Auto mechanic trade

[downtime]

I start school in september and wanted to know if anyone on here has gone threw it and could give me some info?is their anything i should be studying or reading up on until i start?I think i would like to later specialze in transmissions, trucks and 18 wheelers after i get my heavy duty mechanics.

[Cos]

First it is 'through' not threw. Second I didnt find anything over the top. Make sure your basic skills and knowledge are up to date (what a bearing is, what the difference between a nut and bolt are) etc.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Are you talking AST at SAIT?

[AE92_TreunoSC]

automotive is light duty, so make sure you understand which trade you are entering.

If you're starting either trade you should start with a general mechanics overview book which explains what systems that a vehicle is made up of.

A good understanding of systems will allow you to cruise through the first few years.

Experience on the job is the quickest way to learn, but is often the hardest step.

[downtime]

Didnt notice the wrong use of words thanks.I am taking it at siast(regina).From the people i have talked to it is light duty but once you have finished the hours and become a journeymen mechanic you then go back for a heavy duty cert. but i will find out more about this to be 100% sure, as it isnt something i want to do right away but i do want to down the road but best to have a plan.I thought of looking for used books online or at book stores any mechanics bibles i should pick up?

[Rat Fink]

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[crapstixs]

Originally posted by Rat Fink
Learn your electrical knowledge. Know Ohms law, Kirchoffs law, and learn how to test for available voltage, continuity, and voltage drops in circuits to get you started. A tech that doesn't have a grasp on electrical is useless and destined to be able to do nothing more than "parts 'till she starts" diagnosis.

Get a first year engineering book on electrical knowledge. What you learn in that will be more than what any cheesy automotive book will tell you about electrical.

I 1000% agree with this. learn as much electrical as you can.
apparently in alberta if you have your auto ticket you can go stright into second year heavy duty. im not sure if thats true though. but also keep in mind when you get your licence in auto tech you will be making $25-$40 an hour. are you sure you are going to want to go back to being a second year making $15 an hour or so in heavy duty.
if you decide to become a mechanic, take care of your body! keep in mind you most likely wont be able to be turning bolts for 30 years. its very hard on your body. i know a few techs that have a very hard time putting on there socks in the morning. and there in there 40's.
non the less, i really enjoy working in the trade. its a good job, you just have to be smart about it.

[downtime]

I will get a book on electronic and start learning,thanks.I am outside the trade and wasent aware heavy duty made less but i am more intrested in auto so i will stick to that.I just thought it would be good to know that kind of stuff but i'm sure i will be busy enough with auto so i wont have to worry.I am looking forward to it so i know i will enjoy it,thanks for the heads up on taking care of my body.

[crapstixs]

heavy duty make more than auto, but you will make more being licensed auto than a heavy duty apprentise. and when your licensed auto its going to be hard to go back to being a apprentice.

[downtime]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, like i said i am outside the industry and one of the idiots at the school told me first u need your auto mechanic then once u are journeymen mechanic you then go
back for heavy duty.You are saying i dont need to i can just take the heavy duty as apprentice and stick with that,or taake auto only but i dont need both,1 or the other,correct?Their is a info seminar in march so i will get all info then but just a couple things i am curious about,if i want to work on 18 wheelers meaning repair the tranny,engine and trailors which would that be?if i want to work on airplanes which would be?

[crapstixs]

you are correct.

auto, heavy, and aircraft are all different trades with different licenses.

[autosm]

I wonder if you know what you are getting yourself into?

[downtime]

Yes,i know exactly what i am getting myself into as i know what direction i want to go thanks,but thanks buddy.I was mearly curious of how broad a range of things i can be liscened to work.

[Iceman_19]

I wouldnt waste my money. Been there done that, wish I had not wasted it. Get a job as a lube monkey and get apprenticed.

[crapstixs]

I going to piss alot of people off with this.
dont go into the two year ast program. you will not make it in the trade. you go to school for two years, then do your hours in the trade then get your licences. most of them wash up in a year or two. All of my experience is in alberta, not in sask. Alot of the kids go through the ast program and get taught by instructors that have been out of the trade for like ten years. there is school, then there is the real world. when you are in nait our sait they teach you the "correct" way. the correct way is important, but when you takes you 25 minuits to torque on wheels. that is a problem. most of the ast students that come out of school think they are super tech because they have sat in a class room for two years. you dont know shit untill you have had your jouneyman licenses for like three years. Ive seen the ast students torque dash screws, and use tie rod end pullers. Its brutal. Do a apprenticeship and you get taught by a tech who actually works in the trade, it makes a big difference.
to the exciption of mat carpanter at sait who is bad ass.

[speedog]

Another horrible post (grammatically and spelling wise at least), but crapstixs is somewhat correct in their post above. Apprenticeship versus a two year NAIT/SAIT ticket has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on the trade/technology - what that two tech program will get you is a broader and more in depth knowledge base is a short time, but that two year program will not properly prepare anyone for the real world work places. I know some kids right now that are going through the SAIT AST course and one of them seems to think he's god's gift to mankind when it comes to anything automotive/motorcycle related - man, I can't wait for him to get hired on somewhere and get slapped in the face with the harsh realities of the real work world.

Now that's not to say that all SAIT/NAIT graduates are like this - many aren't and in the field I went into (telecommunications) some 30 years ago, it was quite apparent after a few years in the workplace that the SAIT/NAIT grads commanded more respect in the workplace than many of their co-workers who had their narrowly focused journeyman's ticket. This was mainly due to the fact that the SAIT/NAIT graduates had a much broader knowledge base to pull from - don't know if the same can be said of the automotive service industry as the SAIT/NAIT AST courses may be quite a bit more narrowly focused than many other trades/technology courses at SAIT/NAIT.

[Rat Fink]

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