea, i've been maintaining and modifying my own and others cars, but that doesn't seem to make any difference to shops.
so i'm thinking about enrolling in wyotech or another school where i can get some shop experience and hopefully some certifications. has anybody had any experiences with these schools? i've heard mixed reviews from the few people i've already talked to.
seems there are lots of hardened pro's and amazing amateurs around here, so how do you all feel? anyone attended? known anyone who has? i need to make a change in my life, and this seems like the way to go...
 
How old are you and are you married and have children??

I'm 55, attended 2 trade schoold for automotive and diesel. EVERY day my body gets a little more worn out from the beating/banging/hammering/ being a contorsionest, then there are the chemicals/oils I'm always around not to mention the fumes that do eventually damage the brain cells. Don't get me wrong, most days I like my job as a heavy equipment/heavy truck mechanic but it will kill you in the end. Not to mention it sometimes gets hard to get in the mood to go out and work in the garage after you have been doing it 40 plus hours a week already! I used to when I was younger but it seems to get harder all the time.

USE YOUR HEAD, not your back this day and age to make a living!!!!

my .02
 
I'm 59, started out as a chevy line mechanic; wife bitching about I could never get the smell off me. Hard work, on your body. Then went into construction, Harder. Then in 1983, got a superintendent position' no more heavy work. I can really feel the years of body abuse now. It is not good.
 
nothingbutdarts said:
How old are you and are you married and have children??

I'm 55, attended 2 trade schoold for automotive and diesel. EVERY day my body gets a little more worn out from the beating/banging/hammering/ being a contorsionest, then there are the chemicals/oils I'm always around not to mention the fumes that do eventually damage the brain cells. Don't get me wrong, most days I like my job as a heavy equipment/heavy truck mechanic but it will kill you in the end. Not to mention it sometimes gets hard to get in the mood to go out and work in the garage after you have been doing it 40 plus hours a week already! I used to when I was younger but it seems to get harder all the time.

USE YOUR HEAD, not your back this day and age to make a living!!!!

my .02
Click to expand...

X2 I'm certain if I'd have went with a different career option I would have added a few extra years of old age.
 
I went to two trade schools, on for auto mechanics, and one for aviation mechanics.

I think i really got more out of the aviation school, due to getting two "career" jobs, if a didnt get laid off, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. I went to the Auto Voc tech at the wrong time, 1985, when the industry was in transition from old tech to new tech.

They were still teaching carbs and early fuel injection, sure it let me learn stuff a really already knew, and would help me get a job at a gas station, when gas stations still worked on cars, but it didnt help with getting a job at a dealer as they would retrain you on the new stuff them selves.

But tech school now would probably be a good choice.
 
nothingbutdarts said:
How old are you and are you married and have children??

I'm 55, attended 2 trade schoold for automotive and diesel. EVERY day my body gets a little more worn out from the beating/banging/hammering/ being a contorsionest, then there are the chemicals/oils I'm always around not to mention the fumes that do eventually damage the brain cells. Don't get me wrong, most days I like my job as a heavy equipment/heavy truck mechanic but it will kill you in the end. Not to mention it sometimes gets hard to get in the mood to go out and work in the garage after you have been doing it 40 plus hours a week already! I used to when I was younger but it seems to get harder all the time.

USE YOUR HEAD, not your back this day and age to make a living!!!!

my .02
Click to expand...

MoparLvr said:
X2 I'm certain if I'd have went with a different career option I would have added a few extra years of old age.
Click to expand...

Repetitive motion syndrome? Check.

20+ years working on concrete floors as a body man and now a line tech. Bad knees? Check.

Chemicals throughout the body? Check. You name I've breathed it in, took a bath in it at one time or another, or just plain had to put my hands in it.

Gotta agree with Kim and MoparLvr. How many years have a healthy body have I lost?

Trust me, the more I think about it, the more I'd like to do something different.
 
ramenth said:
Repetitive motion syndrome? Check.

20+ years working on concrete floors as a body man and now a line tech. Bad knees? Check.

Chemicals throughout the body? Check. You name I've breathed it in, took a bath in it at one time or another, or just plain had to put my hands in it.

Gotta agree with Kim and MoparLvr. How many years have a healthy body have I lost?

Trust me, the more I think about it, the more I'd like to do something different.
Click to expand...

after 15 years working on cars for a living i'm thinking the same thing
 
Whatever you do have a passion for it learn all you can attend any training even if you already know the subject you will learn or relearn somthing. Strive to be a profesional in whatever carreer you chose otherwise it's just a JOB

Brian
 
I'd take the ASE certification exams. There inexpensive, no pre-requirements, and will give you a good indication of the depth of your automotive knowledge. Passing two gets you certified. Regarding trade schools, I say go for it. Any additional education beyond high school diploma is worth the investment. I do agree that being a mechanic is not an easy career for the physical reasons previously stated. but if you have a passion for for it, it makes all the difference.
 
I had a friend that went to wyotech he liked it. I went to universal technical institute I dont think it was worth it i already knew alot that they taught but they did teach me how to diagnose electrical problems and running problems quickly. Ive learned alot more out in the field from older techs. I wouldnt go into the trade if your an older person cause your gonna be hurtin i broke my theamer a year ago and it hurts just about everyday from work constantly being on your feet and knees.Plus the chemicals are probably gonna give me some type of cancer when I get older. Im only 20 and have been in the field for 4 years and im already starting to think about another carear.
 
Just a question, I don't fully understand how you become a mechanic in the States, in Canada to be a licenced mechanic requires you to find an apprenticeship and 8 weeks of school every 4 years during your apprenticeship with written and practical tests etc. As well as a provincial exam. At the end there is a Red Seal exam if you choose to take it that will let you use your ticket in another province. No red ticket and you move from one province to another you are not qualified to work as a mechanic as there are different safty standards etc.

I have my Automotive Mechanic's ticket for 6 years and my back manages to get pissed off at me already, My dad was an automotive then Heavy Duty mechanic -dual tickets- for 30 years and his knees are bad, his shoulder, wrist etc. Body is worn out from concrete.
 
I'm gearing up for a HVAC course localy. I was a pro mechanic for my company, a rail road, and have to agree that after a 40 hor week and sometimes a shift or two in addition, looking at my car was the last thing I wanted to see and do.

If theres an easier way to make money, go for it. The auto course would be good to take for your own knowledge, but as a career move, well, not for me personally. I did it as a second job for a few years out of my own home. The word of mouth got around about my work and reasonable prices very well. I was alllways busy. Hardly a day off. But it did take a toll burning the mechanic candle on both ends. The Cuda allways suffered.
 
I'm not going to tell you not to pursue a career change. However, If you do decide to go to a tech school, I have a suggestion. Contact the School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) in Houston, TX. This school one of a kind. There curriculum is strictly high performance engine, head, and machine work. They have participated for the last few years in the Engine Masters Challenge, and have placed very well each time. They also campaign several drag cars in the NMCA and NMRA series and have always done extemely well. The cool thing is that ALL of the work is done by the students with proper oversight from the staff of course. The owners of the school are Jud and Linda Massingill and they are two of the genuinely nicest people you will ever meet. The knowledge that Jud has and his willingness to pass it along to his students is truely amazing. SAM seems to fly slightly below the radar, especially when it comes to some of the larger tech schools, but don't be fooled. This operation is top notch. The companies that their graduates have gone to work for read like a who's who of the automotive racing and performance industry. NHRA and NASCAR teams, companies like Brodix,Wiseco,Comp Cams, etc. Please do yourself a favor if you decide to go this route and check them out.
 
Gotta love it to do it every day. Not just like it.... I got lucky enough getting into this shop right out of high school, but I got my foot in the door early and showed the boss that I could work hard enough. Sand blasted a grill in the blast cabinet for 7 hours today... sad part is that I was entertained by it...

I really do need to think about wearing dust masks and things now though before I do damage... I may look dumb but I might be able to breath later.
 
working on cars is all i know took auto in high school but they did not teach us how to make money at it. so years later i found my itch , but got stuiped and left for what i thought was a good move. did not work so i,m back looking for the right job. i say get a degree in somthing other than cars. school teachers make a good living now.
 
i hear you guys about getting beat up at work. some days after playing with the duster, hands and arms get cramped up from all the crazy 'gettin in there'. i really do hate to think about what kind of damage i'm doing to my body with all the chemicals. how many times have you guys washed your hands with gasoline? not good. my uncle has some nerve degeneration that may or may not be caused be years in the auto industry.

all i know is that people say to do what you love. ever been asked; what would you do if you won 1 million dollars in the lottery? whatever you say, thats what kind of job you should get. if i had a mil, i'd build up a bitchin car and go racing. burn up that cash real quick. :-D
maybe i'll just keep looking around shops to get my foot in the door.
thanks for all the input! gave me something to chew on...
 
I've been around cars since i was 8 working on them since i was 12 went in the air force at 19 worked on fighters for 10 years got out, got my A&P License worked on commercial airliners for 7 years got laid off, started as a service tech for a boat trailer manufacturer building trailers and rebuilding trailers. During these years i've built around 8 cars at night, weekends, days off. I'm 51 years old i love cars more than life it self but all those years of pounding this body have taken it's toll i'm starting number 9 soon and i hope my body can survive thru this build. Follow your dreams my father said do a job that you love and a pay check is just extra for doing what you love. My sons have a friend that went to UTI he's been out since last year has not gotten one call back from any dealers he applied at he works at a bingo hall to make ends meet. It's a good career you could make good money good luck.
 
Like the guys said earlier, use your head not your back... I've done mineing, construction most of my life.. Came real close to getting killed to many times to keep up with, I'm 43 and feel like 60 every morning I get up... Injurys didn't bother me when I was younger, now I feel them daily...
 
I dont have advise for someone our age considering a career change.
Here is the wisdom I share with the high school grads...
Knowing a little bit about everything will not keep you healthy, or make you wealthy.
Now is the time to be wise. Learn a whole lot about one thing ! Butcher, baker, candlestick maker, the choise is yours.
Be "the man" who can afford to call "the man".
 
nothingbutdarts said:
USE YOUR HEAD, not your back this day and age to make a living!!!!
Click to expand...

Using your head to make a living usually comes with a lot of responsibility and pressure that raises the risk of heart attacks, ulcers, and/or nervious breakdowns to a much higher level than would be seen by those doing physical work. There are very few jobs that do not come with some sort of risk to your health. IMHO, the worest job for your health is one that you hate doing physical or mental makes no difference.

Please do not under estimate the health risks of job pressures especially when you have the responsibility of ensuring something gets done and you rely on others to do it. In my 30+ year career as an engineer I have watched co-workers on average once or twice a year get wheeled out of the office on a stretcher, most came back some didn't.

Also, education, any education, is never a bad thing and will always provide you with more options than if you didn't have it.
 
In the information age computers are the next car! So I would suggest computer networking and communication electronics as a carear path. The more complicated things become the more the need for someone to repair it. Also cars are more and more driven by computers these days and as such you could kill two birds with one stone. Your love of cars and a job thats clean and fun. Have you ever seen the electrical shop at your local dealer, They are a whole lot cleaner and some even have AC.

John B.
 
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