Has your interest in cars ever led you to...

[Spyder7]

... seek out formal training or education to expand or increase the depth of your knowledge. My only prior formal education was a high school auto shop class a little over 20 years ago (to give away my age).

Anyway after some time on the fence debating whether my money would be better invested in my hobby to do formal post-secondary auto mechanics, just for my own interest and to improve my knowledge and skills, or invest it instead into something that would be consistent with my (entirely different) professional field, I got off the fence today.

Enrolled in a self-paced auto mechanics diploma level correspondence course, and plan to use my car as the guinea pig (and maybe add a cheap beater). The advantage to this format is I couldn't work my full-time job and attend anything class based at the same time, and this isn't the right time in my career to take a Leave of Absence to attend school full-time.

This decision was helped along by an Ethics certificate course I'd enrolled in at work, which is free (so I get to do both my interest and professional development at the same time).

-Spyder

 

[NYSteve]

Good for you in both your day job and following your passion. Where are you taking the auto class and how much is does it cost?

 

[bdcardinal]

Well I ended up doing the auto program at Santa Barbara City College and getting ASE certified and now I work in a parts dept. I dont work on cars because I hurt my back a few years ago and I want to keep it fun still.

 

[qdeezie]

I grew up working on cars and when I got out of high school, I went to school and graduated with a diploma in Auto Systems Technology and was a mechanic at a dealership for a good while. I've since moved on to different career path, but I really enjoy it as a hobby.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: NYSteve
Good for you in both your day job and following your passion. Where are you taking the auto class and how much is does it cost?


Through Penn Foster. Cost is about $1,100 CDN, including all materials, texts, fees, and shipping charges. They also include some shop stuff and tools.

I don't thinks its on par with what you'd get from a community college (simply because you don't get the same level of hands on experience and instruction), but given the job constraints on time, I think its worthwhile. Looking through the syllabus and initial materials, it looks good for depth and breadth of coverage.

It may take awhile to pay for itself (in saved shop labour costs), but its not a bad investment imho even from a purely interest and hobby perspective. I'd been kicking the idea around for about a month. Today I finally committed, and the free course through work allowed me to rationalize spending the time and money on this instead of something career related.

-Spyder

 

[expat]

I did take a 6 week Auto body course put on by our local University Collage. It was VERY worthwhile for a hobbyist.

 

[dishdude]

I went to work for Geico for 3 months as an adjuster, went through the training program and got lured back to my old company. It was fun and learned a lot!

 

[eljefino]

I have a state motor vehicle inspection license, handy if I ever switch fields. Study book, show up at state police barracks, written test, done.

Buying a beater and figuring it out was also useful. First "real" job was a $160 dodge spirit that needed a head gasket, I read instructions online and got her done.

There is a certain critical point that once you figure something out, everything else is gravy. For me it was ball joints of all things... I was worried about how to get those apart so I could do clutches etc and once I got over that hurdle the world was my oyster.

Also busting stuff in a junkyard is handy for learning.

 

[wander2039]

Not really I learn better from reading on the internet/manuals and on the rare occasion watching someone else. Might as well save the money. Grew up on a farmers on one side and carpenters on the other and have a formal education in IT.. not much I can't do with the right tools and sometimes without. Really the only thing I haven't did is automotive painting, plenty of houses! One engine swap with clutch change, air conditioner repair, wheel bearings, brakes etc. In a way I'm to much of perfectionist for painting but I'm going try to redo the 'stiva in the spring. Think I'll go with orange...

 

[zrxkawboy]

Out of HS, I didn't know what I wanted to do for a career. I was working 3 part-time jobs, one in an auto repair shop, so I took a correspondence course in auto repair through NRI. Working on cars was a good hobby, and I felt like if I went into it as a career, I wouldn't enjoy it anymore. Three years later, I went to a tech school, and over the next 3 years, earned AAS degrees in electronics and biomedical equipment. Got a job as a biomed tech, and still doing it 11 years later.

Since then, I've taken courses (through Penn Foster) in motorcycle repair and home repair. Although correspondence courses probably don't teach you enough to start into a career in the field, they are great for teaching a hobbyist the basics, and they don't cost alot. I do most of my own auto, motorcycle, and home repairs, and have saved alot of money over the years.

 

[Spyder7]

I went the same way out of high school - had no idea what I wanted to do and had already worked a pretty wide variety of summer jobs and year round part-time jobs. I wound up working as a tech for a few years at computer store (self-taught) before deciding that I wanted to do Electronic Engineering Technology, so I quit my job, sold my car, and moved here to go to college.

After a year I decided that as much as I enjoyed doing things on computers as a hobby, I didn't want a career in a electronic engineering so I transferred, did a couple years of general studies at the university here and a hodge podge of courses, before a couple social science fields began to really resonate and I wound up with one as a major and the other as a minor. After a couple career changes post-university, I wound up where I am now (addictions treatment).

I agree about these types of correspondence courses. They are probably not the right way to go for someone planning a career in it, but they are perfect for the hobbyist or DIY type for the reasons given. I think a relevant course is even worthwhile once you're already into your chosen career field and looking to expand upon your existing background and improve upon your career options. I've worked with a few people in my current field who opted to do this, and it wound up paying off for all of them (each stayed in addictions, but moved up the ladder into higher paying positions).

-Spyder

 

[SteveSRT8]

I used to work as a stealership mechanic out of High School. Had a lot of NIASE certificates. I also had no idea what I wanted to do as a career.

I moonlighted as a mechanic when my kids were young for supplemental income. Made some great money for part time work.

 

[morris]

when i got out of high school 1967 there was no such thing as ASE. I think its a good thing. that way if the mech goofs up you can say "i thought ASE meant something" i cant work my own car anymore, but i found a top notch shop.

 

[Scott_Tucker]

I took auto shop and our local community college in high school and found that it came very easy to me. I competed in the Plymouth/AAA Troubleshooting Contest in 1989 and then after graduating from high school studied automotive technology. I eventually got 2 AS degrees in automotive technology. I studied mechanical engineering in southern California but didn't finish my degree. I have worked in the automotive field for 20 years, mostly as a tech. However, I worked for Dinan Engineering, the BMW tuner, as a software calibrator for 4 years and now I work for a company that restores multimillion dollar race cars and collectible cars. I am also finishing my bachelors in IS at night.