Any vechile mechanics or learning mechanics?

[yorkie_chris]

Interesting choice for a man who told me "I just put the petrol in!"

Originally Posted by Dave20046

A* how did you manage to complete that post without using the work 'wankle' once?

I shall edit the post for amusment

[Dave20046]

thankyou

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Interesting choice for a man who told me "I just put the petrol in!"

I do but i do want to learn, just really know almost **** all, thanks to davenumbers i no how to remove the back wheel from my bike, and refit it (well pretty much).

Main issue over here after ringing the college (who are ****ing useless). I have to litreally pick up the phone book and use anyone i know too get the apprientiship then agree with them i will attend college once a week. and work the other 4 days.

College don't help you atall, so i think the biggest problem is going to be getting that apprentiship, if i can atall. Made that call to the college today.

Whole thing relies on that really, gonna speak to two people i know who run a garage/ second fella is a fully qualified mechanic.

Then after that as soon as i return from the uk next week will be phoning round. I have a bad feeling i won't get in anywhere me thinks. It's hard enough to get in as a plumber/sparkey anywhere as a first year once your over 16 (come straight from school essentially).

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by ManxMatt34

I do but i do want to learn, just really know almost **** all, thanks to davenumbers i no how to remove the back wheel from my bike, and refit it (well pretty much).

The key to it is the swearing & pointy/vehicle related rambling

I started out as an apprentice spark, new feck all about it but got some good test results in the, "can you count", and "are you a nutter" tests. The college will only help you out once you have funding in place, or a job as I call it. Beware the big dealerships though, or anywhere else that employes 6 new apprentices every year...there won't be a job at the end of it for you, and being a freshly qualified mechanic aint great when you're competing for jobs with guys who have been in the trade for decades.

When it comes to applying for jobs, some basic knowledge helps, but as others have said nobody expects you to know anything. Sometimes knowing less is better as some employers will see you as a "blank canvas", ready to absorb all the "this is how we do it in this garage" type of information.

When it comes interview time make sure you leave the following impressions, and you won't go far wrong:-
Display an eagerness to learn
Look smart on interview day
Be interested in everything discused
Ask questions, even if it's only "what's that car in for".

Originally Posted by Philbo

I started out as an apprentice spark, new feck all about it but got some good test results in the, "can you count", and "are you a nutter" tests. The college will only help you out once you have funding in place, or a job as I call it. Beware the big dealerships though, or anywhere else that employes 6 new apprentices every year...there won't be a job at the end of it for you, and being a freshly qualified mechanic aint great when you're competing for jobs with guys who have been in the trade for decades.

When it comes to applying for jobs, some basic knowledge helps, but as others have said nobody expects you to know anything. Sometimes knowing less is better as some employers will see you as a "blank canvas", ready to absorb all the "this is how we do it in this garage" type of information.

When it comes interview time make sure you leave the following impressions, and you won't go far wrong:-
Display an eagerness to learn
Look smart on interview day
Be interested in everything discused
Ask questions, even if it's only "what's that car in for".

Apprieciate the helpful reply there, will bare this all in mind when im back from uk in a little over a week time .

Starting from the bottom of the ladder is the very hard part. These days vitually nobody offers any apprentices jobs, so if you get one grab it.

Then work your ass off, don't screw up, and you get noticed.

Being a mechanic can be fun, and life learning. If you can get qualified, and can be proven to be excellent,the skills are wanted all over the world. Mechanics can make good money in Canada, and the US, because good ones are hard to find. Even if you go self employed when you get good, is attracting customers, and keeping them, which means being very knowledgeable about all cars, inside and out.....

If you really want to get into mechanics, then phone every garage and ask if they'll take you on, and offer to go on learning courses. What you really want to get into is vehicle electronics.. that's the future, and I know people who make a fortune from doing it already... lucky bassas....

Oh and french cars are to be avoided at all costs. Everything is made of soft cheese, and can be hell to fix. I know.... VW Golfs are brilliant to work on. Good german engineering at its best

[Wideboy]

Originally Posted by jimmy4237

Starting from the bottom of the ladder is the very hard part. These days vitually nobody offers any apprentices jobs, so if you get one grab it.

+1, took me 2 years to secure one they don't grow from tree's and handed to idiots like people believe (ok a part from me )

also echoing the "ovoid big companies" point, you are also more likely to learn and do more at a smaller firm, going for a big dealership (or any company in a trade) may result in you doing mundane simple things over and over again and not learn anything. most people forget this and start not to care aslong as the money comes in but you will pay for it in the future, if you are offered to do something different do it

I'll openly admit to the fact that I'm not a qualified mechanic with the correct stamped papers, but it's where you start that counts..

My dad owned a couple of dealerships (Ford was one of them), and he had me at the age of 10 driving the cars around the forecourt, and into the workshops.... He also had me doing brakes, and common repetetive stuff like brake pads, bulbs, fuses, oil and fuel filters, etc etc by the age of 12... start 'em young that's what he said....

Then he sold up, and went to diggers, and road haulage... The learning curve took a big step up when you had to deal with the servicing and maintenance of the big stuff like JCB's and 44 tonne trucks...

One day he went out with mum and guests to a boat, and told me (when I was 16), "I want that artic hooked up to that trailer, reversed over the inspection pit, the oil, air and diesel filters changed, the whole artic rig greased where it needs it, all lights and other fluids checked and washed ready parked up outside for me on Monday
I'm late, see you later, have fun......". then left me to it

And he expected it all done that day, no shoddy excuses or crap workmanship, because he went round that artic when he came back, looking at every nook and cranny to see if I'd cut any corners, but never said a word to me... just smiled....

In this day of HSE, no 16 year old would be given that level of responsibility regarding heavy goods vehicles.... lucky if they were given a spanner for their mountain bike...... But this was way in the past though..