For the last several years the topic of service technician shortage and what can be done, has received much discussion and press. In addition, as technology used in today’s automobile continues to change the skill sets of the technicians required to service the latest technology are also changing. Below are a few common Myth’s related to careers as an automobile service technician today:
Myth #1: Auto Service Jobs Are For People Who Can’t Get Into College
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The days of the high school dropout mechanic are long gone! Today, Chrysler cars and trucks are among the most technologically complex machines in the world. To work on these advanced vehicles, only the best and brightest students with good problem solving skills, a high school diploma, and a general understanding of math and science can become the next generation of ASE certified automotive service technicians working with technologies used on Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles.
Myth #2: Working For Yourself Is The Only Way To Make Good Money
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The typical Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership is a multimillion dollar business with many highly paid employees. Successful dealers know that selling vehicles is one thing but, without an excellent service department, they will limit the number of repeat customers. For this reason, dealerships must hire the very best technicians they can, often in a very competitive marketplace. Today, the demand for skilled technicians is at an all-time high. To hire the best, dealerships must offer outstanding benefits, exciting career opportunities and, depending on where in the country they're located, large signing bonuses for qualified, new employees.
Myth #3: Technical Training colleges Are Expensive
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A good education isn't cheap, and a quality automotive technical college/university is no exception. However, unlike a one-year, certificate-based training school, the Chrysler College Automotive Program (CAP) is a two year Associate's Degree program that can actually cost less. In fact, the average cost of attending CAP is less than $15,000 ($7,500 per year), to earn your Associates Degree.
Also, an Associates Degree is transferable to a higher level degree at a future date if you like, where a certificate of completion is simply that and generally cannot be used toward a degree at most colleges and universities.
To help further reduce your overall cost, CAP allows you to work as a paid intern at a sponsoring dealership throughout your internship periods. In addition, you may be able to secure up to half the cost of tuition, books and tools from your sponsoring dealership, depending on the arrangement you negotiate with your sponsoring dealership.
Myth #4: Automotive Technicians Work In A Dirty Environment
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In many dealerships, the automotive service department resembles a high-tech lab rather than a greasy garage. The diagnostic equipment and associated computers required to work on modern vehicles is highly sophisticated machinery, requiring a clean environment in which to operate. In addition, today's demands for safety and health in the workplace require a technician skill set that's vastly different from those required years ago.
Today’s advanced technician works as hard mentally as they do physically when it comes to diagnosing those hard to find problems used with today’s technologies.
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