Even though many use them interchangeably, auto mechanics and technicians are not the same. Here are their differences: automotive technician vs. mechanic.
There are many career opportunities available in the automotive industry. The fact that the usage of all sorts of vehicles has been on the increase means that automotive career opportunities in the industry have grown exponentially. As such, people who get trained to work in this industry are assured of jobs as long as they have the right qualification. If you love cars and are interested in working in the automotive industry, you need to be trained adequately for the many career opportunities available. You can even start the training through a certificate course, a diploma course and even a degree course for you to be more competitive.
Let’s consider some of the automotive careers one can engage in after suitable training. The auto industry careers below should help you make the right decision. A career in the auto industry can vary from working at a vehicle manufacturing factory to auto sales or customer service. Check out the auto careers for those who love cars.
An automotive technician is an experienced and trained personnel who deals in balancing vehicle wheels, maintenance of vehicles, changing oil, changing brake pads checking engine performance and so on. If you want to become an auto technician, you will need training to undertake general vehicle repairs. The average basic salary for an automotive service technician is $19.62 per hour and overtime pay of $5,250 per year.
Automotive engineers are professionals in the automotive industry that are concerned with developing trucks, passenger vehicles, buses, off-road vehicles and motorcycles among other engineering works in the industry. They do specific jobs such as designing new products or even modification of the existing products and technology. Engineers can solve any auto technology problem and troubleshoot problems in vehicles. The pay for these professionals ranges from $26.16 to $63.15 per hour based on experience and qualification.
The role of tire technicians is to install tires on vehicles such as cars, trucks, heavy vehicles and also do repairs on such tires when the need arises. Those who train as tire technicians will work in tire stores, vehicle repair shops and even in car dealerships. When needed, they can also perform roadside assistance to motorists in distress. Their average pay is $13.31 per hour and overtime of $4, 500 per year.
The role of the diesel mechanic is to inspect, repair and maintain vehicles that are powered by diesel engines. The diesel mechanic will diagnose the vehicles to ascertain the problem with the diesel engine before they can repair them. They also inspect other parts of the vehicle such as the batteries, wheels, and systems. This is quite a physically demanding role and one may need to be physically fit all the time. The median pay for diesel mechanics in 2018 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics was $47,350 per year or $22.76 per hour.
An automobile designer is a professional tasked with the role of designing and developing the appearance of motor vehicles, motorcycles, buses, coaches, trucks, vans and so on. The automotive designers do not need to have a degree in automobile engineering but one in Design will suffice and a background in Arts or a degree in disciplines such as Transportation, Design or Industrial Design is also good. The annual median wage of automobile designers in the US is $65,970.
Auto body and paint specialists are trained professionals who prepare vehicles for paintwork, either as repairs or when a client needs to change the color of their vehicle. These people need to be formally trained and should know how to handle paint equipment and the technology used in the process. They may also make some cosmetic repairs to the vehicles and paint them, especially after collisions. The average salary for these professionals is $17.94.
This is another common career in the List of jobs in the automotive industry. A car detailer will clean vehicles according to the specifications of the client or company. This may include, buffing, steaming, waxing the interiors, deodorizing and so on. The mean salary of car detailers in the United States, according to Indeed Job Search Engine is $12.04 per hour.
A vehicle inspector carries out many roles and duties such as vehicle inspection, testing components for damages and wears, preparing reports on each vehicle they inspect, keeping records of vehicles delivered, checking illegal equipment installed in vehicles and many others roles. In the United States, a vehicle inspector will earn a median salary of $38,064.
The job of an automotive instructor or a Vocational Educational teacher entails teaching occupational or vocational subjects such as the operation of industrial machinery and equipment as well as Transportation knowledge. If this is the career path you desire, one of the requirements may be a trade school diploma, so keep that in mind. They normally instruct students who have graduated from or left high school. The median pay for an automotive instructor is $70,000 annually.
The roles of a tow truck driver are to communicate with the dispatcher and driving to the scene of a breakdown or an accident. They then connect the vehicle involved in the accident to the tow truck and transport such vehicles to the junkyard or to the service station. The salary of a tow truck driver is on average $15.08 per hour.
These agents work in the provision of support to the people who want to rent cars and other kinds of vehicles for a short period of time. They can handle all the paperwork, take calls, greet customers, check conditions of rental vehicles and solve any complaints from clients. The average salary of a car rental agent in the United States is $12.64 per hour.
This is a professional who is tasked with selling vehicles to people visiting a car dealership. They are trained to use their persuasive skills to sell vehicles in automobile dealerships and may specialize in specific brands or all the cars on sale at the dealership. There may be many requirements to get into this role but the biggest is your ability to provide good customer service. Their average pay is $35,000 to $50,000 per year.
The lead manager is the overall manager in charge of all internet marketing roles in the car dealership or car outlet. They are supposed to deal with all issues related to the marketing of the company through the company website, social media pages, and such related marketing roles. The average salary for a lead manager in charge of internet marketing is $75,000 to $100,000 a year.
From the above automotive jobs list, it is quite clear and true that this is a broad sector where one can train and gain meaningful employment after they have fully trained and received their school diploma from their automotive career program. One can start their training right after high school and scale up the ladder and become a top executive in the sector. The fact that the United States is a car-driven society means that the prospects of growth in this sector are boundless. As long as one has the relevant training, certification, and licenses, there are many opportunities out there. In the end, it is all up to your passions and desires. Opportunity is out there for auto enthusiasts to make a good career in the automotive industry.
If you need help with any step of becoming a mechanic, let us know. We can help you find the perfect mechanic school for you, assist you in earning scholarships and grants for your training, or we can even have schools reach out to you if you would rather sit back and let them do the work.
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