Automotive Service Technician / Mechanic Salary

Automotive service technicians are more commonly known as "car mechanics" Automotive service technicians diagnose, repair and perform maintenance on automobiles. When performing diagnostics, automotive service technicians use electronic testing equipment to identify problems. In addition to special diagnostic equipment, the automotive service technician works with a wide range of tools which are used for repairs of diagnosed problems. The automotive service technician performs a mix of physical and mental tasks during a typical day. Mental labor includes diagnosing problems and dealing with customers, while the physical labor comes from physical repairs to automobiles. Work settings for automotive service technicians are typically noisy, well-ventilated garages with good lighting. Automotive service technicians can often be found in uncomfortable physical positions and covered with grease when working on automobiles. Most automotive service technicians work in service repair garages. Clientele for auto mechanics runs the gamut, and includes anybody who needs to have their car serviced. Co-workers are typically other mechanics and supervisors. Although no formal college degree is required to become and automotive technician, it is becoming ever more important to actually receive formal training. This is because of the increasing use of complex computer programs, which aid in the diagnosis of vehicle service problems. Typical training programs in post-secondary institutions last two years and prepare the student for a career as an auto tech. After gaining employment, industry certification is required. Half of the automotive service technicians in the field work a typical 40 hours per week, while over 30 percent of employees work greater than 40 hours per week. The skills and knowledge which an automotive tech possesses afford the opportunity to work privately as well.

Automotive Service Technician / Mechanic Tasks