Thinking about training towards Becoming an ASE certified Technician. Doing the homeschool thing I dont really have the chance right now to go work in a shop and get them to pay for training. Has anyone here done the online thing? I would be getting the hands on exp through my own vehicles and friends vehicles while doing online courses. I grew up in auto shops as Two of my uncles have owned their own longer than Ive been alive and my father was a Technician for 35 years. So Ive got a great base of knowledge, just never took actual classes in it which would be mostly for prep for the ase cert tests
These are the opinions of a guy that was a dealer tech for 10 years and now works developing technician training. Save your money. If you take classes or not you are going to start as an into level tech/shop whipping boy. Find the gig. Learn from the smart guys (if a guy claims to be the only smart tech in the shop, dont listen. Thats a sure sign he is one of the big hacks). Hit the library for some ASE prep books.
As far as finding the gig right now doing the homeschool thing I dont really have time to go out and work. or go out every day for classes. Id like to get the knowledge ball rolling towards certification before hand. Anywhere I start I would be low man on the totem pole regardless but that trip up the ladder would probably go a little quicker if I was pre-trained so to speak with being certified.
My brother in law is a mechanic and he pretty much hates it. Complaining all the time. Always jumping from place to place of employment. Always getting promised X amount of hours when he takes a job and usually getting about 1/4 of that. He has been a mechanic for 10+ years and has many fancy certifications, ASE, Mazda and Ford Certified, state inspector's license etc.., At this point he is often a lead mechanic at any job he takes. He even tried to start his own mobile mechanic type business but last I checked that wasnt exactly working out.
This is just my completely uninformed perspective from being married to his sister. Maybe he's working in the wrong places (seems like dealerships, usually), maybe he doesnt get along with people just right, I dont know.
JohnRW1621 wrote:
Video with humorous, cynical view of higher education.
Thats about how I feel about higher education
In reply to ryanty22:
You do realize that there are actual degrees that would net you a really good job, don't you? Last I heard, there's still a shortage of engineers out there. (even though some here struggle with finding good jobs)
You can work on the cars, or engineer them. It's not a bad gig.
Alfa, I'd love to hear you go into more detail on that. Anything suggestions other than a mechanical engineering degree from a school with an FSAE program?
Working on cars is what I enjoy, engineering is a lot more in depth schooling than time allows for right now doing the homeschool thing doesnt allow for much free time other than the late evenings.
alfadriver wrote:
In reply to ryanty22:
You do realize that there are actual degrees that would net you a really good job, don't you? Last I heard, there's still a shortage of engineers out there. (even though some here struggle with finding good jobs)
You can work on the cars, or engineer them. It's not a bad gig.
QFT.
It seems every posting I see that is interesting wants an engineering degree, even if it doesn't actually engineer anything. An engineering degree is preferred for my current gig since we have to translate engineer-speak for the masses.
Keith Tanner wrote:
Alfa, I'd love to hear you go into more detail on that. Anything suggestions other than a mechanical engineering degree from a school with an FSAE program?
I was more replying to the idea that higher education is a waste of money- which is what that video is all about.
But people work here with more than ME degrees- I work closely with a lot of chemical engineers, computer scientists, electrical engineers, and there are a ton of industrial engineers who work processes. And inside of those, most of the sub-programs are strong needs, too- aero, environmental, etc.
People with higher education design and build everything you use. It's not a waste.
But, FWIW, IF you want to work in the auto industry, the only engineer that I am not aware of a job for is mining. All the rest, well, come get it. And if you are currently not at a preferred school, grad school works really well (which is what I did).
(non related note- why do I have problems with formatting here at work? that last post looks terrible)
ryanty22 wrote:
Working on cars is what I enjoy, engineering is a lot more in depth schooling than time allows for right now doing the homeschool thing doesnt allow for much free time other than the late evenings.
That's your choice, but do be aware that I know many tech's who did afterwork school, and did get their BS degrees in engineering. That's on top of working an 8 hour day.
Wally
MegaDork
5/21/14 7:01 p.m.
I wish I could have finished my engineering degree. Math has never been my friend and it frustrated the hell out of me.
My wife finished her degree online through Empire College, the online branch of NY State University. Some if the classes involved meeting in person a couple times a semester. It worked well for her since she could work when she had time instead of making it to a class at a set time. There was usually one group chat they had a week online and a weekly assignment to be turned in. She liked it more that some of the other classes she took where they crammed a semesters worth of work into a couple of weekends.
alfadriver wrote:
(non related note- why do I have problems with formatting here at work? that last post looks terrible)
I have experienced this formatting problem too.
Here is the answer:
When you quote someone and after the phrase, "
/blockquote"
Be sure to sure to double space.
I have done that double space in this posting.
In my next posting, I will not have that spacing and you will see that all formatting is then lost.
alfadriver wrote:
(non related note- why do I have problems with formatting here at work? that last post looks terrible)
I have experienced this formatting problem too.
Here is the answer:
When you quote someone and after the phrase, "
/blockquote"
Be sure to sure to double space.
I have NOT done that double space in this posting and you will see that all formatting is then lost.
Bump for education now that everyone has their formatting questions answered
The only 2 schools ive found that fit my needs are penn foster and ashworth college
