96turboracer

Man you need to wake up and smell the coffee. I've worked in dealerships for the last 4-5 years, not as a tech, and the one thing I see as a constant is all these kids coming in thinking they're going to be some badass tech because a piece of paper says they should be.
Let me tell you something up front. Dealerships don't give a crap what "formal" training you've had, unless you were sent to their specific training schools, which you would only get through being a dealer employed tech. It's kind of like a catch 22 situation.

Besides, I see so many guys walk into a dealership thinking that because they've got some electrical training that they can be a driveability tech. What a frikin joke! manuals are a hell of a lot different than real life, and proper diagnosis is not as simple as reading the codes off of the DRB.

I'm just trying to ready you for the fact that just because you went to a name brand school, don't expect to get hired based off of that. Your best chance is to hope they have room for an apprentice and they'll let you piggyback with an experienced tech for awhile. Not to mention dealerships normally don't like young techs with no family because they don't have tons of debt and responsibility keeping them in one place.

Good luck though, just do your research months before you start trying to get a job, and try to build some contacts. DO NOT JUST WALK IN THINKING YOU'RE GOING TO BE A TECH GOD, AND THEY'D BE CRAZY TO PASS YOU UP! that's a good way to stay unemployed for a long time.

RustedFade

Nice post. I think alot of problems are the kids who go to these schools and dick off the entire time, I see alot of this where I go and its just them wasting money, they get a certificate and dont learn dick, then when they cant keep a job as a tech for more than a month they cant figure it out, its all about experience.

jdmvaaj

Only have like 5 more classes til I get my Bachelors in Accounting.. Currently working as an accounting clerk for International Truck & Engine Corp.

wlfhitman

currently working on my Computer Network system degree in 2nd quarter right now haha just started

Perfek360

only if your into fat dead guys.....lolz.

HondaTuner

I watched some video of him playing... what a hitter... he sure did suck at running though.

96turboracer

That was the whole point, he didn't have to run or take care of his body when every time he connected it went over the fence.

Tatakai

yea.. i feel kinda judged. lol

im not going to UTI thinking i'll come out a tech god. i go in and get out with my ASE in a year, and of course the UTI and FORD FACT (which is a dealer specific training) will just be added to the resume and look pretty. I was told about the whole working at any Ford dealership thing by a guy currently going to UTI in arizona. i'm pretty serious about working on cars, I was one of those guys in high school who didn't know wtf he was doing until he took autoshop and fell in love. i've actually taken the big *** like 3000 page study book home to study ----- good luck getting me to do that for any other class. well, maybe a natural/nude art class

96turboracer

Hey no prob, not trying to kill your dreams or anything, just want you to be aware of the reality of real life. It's a lot different than what you experience in high school.

To be honest, there are several classes that you can take which I've seen a few guys do, (and is a hell of a lot cheaper than UTI) basically they have you go to school for 6 months, then work at a dealer basically being an apprentice to a long term tech for 6 months, then back to school again. It's a pretty good setup and you learn a lot more than just general information. Plus you get valueable experience on the job. Pretty much the only thing you really have to hope for is that the tech you get stuck with will actually want to teach you something instead of just be pissed you got stuck with him.
If you're serious about becoming a tech I'd strongly recommend going to a local dealer and ask them about any programs like that. This was at a Ford dealership, I'm not sure quite what the program is called, but the dealership loves it because they basically get an extra body for all the grunt work, and it doesn't cost them a dime. So they're down with it, plus they get to see you in an actual work environment, so if you impress them during your 6-months there, when you get out of the school they may hire you straight away.

Just something to think about.

Geno

Yea, the best time is labor day weekend, its when all the locals go out to crab island and get wasted. Which is exactly where I'll be