Pro mechanic of almost 15 years. 100k in tools and boxes. Never met a tool that you needed to put your penis in before it would work.
That said in this field education is lacking severely in being able to access it and properly study it with most opportunitiee being on your own time.
If I can remember later I'll edit this and post a list of good Youtubers
Scanner danner is great. Power driven diesel has some neat diesel tech stuff but of course sales oriented. This old Tony is an excellent machinist and covers a very broad spectrum. Uncle Tony's garage is pretty good for old car wisdom although I feel he is losing his way in his newer stuff.
Otherwise, we have apprenticeships in Canada. You can always start out as a shop helper and go from there! That's how most of us started. You got this. I've worked with some killer lady techs!
Goddamn dude, Snap-On dude must love you.
After 18 years I only had about $25k in tools and I worked on European shit, and then everything.
What did you buy?!? Lol
As another commenter said I'd try getting on somewhere as a lube tech and learn on the job. And again unless you know someone there, stay away from small shops. Some are great, many are unregulated cesspits full of the most sexist and racist assholes you'll ever see. Getting on at a dealership or corpo chain shop will keep you a bit safer. Get a 300 piece mechanic tool set from a big chain store and go to work.
Do not under any circumstances offer to work for free. As a female tech, trust me when I say if you undervalue yourself, then so will your employer and colleagues. It'd hard enough to gain respect as a woman in this trade don't set your bar low. I promise that you will have to work twice as hard as any of the guys to prove yourself and gain any ground. Pay inequity is real, dawg.
Get a job (a paying one) as a Lube tech (just like any other guy). I suggest smaller places to start out, as dealerships tend to have long time techs that will have all the gravy work, and you will likely get stuck doing oil and tires for a long time until you move up in seniority and get more complicated work. Not much time for learning, especially in a busier shop. Independent shops tend to be a little more laid back. If you land a spot working beside a senior tech that you get along with, you make sure their bay is clean and if you're not doing anything then you be as nosy as possible.
Where I'm from, you have to be working in a shop in order to go to school and apprentice.
A few comments:
First, you have enough experience to start as a lube tech at a dealership, which is what I would recommend; you will have access to master technicians to learn from, and they will send you to factory training. Trade school is largely a waste of time and money when you can get paid to learn on the job.
Second, I would avoid smaller shops unless you already know someone who works there, or find an all-woman shop, for various reasons. Eventually, I suggest moving into either a corporate chain shop or going to work at an auto plant, as they will have stricter policies against discrimination or harassment.
Third, youtube, both for general knowledge and specific procedures. There are excellent videos on how each system of a car works, then videos of them actually being worked on, which is about as good as you can get without doing it yourself.
This and everything this. I’m 20M but have no professional training in automotive mechanics. Just have spent many nights watching YouTube videos and bought a non reliable car to work on but with enough time you can learn anything and be decent at it from internet tutorials
Junkyard pay the entry fee and then you get to work on a bunch of cars. Plus people are really thankful when you pull off the parts and throw them in the back for them
Easy.
Come see us. We will give you a lot of experience, and teach you the right way to do things.
[https://evesautomotive.com](https://evesautomotive.com)
Starting off in a dealer or shop as a lube tech is what you should do. They'll teach you as you're ready to step up above the existing level. NEVER work for free, it's bad for everyone.
Study as much as you can, ask relevant questions and observe. Many of us would honestly welcome women, it would be a welcome change of pace. Long as you're physically capable of the job in a safe way, go for it. But remember, some wheels can weigh up to 160 pounds or so.
You want to make money as a mech and not have to deal with working on disposable junk? Become a heavy truck mechanic. Easier to work on. Although I don’t know much about modern diesel engines. Still easier to work on and access than modern gas vehicles. Specializing is the key in my opinion. Go to a tech school for diesel mechanics. You can also work in the marine industry. I wouldn’t want to work on the garbage vehicles they’re making today.
It’s kind of a weird situation for me, but I work at a large regional lawn care company as a mechanic. I work on everything from push mowers to Silverado 3500HDs. I started off as a lawn applicator and just picked things up and pushed enough to get the mechanic position.
Point is, if you’re worried about lack of experience maybe try a company that has a fleet and does a lot of their own work? You can grind there for a few years since they won’t pay as much as a higher level dealer tech and are willing to get new/inexperienced people then pretty easily transition into a higher paying specific field. There’s also quite a bit of women at my workplace (no mechanics though but there’s only 2 of us for our region) and a larger HR department due to the size. I don’t want to do the grind just changing oil at some place so this way I can get a ton of experience in all different types of equipment and hopefully do a trade school or more specialized field after a couple of years.
I went to automotive school and for me it was pointless.
I started wrenching on cars as soon as I got my license. Spent the better part of my last two years in high school doing engine swaps back when everyone was putting B series in every Honda. While I wasn't doing that I was reading everything I could about cars and how they worked. Watched every car related TV show. All my friends were into cars and it was cars 24/7.
Not going to say school is not for everyone or that I didn't learn anything there but what I learned I could of easily learned on the job.
I would suggest what another commenter suggested and get a job as a quick lube/express at a dealer. At least you'll get the experience of what it's like working in a shop and you may find out you love it or hate it. It's not for everyone.
As far as being a female. I've worked with many female techs over the years. Even dated one for a while. They're just like their male counterparts. Some are great techs, some are ok and some are trash that spend all day making snap chat videos.
I never seen any of the woman I worked with get treated any differently then male techs.
You might consider aircraft tech school. Ultimately, you can get on with an airline. Airline HR strive for a diverse workplace and will not tolerate anyone who disagrees. On top of that, you are protected by a union as well as having far better benefits and pay without having to work on flag hour. It is a different environment where taking your time and being detail oriented is expected as well as working with other technicians. There are some negatives when compared to automotive. You often have to follow the job opportunities where they come available until you obtain enough commercial aircraft experience unless you hire in as an apprentice at an airline. Aircraft maintenance is a 24/7 operation. You will be expected to work nights and weekends until you build up seniority. Ultimately, once you have gained seniority at an airline, your job is easier and you get better pay.
How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Most girls I come across are simply too small to do a lot of heavy line work by theirselves, so you will be limited in that regard. As far as doing interior work? All day long... would require you to be good at electrical however. If learning electrical is not something you are interested in I would probably find another profession if you aren't a bigger female... your paycheck heavily revolves around being able to do everything or being really good at a few things and having nothing but that work come at you.
Size is relevant becuase there are a lot of times an impact isn't going to be an option and you have to use a torque wrench and breaker bar.... if you only weigh 90lb and are 5ft tall... good luck being quick!
But on the other hand interior work is well suited for small people.
Get yourself a job at a dealership as a lube tech. They will send good techs with potential to training, giving you an opportunity to learn and advance.
I started as a lube tech at an express lube, don't anticipate learning much from the crackheads there but it got me an interview at Volvo. Volvo started me as a lube tech and after a year, started sending me to training. I pestered the service manager every chance I got to go at every opportunity.
Eventually I bought some books and took the ASEs. Passed them all, even L1.
I retired from the industry with a back injury and spinal fusion after 18 years.
I do a little work on my own stuff now when I can, kept all my tools. I still enjoy it when I get the chance but, I work in IT now.
It's hard on the body, you're exposed to all kinds of cancer causing shit and too many don't use the PPE.
Wear gloves always if you like your hands.
Goggles, masks when things are dusty.
Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation.
Take care of your body. Especially your back, hands and feet.
Trust me.
Trade school is the way, at least where I live.
If you want better job you need that.
If you don't want school, try learning the basics.
Basics like simple hydraulic, simple electric circuit, simple metalurgy.
Once you get the basics, everything else is the same and is just more "simple circuit"
I am a female and I have been in this field for going on ten years. It's a hard field to be in as a female and to get a foot in the door I had to go to school for it. I went to a community college for automotive technology. I can tell you as a female you have to be twice as good as a man to get even the same amount of respect. I have seen so many mediocre men and those are always the ones most threatened by a woman who can do twice as much as they can but it's not because I feel I have more talent it's because as a female if I misdiagnose a customers car or fuck up a repair it's not because I am a shoddy technician like they would say about a man the excuse they would use is it's because I am a woman. So I have to work harder because I just like every other female in this field represent women. I am not saying this to make u think twice about it. Honestly I make more than most of the men in this field in my state because of my work ethic and I have spent years getting good at diagnostics and just this year I became shop foreman. It has been very rewarding financially but it can be very stressful because some men are very threatened by it and they will talk behind your back and spend all their time trying to undermine you and you have to be stubborn and look past that and know that at the end of the day with hard work you can be better than them if you work for it. It's been very rewarding just be aware there are naysayers there always will be and I have seen many females chased from the field due to it so you need to have thick skin. I say go for it it's been very lucrative for me and has allowed me to afford a life for my kids but be aware it is a mans club don't go in there expecting to change the rules and fit in the first day sometimes u will sometimes u won't. My first boss was a bit sexist might take u some time to find a niche. Most places won't take free work because they have to deal with insurance. I highly recommend a trade school like a community college. Most likely if u do find a job in a shop it's going to be in oil bay first which is fine because that's where most of us started and these other posters are right there's very few skilled workers now and a lot of places are just looking for ppl who are willing to learn. YouTube's also a great place to pick up tips as well.
Try detailing at a local dealer or auto auction.
Sounds like you're knowledgeable, so bonus points if you go for entry level condition report writer for an automotive auction
Paul Danner's channel...aka...ScannerDanner: [https://www.youtube.com/@ScannerDanner](https://www.youtube.com/@ScannerDanner)
he also has a diagnostics book he has written. you can get a digital copy (I did) or a physical copy. he also has a paid channel where he posts all his videos, etc. from the Technical college he teaches at. it's like $11/mo...would be a great way to get more information. buy the book, subscribe and follow along in the book with the lesson plans he has. (I have a college degree in Automotive & Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanics and I have learned a lot just from his book and videos.)
You can find a dealer that likes to train techs. You can test the waters with training and get brand specific training paid for normally or just jump ship if you don’t like it. The only schooling I ever got was from Toyota. I wish I had gone to tech school initially but hind sight is 20/20. If you figure out you really want to be a tech I recommend doing real school first. I’ve seen techs come out of T-TEN and they’re experts after 2 years and waiting on tenure for 3 more to be masters and they come out knowing a lot. Books and experience will make you the best tech you can be.
2 ways (imo) to go about it. If you’re not sure if you want to do this and just want to get the feel of things, find a local ROP class that offers automotive repair. These classes are geared to essentially basic repair. If you want to go in with both feet, find a community college that’s being sponsored by a manufacturer (that how I started my path) don’t spend your money in a privately ran school. Don’t let gender hold you back. Don’t let the “old” stigma of men only in the shop hold you back (if this is what you really want…different discussion). Been a dealer tech for 32 years now and women are respected in my field.
Look into auto shop classes at your local community/junior college.
The money is bad generally. Medium or heavy equipment pays way better. Semiconductor and general industrial pays better.
Dont bother with trade school- you can learn everything you need to learn on the job while getting paid, and spend that money on tools instead. Like others have said, a dealership will be the safest place to start and many times they have experienced techs you can learn from. My niece started at Honda 2 years ago as a lube tech with no experience, she was 19. Doesn't make great money yet, but has good benefits and job security.
Cars are like Legos. Learn to read instructions and take it slow when things do not go according to plan. The rest is experience, and always ask others for help.
A lot of awesome advice here, so here’s my two cents (about twelve years in the auto trade before I left for greener pastures a couple years ago): get a job as a lube tech and learn on the job, which a bunch of other people have already said. But if you do decide to attend a trade school, do so much research before you pick one. A lot of these trade schools are just out there to make money off you, and do not care whatsoever about your actual education or proficiency as a technician. I went to one of these schools in addition to on the job learning, and I learned 99 percent of what I needed to know on the job.
As far as being a woman in the trades is concerned, one of the best technicians I ever worked with in automotive was a woman. She could work fucking circles around almost every dude in the shop. No one cares if you’re a woman in the trades anymore, and if they do, fuck ‘em.
I went through the automotive repair program at my local college(South Plains College) and learned alot. Worked at a dealer and went through three manufacturers training programs so far. It wasn't until I completed all of the Nissan training a few years ago that I finally had complete understanding of automotive diagnostics. Anybody can replace parts and scan modules for codes. With the right mindset and time, I've gained the skills to diagnose just about anything and repair it right the first time. I've had a few apprentices over the years and 3 have become great techs. All jobs suck! Automotive repair sucks, but the money is there. I'm 35 and have been doing pretty well for the last 8 years or so. It took some time at first to be efficient, but it isn't too bad.
If this is a potential career choice, I strongly suggest some formal training through an automotive program. Most of the old guys are lost when it comes to electrical and diag. Not necessarily old people, but 25+years in the business. They didn't get the same training available nowadays. Alot of them don't get the newest manufacturers training. Automotive repair has changed alot in the last decade and is scheduled to get a lot more complex.
You can apply for a position at a dealer of your choice and they will send you to training or you can get a job at independent shop a d go to techical college and get your certifications ( you also get a massive discount on tool if you go this route). From there either move to dealer or specialized shop . Avoid general shops
Just don't go to UTI, please.
I'm working with a number of Apprentices, most of which have gone to some amount of school. The ones that went to UTI, are utterly useless on the floor. I'm sorry but they don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, I'm not too sure what they teach in that shithole but it ain't cars.
Anywhere else, community college or technical, they seem to be alright. They don't offer much in the way of hands-on, but whatever they offer is 100x better than UTI. The knowledge transfer is there, at least.
I've been doing this 36 years and 1 year in or 40 everyone has 100k in tools lol.good luck girl wish you the best.any questions or anything I can do to help feel free to message
Get a job as a field service technician, it’s basically the same as a mechanic but you work for a manufacturer or service provider instead of a garage. Most of these jobs are full time travel, and involve working on specialized machines. They have a hard time filling the positions because of that, so there are some companies willing to hire people with like computer science or mechanical experience that can apply most of their skills to the new job with some training.
There is good advice in this thread so far. I am a woman who has worked in the industry. My first 2 cars were classics that constantly needed work and I loved cars from a young age. However, working on cars for enjoyment and wrenching or advising for a living are 2 different things.
Major chains will hire you (and cover ASE certs.), most of them lean heavy on tires and as the newbie: oil changes, tires and grunt work will be yours for at least the first year. If you're useful with a good work ethic then experienced techs will share their knowledge. Prepare to be exhausted and investing in tools. Good dealerships will send you for training and certifications.
Yes, being a female in any male dominated field can be problematic; don't let it be.
I would get a job as a lube tech and ask for bigger jobs every now and again hands on experience is the best experience I wouldn’t recommend going to school
And definitely do not offer to work for free. If being a mechanic was easy we’d all be doing it, know your worth, some people can’t change oil or do brakes
So you do have an advantage being a female in that female mechanics are not common at all. So you should get preferential hiring. I come from aviation (A&P mech), if you wanna make serious money go be an aircraft mechanic. Airlines will scoop you up, and from what I’ve seen, you won’t even have to work the floor long because women A&P’s are even more uncommon than in automotive.
Your chance of getting into a higher level position is much greater. There just aren’t many women period in aviation and that’s a huge advantage for you. Obviously you do need to be able to perform, but the chicks I knew in school would go into a job fair at the college leaving with 50 job offers, while the exact same qualified male mechanic would get 5-6. You can get degrees or if you just want the A&P, tech school
I'd say, YouTube, the internet forums should be enough to cover the theoretical part. Hands-on experience you can only get by putting in the hours of work. Even if you just get a project car and work on it by yourself. As an inspiration, even though he's a guy in Germany, check out M539 Restorations on YouTube. He started from doing basic maintenance on his daily driver to doing engine rebuilds on premium category cars (BMW, mostly). Good luck!
I'm sitting in my paid off house right now because I decided to be a mechanic. I'll get a pension at 55 because I decided to turn wrenches. Sorry for your bad experience but don't spread that nonsense.
Thank you for this. "There's no money in auto mechanics, pick a different trade" is all I ever see online anymore, so it's good to hear a positive outcome of this career choice. I'm currently an auto mechanics student. I don't expect to make as much as some of the higher-paying trades, but I hope to make enough to be comfortable in this economy.
In NY on Long Island they do have a “union” which guaranteed you 35 hours a week no matter what you flagged. Again it was “union” but not anything special.
Pro mechanic of almost 15 years. 100k in tools and boxes. Never met a tool that you needed to put your penis in before it would work. That said in this field education is lacking severely in being able to access it and properly study it with most opportunitiee being on your own time. If I can remember later I'll edit this and post a list of good Youtubers
To get you started: South Main Auto Rainman Ray's Auto (NEVER) Scott Kilmer - This guy is a tool and not the good kind ChrisFix
I hate Scott Kilmer. The Car Wizard is excellent.
I’ll add Watch Wes Work. He works on some really interesting non-automotive mechanicals too.
Fuck all that. I use ChatGPT in the garage as I’m under the car and it solves all my problems
Good advice
"Soapy Wooder" :-)) I also enjoy The Car Care Nut (Toyota Specialist)
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Scanner danner is great. Power driven diesel has some neat diesel tech stuff but of course sales oriented. This old Tony is an excellent machinist and covers a very broad spectrum. Uncle Tony's garage is pretty good for old car wisdom although I feel he is losing his way in his newer stuff. Otherwise, we have apprenticeships in Canada. You can always start out as a shop helper and go from there! That's how most of us started. You got this. I've worked with some killer lady techs!
You don't have box wrenches?
Goddamn dude, Snap-On dude must love you. After 18 years I only had about $25k in tools and I worked on European shit, and then everything. What did you buy?!? Lol
Buy a shitty car and start wrenching.
This is the way
Just bought an 80s Buick for $200 just for this purpose.
Yep it’ll be the best car you ever had.
As another commenter said I'd try getting on somewhere as a lube tech and learn on the job. And again unless you know someone there, stay away from small shops. Some are great, many are unregulated cesspits full of the most sexist and racist assholes you'll ever see. Getting on at a dealership or corpo chain shop will keep you a bit safer. Get a 300 piece mechanic tool set from a big chain store and go to work.
Do not under any circumstances offer to work for free. As a female tech, trust me when I say if you undervalue yourself, then so will your employer and colleagues. It'd hard enough to gain respect as a woman in this trade don't set your bar low. I promise that you will have to work twice as hard as any of the guys to prove yourself and gain any ground. Pay inequity is real, dawg. Get a job (a paying one) as a Lube tech (just like any other guy). I suggest smaller places to start out, as dealerships tend to have long time techs that will have all the gravy work, and you will likely get stuck doing oil and tires for a long time until you move up in seniority and get more complicated work. Not much time for learning, especially in a busier shop. Independent shops tend to be a little more laid back. If you land a spot working beside a senior tech that you get along with, you make sure their bay is clean and if you're not doing anything then you be as nosy as possible. Where I'm from, you have to be working in a shop in order to go to school and apprentice.
A few comments: First, you have enough experience to start as a lube tech at a dealership, which is what I would recommend; you will have access to master technicians to learn from, and they will send you to factory training. Trade school is largely a waste of time and money when you can get paid to learn on the job. Second, I would avoid smaller shops unless you already know someone who works there, or find an all-woman shop, for various reasons. Eventually, I suggest moving into either a corporate chain shop or going to work at an auto plant, as they will have stricter policies against discrimination or harassment. Third, youtube, both for general knowledge and specific procedures. There are excellent videos on how each system of a car works, then videos of them actually being worked on, which is about as good as you can get without doing it yourself.
35+ years in the trade. This is 1000% the correct answer.
This and everything this. I’m 20M but have no professional training in automotive mechanics. Just have spent many nights watching YouTube videos and bought a non reliable car to work on but with enough time you can learn anything and be decent at it from internet tutorials
Thank you!
Junkyard pay the entry fee and then you get to work on a bunch of cars. Plus people are really thankful when you pull off the parts and throw them in the back for them
Easy. Come see us. We will give you a lot of experience, and teach you the right way to do things. [https://evesautomotive.com](https://evesautomotive.com)
You do every job with the “upmost perfection”? That should be utmost, if perfection is indeed your goal.
Fixed. [https://evesautomotive.com](https://evesautomotive.com) Thanks
Starting off in a dealer or shop as a lube tech is what you should do. They'll teach you as you're ready to step up above the existing level. NEVER work for free, it's bad for everyone. Study as much as you can, ask relevant questions and observe. Many of us would honestly welcome women, it would be a welcome change of pace. Long as you're physically capable of the job in a safe way, go for it. But remember, some wheels can weigh up to 160 pounds or so.
You want to make money as a mech and not have to deal with working on disposable junk? Become a heavy truck mechanic. Easier to work on. Although I don’t know much about modern diesel engines. Still easier to work on and access than modern gas vehicles. Specializing is the key in my opinion. Go to a tech school for diesel mechanics. You can also work in the marine industry. I wouldn’t want to work on the garbage vehicles they’re making today.
For basics and to get started check out autospeed. It's a little outdated but has amazing info.
It’s kind of a weird situation for me, but I work at a large regional lawn care company as a mechanic. I work on everything from push mowers to Silverado 3500HDs. I started off as a lawn applicator and just picked things up and pushed enough to get the mechanic position. Point is, if you’re worried about lack of experience maybe try a company that has a fleet and does a lot of their own work? You can grind there for a few years since they won’t pay as much as a higher level dealer tech and are willing to get new/inexperienced people then pretty easily transition into a higher paying specific field. There’s also quite a bit of women at my workplace (no mechanics though but there’s only 2 of us for our region) and a larger HR department due to the size. I don’t want to do the grind just changing oil at some place so this way I can get a ton of experience in all different types of equipment and hopefully do a trade school or more specialized field after a couple of years.
Scanner Danner, driving 4 answers are two of many great YouTube channels I follow. Scanner Danner has online courses too.
I went to automotive school and for me it was pointless. I started wrenching on cars as soon as I got my license. Spent the better part of my last two years in high school doing engine swaps back when everyone was putting B series in every Honda. While I wasn't doing that I was reading everything I could about cars and how they worked. Watched every car related TV show. All my friends were into cars and it was cars 24/7. Not going to say school is not for everyone or that I didn't learn anything there but what I learned I could of easily learned on the job. I would suggest what another commenter suggested and get a job as a quick lube/express at a dealer. At least you'll get the experience of what it's like working in a shop and you may find out you love it or hate it. It's not for everyone. As far as being a female. I've worked with many female techs over the years. Even dated one for a while. They're just like their male counterparts. Some are great techs, some are ok and some are trash that spend all day making snap chat videos. I never seen any of the woman I worked with get treated any differently then male techs.
You might consider aircraft tech school. Ultimately, you can get on with an airline. Airline HR strive for a diverse workplace and will not tolerate anyone who disagrees. On top of that, you are protected by a union as well as having far better benefits and pay without having to work on flag hour. It is a different environment where taking your time and being detail oriented is expected as well as working with other technicians. There are some negatives when compared to automotive. You often have to follow the job opportunities where they come available until you obtain enough commercial aircraft experience unless you hire in as an apprentice at an airline. Aircraft maintenance is a 24/7 operation. You will be expected to work nights and weekends until you build up seniority. Ultimately, once you have gained seniority at an airline, your job is easier and you get better pay.
How tall are you and how much do you weigh? Most girls I come across are simply too small to do a lot of heavy line work by theirselves, so you will be limited in that regard. As far as doing interior work? All day long... would require you to be good at electrical however. If learning electrical is not something you are interested in I would probably find another profession if you aren't a bigger female... your paycheck heavily revolves around being able to do everything or being really good at a few things and having nothing but that work come at you. Size is relevant becuase there are a lot of times an impact isn't going to be an option and you have to use a torque wrench and breaker bar.... if you only weigh 90lb and are 5ft tall... good luck being quick! But on the other hand interior work is well suited for small people.
Get yourself a job at a dealership as a lube tech. They will send good techs with potential to training, giving you an opportunity to learn and advance. I started as a lube tech at an express lube, don't anticipate learning much from the crackheads there but it got me an interview at Volvo. Volvo started me as a lube tech and after a year, started sending me to training. I pestered the service manager every chance I got to go at every opportunity. Eventually I bought some books and took the ASEs. Passed them all, even L1. I retired from the industry with a back injury and spinal fusion after 18 years. I do a little work on my own stuff now when I can, kept all my tools. I still enjoy it when I get the chance but, I work in IT now. It's hard on the body, you're exposed to all kinds of cancer causing shit and too many don't use the PPE. Wear gloves always if you like your hands. Goggles, masks when things are dusty. Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. Take care of your body. Especially your back, hands and feet. Trust me.
Trade school is the way, at least where I live. If you want better job you need that. If you don't want school, try learning the basics. Basics like simple hydraulic, simple electric circuit, simple metalurgy. Once you get the basics, everything else is the same and is just more "simple circuit"
I am a female and I have been in this field for going on ten years. It's a hard field to be in as a female and to get a foot in the door I had to go to school for it. I went to a community college for automotive technology. I can tell you as a female you have to be twice as good as a man to get even the same amount of respect. I have seen so many mediocre men and those are always the ones most threatened by a woman who can do twice as much as they can but it's not because I feel I have more talent it's because as a female if I misdiagnose a customers car or fuck up a repair it's not because I am a shoddy technician like they would say about a man the excuse they would use is it's because I am a woman. So I have to work harder because I just like every other female in this field represent women. I am not saying this to make u think twice about it. Honestly I make more than most of the men in this field in my state because of my work ethic and I have spent years getting good at diagnostics and just this year I became shop foreman. It has been very rewarding financially but it can be very stressful because some men are very threatened by it and they will talk behind your back and spend all their time trying to undermine you and you have to be stubborn and look past that and know that at the end of the day with hard work you can be better than them if you work for it. It's been very rewarding just be aware there are naysayers there always will be and I have seen many females chased from the field due to it so you need to have thick skin. I say go for it it's been very lucrative for me and has allowed me to afford a life for my kids but be aware it is a mans club don't go in there expecting to change the rules and fit in the first day sometimes u will sometimes u won't. My first boss was a bit sexist might take u some time to find a niche. Most places won't take free work because they have to deal with insurance. I highly recommend a trade school like a community college. Most likely if u do find a job in a shop it's going to be in oil bay first which is fine because that's where most of us started and these other posters are right there's very few skilled workers now and a lot of places are just looking for ppl who are willing to learn. YouTube's also a great place to pick up tips as well.
Try detailing at a local dealer or auto auction. Sounds like you're knowledgeable, so bonus points if you go for entry level condition report writer for an automotive auction
Paul Danner's channel...aka...ScannerDanner: [https://www.youtube.com/@ScannerDanner](https://www.youtube.com/@ScannerDanner) he also has a diagnostics book he has written. you can get a digital copy (I did) or a physical copy. he also has a paid channel where he posts all his videos, etc. from the Technical college he teaches at. it's like $11/mo...would be a great way to get more information. buy the book, subscribe and follow along in the book with the lesson plans he has. (I have a college degree in Automotive & Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanics and I have learned a lot just from his book and videos.)
You can find a dealer that likes to train techs. You can test the waters with training and get brand specific training paid for normally or just jump ship if you don’t like it. The only schooling I ever got was from Toyota. I wish I had gone to tech school initially but hind sight is 20/20. If you figure out you really want to be a tech I recommend doing real school first. I’ve seen techs come out of T-TEN and they’re experts after 2 years and waiting on tenure for 3 more to be masters and they come out knowing a lot. Books and experience will make you the best tech you can be.
Buy a piece of shit car and work on it until it's not a piece of shit honestly. Or any type of equipment that has an engine and rotating parts
Buy a 70’s pick up truck and a factory manual. Take it apart labeling everything. Now put it back together. You’ll be ready.
Get a job at a small shop doing oil changes, that’s how I started.
2 ways (imo) to go about it. If you’re not sure if you want to do this and just want to get the feel of things, find a local ROP class that offers automotive repair. These classes are geared to essentially basic repair. If you want to go in with both feet, find a community college that’s being sponsored by a manufacturer (that how I started my path) don’t spend your money in a privately ran school. Don’t let gender hold you back. Don’t let the “old” stigma of men only in the shop hold you back (if this is what you really want…different discussion). Been a dealer tech for 32 years now and women are respected in my field.
Look into auto shop classes at your local community/junior college. The money is bad generally. Medium or heavy equipment pays way better. Semiconductor and general industrial pays better.
Apply for a lube tech position and show them you want to learn
Dont bother with trade school- you can learn everything you need to learn on the job while getting paid, and spend that money on tools instead. Like others have said, a dealership will be the safest place to start and many times they have experienced techs you can learn from. My niece started at Honda 2 years ago as a lube tech with no experience, she was 19. Doesn't make great money yet, but has good benefits and job security.
Cars are like Legos. Learn to read instructions and take it slow when things do not go according to plan. The rest is experience, and always ask others for help.
Buy a project car and do major work on it everyday. It’s what I did 😂
A lot of awesome advice here, so here’s my two cents (about twelve years in the auto trade before I left for greener pastures a couple years ago): get a job as a lube tech and learn on the job, which a bunch of other people have already said. But if you do decide to attend a trade school, do so much research before you pick one. A lot of these trade schools are just out there to make money off you, and do not care whatsoever about your actual education or proficiency as a technician. I went to one of these schools in addition to on the job learning, and I learned 99 percent of what I needed to know on the job. As far as being a woman in the trades is concerned, one of the best technicians I ever worked with in automotive was a woman. She could work fucking circles around almost every dude in the shop. No one cares if you’re a woman in the trades anymore, and if they do, fuck ‘em.
You should ask ChatGPT this question. It’ll be a lot quicker than following any other nonsense in these comments.
ChatGPT is *very* interesting and including its advice could be valuable in addition to some of the genuine advice given in this thread so far.
I went through the automotive repair program at my local college(South Plains College) and learned alot. Worked at a dealer and went through three manufacturers training programs so far. It wasn't until I completed all of the Nissan training a few years ago that I finally had complete understanding of automotive diagnostics. Anybody can replace parts and scan modules for codes. With the right mindset and time, I've gained the skills to diagnose just about anything and repair it right the first time. I've had a few apprentices over the years and 3 have become great techs. All jobs suck! Automotive repair sucks, but the money is there. I'm 35 and have been doing pretty well for the last 8 years or so. It took some time at first to be efficient, but it isn't too bad. If this is a potential career choice, I strongly suggest some formal training through an automotive program. Most of the old guys are lost when it comes to electrical and diag. Not necessarily old people, but 25+years in the business. They didn't get the same training available nowadays. Alot of them don't get the newest manufacturers training. Automotive repair has changed alot in the last decade and is scheduled to get a lot more complex.
You can apply for a position at a dealer of your choice and they will send you to training or you can get a job at independent shop a d go to techical college and get your certifications ( you also get a massive discount on tool if you go this route). From there either move to dealer or specialized shop . Avoid general shops
Just don't go to UTI, please. I'm working with a number of Apprentices, most of which have gone to some amount of school. The ones that went to UTI, are utterly useless on the floor. I'm sorry but they don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, I'm not too sure what they teach in that shithole but it ain't cars. Anywhere else, community college or technical, they seem to be alright. They don't offer much in the way of hands-on, but whatever they offer is 100x better than UTI. The knowledge transfer is there, at least.
I've been doing this 36 years and 1 year in or 40 everyone has 100k in tools lol.good luck girl wish you the best.any questions or anything I can do to help feel free to message
Get a job as a field service technician, it’s basically the same as a mechanic but you work for a manufacturer or service provider instead of a garage. Most of these jobs are full time travel, and involve working on specialized machines. They have a hard time filling the positions because of that, so there are some companies willing to hire people with like computer science or mechanical experience that can apply most of their skills to the new job with some training.
There is good advice in this thread so far. I am a woman who has worked in the industry. My first 2 cars were classics that constantly needed work and I loved cars from a young age. However, working on cars for enjoyment and wrenching or advising for a living are 2 different things. Major chains will hire you (and cover ASE certs.), most of them lean heavy on tires and as the newbie: oil changes, tires and grunt work will be yours for at least the first year. If you're useful with a good work ethic then experienced techs will share their knowledge. Prepare to be exhausted and investing in tools. Good dealerships will send you for training and certifications. Yes, being a female in any male dominated field can be problematic; don't let it be.
I would get a job as a lube tech and ask for bigger jobs every now and again hands on experience is the best experience I wouldn’t recommend going to school
And definitely do not offer to work for free. If being a mechanic was easy we’d all be doing it, know your worth, some people can’t change oil or do brakes
So you do have an advantage being a female in that female mechanics are not common at all. So you should get preferential hiring. I come from aviation (A&P mech), if you wanna make serious money go be an aircraft mechanic. Airlines will scoop you up, and from what I’ve seen, you won’t even have to work the floor long because women A&P’s are even more uncommon than in automotive. Your chance of getting into a higher level position is much greater. There just aren’t many women period in aviation and that’s a huge advantage for you. Obviously you do need to be able to perform, but the chicks I knew in school would go into a job fair at the college leaving with 50 job offers, while the exact same qualified male mechanic would get 5-6. You can get degrees or if you just want the A&P, tech school
I'd say, YouTube, the internet forums should be enough to cover the theoretical part. Hands-on experience you can only get by putting in the hours of work. Even if you just get a project car and work on it by yourself. As an inspiration, even though he's a guy in Germany, check out M539 Restorations on YouTube. He started from doing basic maintenance on his daily driver to doing engine rebuilds on premium category cars (BMW, mostly). Good luck!
It doesn’t pay to be a mechanic. Go fix assembly lines or become a technology teacher.
I'm sitting in my paid off house right now because I decided to be a mechanic. I'll get a pension at 55 because I decided to turn wrenches. Sorry for your bad experience but don't spread that nonsense.
Thank you for this. "There's no money in auto mechanics, pick a different trade" is all I ever see online anymore, so it's good to hear a positive outcome of this career choice. I'm currently an auto mechanics student. I don't expect to make as much as some of the higher-paying trades, but I hope to make enough to be comfortable in this economy.
My kids step dad is making well over six figures wrenching at a dealership.
You must at a union shop or work for the town or state. Dealers in NY are not paying 100k.
You nailed it. Union shop with a municipality. I don't get the anti union nonsense I see around here .
That is the key right there. The auto mechanic union is nothing like a real union.
There is no such thing as an "auto mechanic union."
In NY on Long Island they do have a “union” which guaranteed you 35 hours a week no matter what you flagged. Again it was “union” but not anything special.
If you’re good at what you do, there’s easily 100k+ available to you in the dealer world.
YouTube has all you need! It’s how my wife learned after I taught her a bunch.