Similar to Ford, Mercedes-Benz has created two structured programs for students like you to become a Mercedes-Benz mechanic. The first is a direct partnership with Universal Technical Institute, the Mercedes-Benz DRIVE Program. On top of that, is a more general program that is available at a few different schools across the nation. This is called the Mercedes Tech Program. Attending a Mercedes-Benz Mechanic School will get you on your way to working on some of the best cars around, everyday.
Does the look, feel and sound of a Mercedes fire you up? If so, the DRIVE program could be the perfect way to get you into a job working at a Mercedes-Benz dealership. The Mercedes DRIVE Program is offered at five different locations across the United States including Universal Technical Institute as well as multiple Mercedes-Benz Training Centers. Since this program is paid for by Mercedes, it is competitive and the manufacturer is very selective with who they let in. The DRIVE Program is mean to accompany other general automotive training making it a short 16-week Mercedes training program.
List of all Mercedes-Benz DRIVE Program Schools:
On the other hand, the Mercedes Tech Program is a full automotive program that takes place over five semesters and is offered at four different schools in Alabama. At the participating Mercedes Mechanic Schools, students can get paid for their training as well as get their training paid for. The program pays $16 per hour with the opportunity to make even more throughout and if students maintain a certain GPA, Mercedes will pay up to 100% of the program costs. If that wasn’t enough, students who maintain a 3.0 GPA will earn a job offer at the completion of the program.
List of all Mercedes-Benz Mechanic Schools offering the Tech Program:
Mercedes-Benz vehicles are some of the most advanced on the road. Here’s what you’ll learn to fix them for a living:
Qualifications to enter the DRIVE program are all of the following:
After completing the Mercedes-Benz DRIVE Program, students will be able to work at Mercedes Dealers and after six months will earn Service Technician status. This will allow graduates to become a mechanic at many different Mercedes dealers and manufacturers across the nation.
According to the Universal Technical Institute, student requests to move to another session will be evaluated based on the reason for the request and class availability.
Graduates from the DRIVE program at UTI will earn either a diploma or an Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) degree. This depends on which campus you choose as well as your choices of additional certifications that you want to earn. Along with that, students can become a Services Technician at Mercedes after additional training at Mercedes.
Accreditation is important as it holds educational institutions accountable for their ability to teach through a system of comprehensive evaluations from an unbiased third-party. This evaluation is done through an established set of criteria which is used at each school that is evaluated. All UTI locations are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
Here’s what you can expect to learn in the Mercedes Tech program:
Qualifications to enter the Mercedes Tech Program will vary from school to school. Since Mercedes is partnering with multiple different schools, students must be accepted into the school, not just the program. Contact the specific school you would like to attend for a better idea of what sort of prior training you might need.
After graduating the Mercedes Tech Program, Mercedes-Benz will take some of the top students to work in dealerships while others will be given the option to work a Mercedes manufacturing plants. Students working at dealers will be able to become a Service Technician after just 6 months on the job.
Being one of the most well-known luxury car manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz has a multitude of job opportunities that students can take advantage of. Both the DRIVE and the Mercedes Tech Program provide direct routes to working for Mercedes. From there, hard work and a desire to learn can bring better jobs. From the start, these are some jobs at Mercedes recent grads typically jump into:
As a Mercedes mechanic, you can expect to make a little bit more than the national average ($19.57) as Indeed.com reports the average pay for a Mercedes mechanic is $20.43 per hour. Of course, this wage can always increase and has been seen to increase up to $33.00 per hour.