Good for you for persevering and getting an education any way you could. Ironically you are probably going to be far more usefull to the world than me with my HS dipolma and a BS in Biology. Good luck to you!

 

I'll bet that you didnt get the job at the lube shop mainly because you will have to drive customer's vehicles out of the bays and they cant let you do that without a license. Too much liability. If you get your license and have a ride to and from work I'm sure that's all thats needed.
As far as the GED vs deploma thing, I dont think many folks in the mechanics trade care much, as long as you did complete one or the other. I say that because I worked at a lube shop while I was in highschool, then later got a job at a farm equipment repair shop, and I hadnt even graduated yet. I was (and still am) a hard worker and that's what mattered to them. At first they didnt want to hire me because I was still in school. I offered to work for them for a week for free so they can "test me out", the guy smiled and said "I reckon that wont be nessesary, just common in Monday after school". Then when I graduated I worked full time. I worked for them for almost 2 years after.

Guess I'm just saying dont think your limited, go in with a possitive attitude and dont sell yourself short. Work hard, stay motivated, and be positive. You'll be able to do alot more than you think.

 

Learning IMO, should not be a single event, i.e. high school, collage, Yes it starts there…..
However do not make it the end point.
A GED is a impotant thing to have, now move to the next point..

 

First you may have to take any job be it pouring concrete in the hot sun to establish some history. Like are you dependable or always showing up late or hung over, are you always eager to get a job done no matter how dirty, nasty or that you think is unnecessary. Always being eager to learn everything about a job, looking ahead at what will be needed next, and a willingness to get it done will get you where you want to go. It just will take time and big steps. You must start off in the pits and prove yourself.
I know 2 that did not finish HS that started doing labor jobs in the heat and now have office jobs. It canbe done. It's all about attitude.

 

word removed by FTE. First you've got to change your attitude. Just because you couldn't deal with school and the other students could doesn't mean you were right. That doesn't mean you are stupid. I think you are rushing things a bit which is a good attitude. You've got to get reliable transportation before anyone is going to consider you for employment. This is not negotionable. Being there seems to be a void of knowlegeable mechanics you may have an advantage to get into the trade but it is basically usless in comparision to experience. You may need to start cleaning parts. Don't get impatient. You're too young. If I saw you headed toward my PSD to work on it, I would confront you with my shotgun!! Not having a highschool deploma doesn't show lack of smarts. I have a Grandson that I knew was smart from the time he was three years old. He didn't finish highschool and I was LIVID!!. Reamed him a new AH !!!...We just agreed to front him up to $50,000 to start a new business. Smarts aren't always determinded by school records. The problem is, if you tap the usual channels, scholastic records follow you and no matter how smart you are, you will get shot down...Sorry.

 

I try to not do to other people what agrivates me, mostly how people think they are gods gift to the shop, or they are experts just cause they went on an interview. I plan on getting my ASE certifications eventually, plus going to whatever training schools a company sends their employees to. But I will try hard to get that job at wal-mart, like some of you said, I need a work history.

 

Yep, one of my teachers told me to go back to school at least once every 10 years (ie associates, bachelor, masters, PhD, or vocational). The GED and lack of college may be a drawback but that only means you have to work twice as hard. My cousin only has a GED but he is one of Bel Air's CA regional maintenance supervisors and he is a housing contracter on the side. He works hard and is very good with building and fixing stuff.