Or at least an alternative any options that you guys know of ??
>>27831041Many mechanics are switching over to fleet and diesel truck repair.
>>27831041See >>27831051Or go try to get into the local electrician or HVAC union, most places it’s like high 20s or low/mid 30s an hour the first few years, and then high 30s when you’re 5 years in. Plus they have mad benefits, IIRC my dad in the Pipefitters union was 1.5x over 40hrs, 2x over 60hrs, and 2x pay if working a Sunday over 40hrs. In the late 90s or early 00s he was showing me 2 week paychecks with >$3k take home, and he did a bunch of commercial and industrial accounts where all he did was diagnose bad sensors and thermostats.Automotive is so shitty considering you could go do literally any other trade that requires similar knowledge and tools for 50% more pay.
Get into engine building
>>27831086But automotive has a regular schedule and always has work. It's also lucrative to start your own business. Pay good people well, and theyll want to stay.Lot of the problem with the "nobody wants to work" bullshit is that it's business owners saying that because they don't want to pay people what they deserve
>>27831228>Lot of the problem with the "nobody wants to work" bullshit is that it's business owners saying that because they don't want to pay people what they deserveexactly. if you don't want to run your own shop, just make sure youre getting in somewhere that won't completely fleece you. you get less turnover from competent staff when you actually pay them well and don't overload their task listt. "middle" manager
>>27831041Specialize. You can make decent money as a Porsche tech. And you can parlay that into a job at a Maclaren, Ferrari, etc. dealer.
>>27831228Pretty much all of the other trades have a regular schedule too, unless you want to work on-call and make 2x the money repairing a broken heater at 9pm. And I would say pretty much all of typical union trades are easier to go independent since you’re servicing stuff at people’s homes, all you need is a van full of tools and random fittings. Meanwhile if you want to open a real auto shop, there’s a whole lot more overhead.I don’t disagree that auto techs are treated like shit and underpaid. That’s why I’m recommending those other trades where people are more respected. And if you can get off the residential side and into commercial and industrial, it’s even better.
>>27831041anons here have mentioned aviation mechanicing as being very nice. what thay actually means i've no idea though (laid back? quality > speed? etc.)
>>27832504It can pay very very well but a lot of people get stuck pulling 3rd shift for most of their career and working lots of OT. Others go do smaller craft with general aviation which is more of a 9-5 deal, but pays maybe half of what commercial/cargo A&P pays and you deal with uppity boomers more often in a customer service fashion who need their precious plane fixed NOW so they can take Barb over the lake for their anniversary.Regional airlines are somewhere in between. GA has the most sovl and Freight/Cargo will make you somewhat rich
>>27832504>>27832527I almost went to school for this but ended up in a different trade. Seems really cool
>>27832544Same. I decided I didn't want to do 3rd shift after seeing what it did to my mother her whole career in a different industry. Some areas pay GA well enough but most shops won't pay you more than 45-50k a year even with experience, at least where I'm at.Maybe in a different life. I do industrial maintenance now instead, it's still pretty cool.
>>27832527>>27832544>>27832551great info. currently an IT monkey, i've talked with some of the guys on the shop floor and they can make a killing with OT but for me i like having my free time, even if i could make a decent amount more from it
I was a wrench and then I got fucked up in a car accident and now I am physically incapable of working a trade. My condition makes it impossible to maintain a schedule, so I've been failing at various desk jobs. They never caught the bitch who caused my accident, the lawyers ran out of options to pursue, it hurts to walk and I'm running out of money. What do? Can a fat bald old crippled man make a living on OnlyFans?
>>27832590I guess if you're tech-y you would do well in avionics. Most avionics guys still have their A&P tho so they can actually do other work when all the electrical instrument work is done
>>27831051what can I do if I hate working on nu-trucks because I am smol
>>27832697Being smol is better because you can fit your tiny baby hands in those tight fucking spaces
>>27833430Its also cute :3
Air force
>>27832623Learn to draw furry porn
>>27831041Aircraft shit is cleaner and you can be very general or really specialised. You need no education or experience to work at a repair station under the supervision of licensed mechanics and you can take the exams without education, after a certain number of hours of experience. Your chances of landing a job are good because it is difficult to find a guy who has ex over book learning.
>>27832551For what it's worth anon, I know a couple people who are AMTs for major airlines and they didn't have to do 3rd shift for more than 4-5 years at the very most. Still a lot, but you're not stuck there forever if you can build some seniority. You can also branch out into the corpo business jet world if you get lucky, then make cargo pay with GA hours. Free flights are a big benefit too if you like to travel.
>>27831041Im stuck in the same situation as you or maybe even worse as a boat mechanic helper/apprentice for $12 an hour.I have thought of getting out but my investment in tools and knowledge makes it hard for me to leave.And also like the anons have said>>27831228>regular schedule and always has work. It's also lucrative to start your own business.>>27831881Specializing in one brand to repair very aspect of it as a master tech.
>>27834921Wait what !!! ,I assumed marine mechanics would be up there in pay scale as aviation??
>>27834921How old are you ??
>>27834921Dude literally any job pays better than 12 dollars an hour what the fuck are you doing.
Get in the HVAC and just make bank on changing out Floridians' run capacitors.
>>27834921Any privately owned diesel shop in the state of texas will take you in a heart beat!! , your starting wage would be eighteen or even twenty one dollars the hour.
>>27835150Im 23 at the moment.
Wrenchers are glorified McDonalds cooks, the bottom of the barrel cant-hack-its who failed their way through high school and settled into doing the only thing they can do, putting legos together. A career change is not an option for you, unless you work retail or fast food.
>>27832697get a big stepladder
>>27831228>Lot of the problem with the "nobody wants to work" bullshit is that it's business owners saying that because they don't want to pay people what they deserveMe trying to explain this to the retarded gen-x manager that just imported 11 men from Turkey instead of paying local boys a bit more, only for 7 of them to jump ship literally before the contract started and the remaining 4 being less than useless because they barely speak english and do shit work>BUT PAYING SOMEONE LOCAL WOULD BE A WHOLE $2/H MORE
>>27832504Aero mech hereIt's pretty relaxed, I do fleet work for a large airline, it's 90% removing and refitting replacement parts, cleaning those parts and standing around waiting while your check super signs off the work.It gets a bit monotonous but I'm making about double as I was as a car mech, they trained me up and I don't get covered in rust or oil every day anymore
Might as well get paid for the joy of stripping bolts.
>>27831041Try switching from cars to aircraft.
>>27831086Trade unions are really hard to get into now. After a decade of "You don't need college! Join a trade!" People are actually joining trades now. Now most of them are full, or full enough that you can only get in as a nepo. Especially electrician since that's the most comfy trade out there.
>>27836362Hows the hours? Is it a lot of nights like the other anon(s) have said?
I didn't get the offered job as a mechanic's assistant.>>27831051Another agency offered a diesel mechanic position, turned down for that as well.>>27836587Lot of us do non-union labor for low wages and long hours, unions get the big city contracts.Am a trained carpenter just looking for work in my off-season, an agency offered welding or mechanic work.I picked mechanic because I have no experience welding and they aren't training new hires, but it's moot now anyways.OP it seems like a solid career to me, not just a job, a good friend of mine learned to wrench as an army mechanic.Now he's a shadetree mechanic in the hood, also a powerful and respected gang leader, self-employed.
If I have no mechanical background but am eager to learn and can be flexible with shifts can I land an aircraft repair job? I’m in the middle of a poli sci degree and prospects aren’t looking very good
>>27831041Look for jobs in the semiconductor industry. You can make six figures wrenching if you're willing to work in a bunny suit. If you pursue this route and get a relocation package, demand more money than what they first offer because they're desperate for techs.
>>27834921>>27835838Apply to Intel, Micron, Samsung, Texas Instruments and TSMC if you want to wrench and make good money. I make $39.75 an hour and get about 400 hours of PTO a year.
>>27837340NTA but what experience do you need to get into those?
>>27837253You can get an apprenticeship
>>27837340>>27835157Whats a clear sign that imNot meant to be a mechanic,>thinking of a career change., but at the same time i like wrenching it just sucks that im a slow learner you know.i feel like mechanicing just isnt my thing , although i enjoy it.
>>27831041I'm a heavy diesel rebuild mechanic and make decent money and can pick all my hours. It's a really good specialty that's easier to get into than people think. If you're smart and meticulous I'd recommend it. There's a lot of really nice positions that will hire auto techs (good ones) and pay you well to do easier stuff. I enjoy researching different careers there seems to be more choice than ever.
>>27840018How does one get in to that , as an apprenticeship.
Look in to companies like Detroit diesel Allison, or stewart and stevenson.
