Who's plannin what for their future?
I'm 1 semester away from my Auto technician Diploma
then
Truck fleet maintanence Certificate
then
Marine technician Diploma
then
Buisness certificate or diploma

 

Well...September I start:
Bachelor's degree - Aerospace Science (focus: Airline Pilot) with minor in Aviation Business

OR

Army to be a helicopter pilot...I'm not sure. 2210 SAT, 31 ACT, 98 ASVAB, I dunno what I wanna do with my life still lol. I just wanna fly something!

 

You can't fly in the Army with a 98 ASVAB. You have to have at least a 110. I went through all the physicals and mental exams but failed when it came to the color blind test.

 

Well, I'm a few steps ahead of you in the process. I graduated high scholl in 02, got an associates degree in automotive technology in 04, and finished mercedes Benz ELITE in 12/04. Worked for Benz dealer from 6/2001 to 7/2006. When I got out of ELITE i had no intentions of staying with that dealer any longer than I had to (18 months). Gave my notice in my 19th month, and haven't looked back. Went out of that field and to a Komatsu dealer. Next future plan is to continue saving cash and buy a house with the girlfriend, but the garage is mandatory, which she understands. As far as the job, so far so good, it's a big change, but I'm happy. Later on in life? Who knows.

 

i just finished my first semester of tech school. goin for Automotive technologies.gonna try to get all my ase's and then idk what yet

 

I had college in mind, majoring in art and studying the Holy Bible more in depth, or becoming a chief, or even becoming a diesel mechanic. Key word is had though, now that the time is too near...the factory life just calls out to me. Good money, great insurance...who wouldnt hear their name called?
And the fact that I hate the testing of school etc. Just doesnt sound so good anymore. Along with the fact that...I hate having to choose a career...why waste time and money..when you know you don't want it as a career? And "where are you going to college" is all I hear...they don't hear me when I say "I'm not going to college" I literally had one aunt ask me that question 5 times in a row...even though I kept giving the same answer.

Did anyone else have this problem? Or did ya always know you was going to college?

 

I have on piece of advice for anyone looking to enter the automotive field and is still in school. If you really want to do it, buy your tools while you are still in school. Snap- on and Matco both offer special deals to votech/ college students, and I think MAC may also. I feel that matco's votech program is the best, and rest assured I borrowed the money and spent my 7500 limit. Most hand tools are somewhere to the tune of 52% off truck price!!!! The dealers don't get it that cheap! Snap-on limits you to buying their "sets", but Matco you can buy whatever items you want from their catalogue (except shop tools like tire changers). Check into it if you haven't, it's worth your time. Tools are VERY, VERY expensive, I've easily racked up 20K plus already, even with the discounts. Also see if dealers offer a tool allowance, most probably won't, but where I am now we get $450 a year. Doesn't cover what I've spent with moving up to the big stuff, but sure helps. The 3/4 inch drive tools get real expensive, real fast. Also some dealers may reimburse/ pay for ASE tests, and some dealers may even pay you more for being certified. The benz dealer i was at paid for them, but did not offer more money because you got them (some may offer up to .25 per certification). So I took the tests, got ASE Master Certified as an Automotive Technician, got reimbursed, and then quit. ASE doesn't mean anything in heavy equipment, but they can't ever take it away from me either.

 

i'm about half way through my course at Nashville Auto Diesel Colege... its a good school, not as much hands on as i'd like, but its 13 months from beginning to end, and text books, uniforms, and everything else is included. they offer auto , auto diesel , diesel , heavy equipment, hi performance fab, hi performance engines, and auto body. i'd definately recommend it to anyone looking to get a start in any of those fields.

 

Im thinking of going to Northwestern in Ohio to get a degree in High performance tech and diesel tech. Any input on the college?

 

One idea is to get some real hands on experience to be sure you have the ability to be a mechanic before you take too much school,,,,School teaches a mechanic it doesnt make one.

 

experience and the school of hard knocks are most important to a successful career

 

Yeah having a passion to work on stuff does ease the learning process in school. But most experience the fastest is if you race or have a mud truck or swamp buggy or rock crawler etc etc. Since you have to figure out what to do is somethin arises such as how much camber or do a ring and drive pinion in the dirt in the pits at the race track b4 your next heat/feature.
Plus building anything else for the vehicle say if you need a certain compression ratio or an amount of suspension travel it takes math but once you get that method down for gettin the answer you are set for life. Like what I am doing is building stuff up for my Nova and such, using thinner headgaskets for higher compression or tunnel ram intake for your engine for high RPM or whatever else.
After I get my 70 nova done, I plan on making a Mudder thats got the tractor wheel and tires with 4 wheel steering or just make some freak of steel vehicle from my imagination. The more I know the better I will excell my business. Same for everyone else, Knowledge is power.

 

Not sure if what Im about to post applys, but here goes.....

For thoes of you trying to decide between a tech school and a regular college the recomendation that was given to me that I agree with is to go to a regular college. Let me explain........

All through high school I KNEW I wanted to work in radio and radio/commercial production. There was no other career choice for me. One day my junior year of high school during my "occupational oppertunitys" class, we all had the option of picking a career choice, and our teacher would set us up to take a whole day off from school to sit in with a host who worked in the field we were intrested in.

I sat in with "Screamin' Scott Randal at the old Z-ROCK here in Detroit(Screamin' Scott last I heard works overnights now for the RIFF a.k.a. WRIF here in The Motor City) I got the advice from him, and another DJ (whose name I cant remember sorry) that a regular college that offers classes in the field you are interested in is a better choice then a tech or specialty school.

The reason is if that career turns out to be something that doesnt pan out for you, at least you have other classes under your belt to work towards something else. My options were to go to a local school of broadcasting, or go to a local college that offered telecommunications classes. I went to the local college and majored in telecomm. and minored in buisness management.

I got a job in Toledo, Oh.( a hour drive away), working at 2 diffrenent radio stations hosting shows and doing commercial production for various stations owned by the company. I LOVED IT!!!!! I was very happy but the pay was bad, and the benifits worse. After over 4 years of faithful service and good ratings(I was #2 in the city a few times and never fell out of the top 5 ), I was replaced by a computer during a massive downsizing of not only the company, but the bussniess in general. I got job offers in Houston,TX., Mobile AL., and Greensboro N.C., just to name a few. I didnt take any of these jobs because I have a desire to work near home, and I own a home and dont want to sell!

So I fell back on my buisness management experience and thats what I now do to pay the bills, Im a assistant manager in a job I dont care for. However, it pays the mortgage and other bills, is secure and is close to home.

The point is had I not went to a college I may have a lot of options cut off, and really been up the creek and jobless or stuck with a job that wouldnt cut it when it came to bills.

I hope this helps some of you, and I really hope I didnt come off as pompus.

BTW, the station I had the job offer from in Mobile AL., was destroyed during Katrina. Glad I didnt take it

 

i'm gonna do both...i'm going to Iowa State for my double major of Logistical Chain Management and Operational Chain Management systems degrees, then heading out to WyoTech for AutoTech, chasis fab, hi-po engines and street rod n custom metal work.

 

My plans are to go to the Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute and dual major for associates degrees in Beef and Sheep Management as well as Crop Management