(In the middle of my personal career-change drama; looking into "very strong interests" that might actually be a career waiting to happen.)

What careers in automotive are there that aren't working in a garage changing oil for $12/hour, or working at a dealer for $15/hr? Of course I would love to be a mechanic in some respects, but I also know that it isn't all that's it's cracked up to be and the road to getting paid enough can be grueling. Not to mention that the typical work environment of a shop would eat my lanky, white, nerdy *** alive within a week. Also, I have a bad back that has gone from going out once a year to going completely out once a month, so the physical part of working in a shop wouldn't work out for me, I am afraid.

I was looking at automotive careers online, and there are careers that range from 50k-100k a year or more. What are these jobs, exactly? The descriptions are so vague, and how to get there isn't articulated.

I know enough to know that there must be careers out there in automotive that aren't working in a shop or sitting at a computer designing the next car, but something in between? I also have a strong computer knowledge-base as well as an extremely strong creative side, so is there somewhere to put that into use? I am not expecting to get a two-year degree and jump into an $80,000 a year job, of course, but what sort of automotive career-track can I look into? (I already have a 4-year degree in an unrelated field and I am not anywhere near too old to start something new from scratch!)

Thanks for any thoughts y'all might have!

Well I am currently enrolled at UTI and I start on the 23rd. I am going in to the CRRT program. This will cover welding, painting (body color and custom), fabrication, welding and more.

I don't know how artistically inclined you are, but learning custom paint and fabrication might be a way to go that you haven't considered,

quote Originally posted by BlackEmrald: Well I am currently enrolled at UTI

So sorry.

quote Originally posted by 87antuzzi: So sorry.

Any real experience with UTI, or are you just bashing it from negative hearsay?

Have you thought about becoming a body man, painter, or buffer? I have seen several autobody shops looking for good talent.

quote Originally posted by BlackEmrald: Any real experience with UTI, or are you just bashing it from negative hearsay?

I went to Wyotech for a while. When you have kids from UTI saying Wyotech is better you have issues. I looked into UTI and its just a scam like every other "Trade School" out there. Save yourself the money, short sale your self to a shop and get endorsed through them. You're going to regret your choice when its all over and done. Look around you, everyone online says its a scam. Have fun being 25k in debt and nothing to show for it when you could get better education for 5k.

[This message has been edited by 87antuzzi (edited 10-04-2011).]

Hm, just hearsay as with most others who trash talk UTI.

Well, I've been to their campus, talked to their staff and students and seen the equipment they use and the techniques they teach. The Houston campus is specially designed for their CRRT program, and only one other campus in the nation does the CRRT program. I can (and will) come away with more certifications and awards than they even offer at Wyotech. I will complete the whole program, and not drop out.

The Mechanic course at Wyotech may be better. I don't know or care because that's not the field I will be going in to. But, in a year from now, when I am making 60-70k working for Mercedes painting 6-digit cars, My education wouldn't have been a waste. The only way this could be a waste is if I start and drop out.

[This message has been edited by BlackEmrald (edited 10-04-2011).]

quote Originally posted by BlackEmrald:

That little post made my day! I needed a good laugh. Have fun doing collision repair for 12 bucks a hours and getting laid off due to being slow. But hey, if the UTI instructor told you differently then it must be true. Those commercials where you are in the Nascar pits and painting Lamborghini's while naked chicks dance around is a lie. You will be placed in joe shmoes garage painting your everyday car. Go to a real school, spend 1/4 of the money you would at UTI and get a real education. I hear Maco is hiring.

quote Originally posted by SonataInFSharp: I was looking at automotive careers online, and there are careers that range from 50k-100k a year or more. What are these jobs, exactly? The descriptions are so vague, and how to get there isn't articulated.

What are the job titles? What do the descriptions say and what are the requirements?

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Nick www.naskie18.com GoogleTalk: naskie18 AIM: naskie18

I talked to several people (on here) who actually went to UTI and had real experience and real advice. They said that you get out what you put in to UTI. If you couldn't handle Wyotech, that's ok. School isn't for everyone.

Now, I was trying to help the OP and give him other options and more things to consider. I was trying to contribute it the topic at hand, and not just troll his thread. If you want to continue this discussion about the finer points of your educational successes and failures, feel free to pm me (I'm betting you wont). I wont fill up his thread with crap anymore.

If you can sell you can be the computer sales guy
with a bad back almost any paint or mechanical job will hurt your back
if you can stand for long periods & know cars there is a future for a service writer.the higher paid service writers take a lot of heat from customers
High pay equal high charge equal unhappy cutomer
Tire stores seem to have the highest turn over
you must have agility to be an auto mechanic
there are many out of work so concider paint & body prep man
not so hard on the back
For automobile related work,,go to the shop all of them & sell your self
get a job then after some experience try for more money
try selling cars !!
work for parts house autozone,advance pepboys oreiley
you have to keep trying they often hire from internet application,,they pass over many with experience so amature has great chance,,you figure out how they choose & adapt to it
if there is a probable job in future,, return so they remember you

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 10-04-2011).]

The value of schooling is what the particular student makes of it.

Maybe career change... nursing field still pays good money if you can get past your back problems...

Dyno Operator?

The jobs they talk about are probably with Mechanical Engineering, designing parts/engines, Aerospace Engineering, designing cars to be aerodynamic, or some other engineering that is part of the basic design work of the car. They are typically 4 year programs. I go to the Missouri University of Science and Technology... was going for Mechanical Engineering at first, but it wasn't my passion so I switched.

I know my school is probably 9 hours from you. Purdue is probably roughly the same. MIT is pretty far away but a really good school. That's really expensive though. The Colorado School of Mines is an engineering school on the same level as mine I'd say. Purdue, Mines, and Missouri S&T have ups and downs but altogether are the same quality. Washington University in STL is good, but it's way more expensive than Missouri S&T and you don't even get a higher starting salary when you graduate.

I don't know of anything up north by you, but the only info I have is from when I was looking at schools for myself. Purdue and Mines were crossed off my list because they were more expensive than S&T for being out of state, and they produced the same results. MIT is amazing, but I was wary of going there because I heard the suicide rates are high. My friend went there and ended up leaving to go to another school. Another friend goes to Rice University in Houston and says it's good, but I don't know much about it.

Good luck if you go engineering. It takes a lot of work but it's a lot of fun! I am pretty sure Marvin on here is an engineer.

I am in the 50-70k crowd workin on cars. How I did it? I got lucky(<----------key word!), I work two jobs in one. I am a head painter for a company that makes paper machines and work for the ceo of that company building the cars in his collection. I also consult on restorations on the side and paint cars and do repairs for people. Its a-lot of work but it seems to be paying off. I have friends that work at the local body shops and dealerships they make crap, I think the key is to be diverse and fit into more than one mold while still doing the same kind of work and not being afraid of working alot of hours. Bottom line suck up to a rich guy and work on his toys all day! Worked for me!! And I agree w above no matter the school its what u put into it.

quote Originally posted by 87antuzzi: That little post made my day! I needed a good laugh. Have fun doing collision repair for 12 bucks a hours and getting laid off due to being slow. But hey, if the UTI instructor told you differently then it must be true. Those commercials where you are in the Nascar pits and painting Lamborghini's while naked chicks dance around is a lie. You will be placed in joe shmoes garage painting your everyday car. Go to a real school, spend 1/4 of the money you would at UTI and get a real education. I hear Maco is hiring.

You know, I hate being the negative Nelly but, 87 antuzzi is absolutely right and possibly sugar coating it a whole lot. My brother had a body shop, two units next to each other. I'm a mechanic and yes it can be hard on the back but anything you do will be hard on your back, I know I roofed for 25 years. Body shop work is harder on the back than fixing cars. Painting is not a glamorous job, Pin striping, mods and customizing is where their is more a chance in making more money the fact is (Very few) do and their not dying so you better have a plan like mobile body work or Yikes, mobile paint booth. I started my shop on nothing and now I have more than 100,000 in tools and equipment, gotta have a niche, mine was being Mobile.

All thru high school my ultimate goal was to be an automotive stylist. GM even had a program to get people started. Most of my classes were around art, drafting and engineering. I just had a change of mind after the Air Force when I painted a few of my own cars and found I liked being creative with body and paint work. It didnt take long for people to start knocking on my door to do stuff for them............................... I dont know where you would even go these days to get into the design part.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: . I dont know where you would even go these days to get into the design part.

http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/about/gmi.jsp

If your looking for the education for a better career, leave the dealer and work at the corporate level. Design the car instead of merely working on it for 12 to 15 an hour.

quote Originally posted by htexans1: http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/about/gmi.jsp If your looking for the education for a better career, leave the dealer and work at the corporate level. Design the car instead of merely working on it for 12 to 15 an hour.

I don't think that'd get you into the design part, I'm not sure how to get there either, but I don't think an engineering school is the ticket. The engineering degree would get you to be working on components of the car, but it wouldn't be automotive styling like Roger is talking about.

[EDIT]
Also, I see some expense discussions here....if you're trying to do it on a budget, Kettering isn't one of the cheaper options. It's a good school, I went there and I'm glad I did, it got me to where I wanted to be, but there wasn't anything cheap about it.
[/EDIT]

That being said, back to the OP, it sounds like some sort of an engineer/testing role is what you're looking for, is that right? If that's the case, an engineering degree would be a good place to start.

[This message has been edited by naskie18 (edited 10-05-2011).]

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Have you thought about becoming a body man, . . .

Don't you have to be a doctor, then specialize in plastic/cosmetic surgery?

quote Originally posted by BlackEmrald: Hm, just hearsay as with most others who trash talk UTI. Well, I've been to their campus, talked to their staff and students and seen the equipment they use and the techniques they teach. The Houston campus is specially designed for their CRRT program, and only one other campus in the nation does the CRRT program. I can (and will) come away with more certifications and awards than they even offer at Wyotech. I will complete the whole program, and not drop out. The Mechanic course at Wyotech may be better. I don't know or care because that's not the field I will be going in to. But, in a year from now, when I am making 60-70k working for Mercedes painting 6-digit cars, My education wouldn't have been a waste. The only way this could be a waste is if I start and drop out.

I don't want to get you down on this, but I am with Kris. I doubt VERY seriously you walk out of there with a $50,000+ a year job. I mean maybe if you are going to work a TON of overtime. Roger owned his own shop, maybe ask him if he ever had an employee earning anywhere close to those figures. I was guessing that was more what his salary range was though, not that I have any of his actual information to back up that guess. Diesel mechanics make much better money than gasoline mechanics from what I have heard. I know it is $105 per shop hour at the dealership I use. $55 an hour at the shop I use for all our gasoline trucks. If you have a bad back though, it isn't going to get better with age. You should probably be looking into something that is more brain-powered. Also, $50,000-70,000 isn't a TON of money depending on where you live in the US. How much room for growth will there be in whatever field you decide to go with? To spend all that money on an education to make $24/hr without growth potential would bother me. I mean yellow freight starts workers out at $18 for driving a forklift. I would consider something more like Brennan suggested, an engineering degree.

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I can ride my bike with no handlebars.

From everything I've heard about UTI and Wyotech- I don't understand why anyone would go there.. You can stand to benefit a similar amount by taking a 2 year automotive course at your local CC for 1/3rd the price..

A good buddy of mine finished Apex for auto body here in NYC this past june. He spent 2 months looking for a job and finally had to settle with Maaco. Hes been working there for over a month now and they still haven't let him touch a paint gun. All he does is prep cars for paint, sanding/ masking..

WTF? Any monkey with no experience could do that, instead he spent 17 grand on a 7-9 month course (forgot how long exactly) for certification in auto body and is now working an entry level position like that? Fail.. I feel bad for him.

Yeah, everyone one has negative experiences that can talk about, and any good stories are too good to be true.

This thread isn't about UTI or Wyotech or Community. It's about different career options in the field. I was just trying to help the OP and establish that I actually knew what I was talking about.

How old are you?

If you don't mind working long hours and weekends, putting up with DIY questions and dealing with professional part changers you might be the perfect person to work in a parts store! Try the big guys (benifits) NAPA / CAR QUEST ETC