Auto Technician Schools
In this section we are going to cover auto technician schools (auto tech schools) and why they are important. We will also look at choosing the right school, costs and financing.
Going to auto technician schools is all most a necessity these days if you want to be competitive in landing a job in the automotive field. Most of these schools will provide you with structured education and training. We say most because not all schools carry the same weight in each industry, schools such as Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Lincoln Tech and WyoTech are proven educational centers for entry into the auto repair profession.
Employers want a basic auto repair education before they talk to you, these auto tech schools will provide you with that education.
School Flexibility
Did you know that you could go to these schools full or part time?
Everyone has different situations, students who choose part time generally choose this option because they work full time or costs. Going part time costs less and even though it takes more time to complete the course, it becomes more affordable for students.
Basic Auto Technician Classes
Taking these basic classes will prepare you for an entry-level job in auto repair. Developing work habits, organization and communication skills is part of becoming a good auto technician.
Here are some of the technician classes included in the basic course:
- Electrical and electronic system diagnosis and repair
- Occupational safety
- Heating and air conditioning system diagnosis, service, and repair
- Brake system diagnosis and repair
- Suspension and steering system diagnosis, service, and repair
- Engine diagnosis and repair
- Automatic and manual transmission diagnosis, service, and repair
- Vehicle Safety Inspection test preparation
- MACS EPA Refrigerant Certification
By taking these classes you will develop critical thinking, this is a great help when you run up against complex mechanical and electrical problems.
Now, lets look at the auto technician schools themselves.
Types of Auto Technician Schools
You basically have two types of schools and two styles to choose from.
The two types are: College or Technical (Trade) Schools.
The two styles are: Online or Offline (Hands On).
When it comes to colleges, community colleges are the ones that usually offer auto technician courses. Now, when you start looking for a technical school because auto technicians are in such high demand, you will find most of these schools will offer the basic auto repair courses required for an entry level position.
The other choice you have is the style of education. Some people like to do the classes at home, online, and others prefer the hands on classes and interaction that a classroom offers. There are situations where you don’t have a choice, there are no offline classes available in your area, in this case your only choice is to take the online course.
Choosing The Right Auto Technician School
This is where you have your homework cut out for you.
If a school on or off line has college attached to its name, then it’s simple, make sure they are accredited. This means their courses are up to a certain educational standard and if you need to change colleges your work to date is transferable.
Technical (trade) schools are a little trickier. Here is a quote from the federal education assistance site:
Licensure
Most states have laws requiring that career colleges and technical schools be licensed or certified to offer instructional courses and programs. If a school has a license or certificate to operate, it means it has gone through a process to make sure that it meets certain standards. Some states do not require certain schools to be licensed or certified to operate legally in the state.Contact the state licensing agency where the school is located to find out if it is operating legally in the state, using the Directory of Higher Education Officials.
This reference can be a great help in verifying a schools authenticity. The final thing you can do, and probably makes the most sense, is check with your local auto repair shop. They know which schools are good and which ones they would hire from first.
Costs and Financing
The costs of auto technician schools vary greatly. The factors include: Contents of the course, online or offline, placement services, and of course school reputation.
We have found a basic online course for $1000.00 and a few hands on courses that exceed $30,000.00, but the average is about $3500.00.
Most schools have a career guidance counselor along with a financial aid department to help you in this area. If you want to use the power of the internet, then check out Simpletuition (on the sidebar) they have access to a variety of student loan options.
Final Note
If you are considering a career in auto mechanics you’re in luck, with the variety of choices in auto technician schools and the increased financing options, you can get the required training in as little as 9 months.
The automotive field offers stability and good pay, this is what’s attracting more people to take a second look at becoming an auto technician.
It's an exciting thought to have a career where the potential for more pay and job stability exists. This is what a career in Auto Mechanics can do for you. It can be much, much more than just repairing cars, this is up to you.
Auto mechanics school is your first step, why not find out more - when you like what you do you look forward to the doing it, this is a good place to be.
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Tags: auto tech schools, auto technician classes, auto technician schools