Just wondering how many people are in this forum who are going to school to become techs? I'm just starting my last semester of school while I continue with my internship at a ford dealership. Working hard to learn the ropes and get as much knowledge while I can before I have to start turning out sometimes impossible to meet flatrate times!

 

I'm in the GM ASEP (Automotive Service Education Program), 1.5 semesters down, 3 more to go, we alternate 2 months school with 2 months internship. Its pretty sweet.
What is the Ford program called?

 

I've been a tech at a Ford dealer for 20 years but yesterday I did some training at work. Does that count?

 

I'm just going to a regular Vo-tech in the neighboring town. I went around to dealerships looking for internships that I heard dealers around here offered to students. I wanted to get hands on job experience before graduating, without the strain of needing to meet rates. I work side-by-side with all the techs in the shop and learn from them. I learn stuff at work before I ever see it at school. Plus I learn the faster ways of doing stuff versus the LOOOOOOONG way shown at the tech schools. haha!

 

There are a lot of advantages to having both the school and the dealership experience. If you had to do 2 years of school and then go to work-you'd be a crappy tech. When you are able to practice as you learn, and like you said, learn new tricks and tid bits of information you wont find in books, or likewise the "proper techniquies" you find in books but dont always see at the dealership. I worked with a tech for about the first week, then they sent me on my own. I had questions from time to time but everyone was pretty cool and willing to help me out and share some knowledge. I think I showed them a few cool things too... we installed a remote start at the dealership, that was pretty cool. I try not to use the "shot gun" approach, but I've only hit bulls-eyes thus far. I think all the money comes when you are good at diagnosing problems, some places have a couple of guys taht all they do is diagnose, then someone else does the wrenching.

 

im in my second semester at the local technial college.we get internships in the third and fourth semester after you get some ASE certifications.i love it, so much more fun than sitiing in a class learning stuff our not interested in.im actually still a senior in high school but our school has a program to go to college for your last year so thats what im doin.

 

Just one thing you may want to consider... NON-DEALERSHIP experience. Why? Because independent shops do things sometimes COMPLETELY different than most dealerships, and in a lot of ways it's better.

I never went to school to become a technician. Everything I know has either been through individual study, on-hand experience, or from another technician. I started off as a pump jockey at a Shell station, and worked my way up to a light-duty tech.. then a general tech.. Now I'm the lead diagnostic technician of a franchise shop.

I did work at a ford dealership for a year and a half as a specialist. I'll be honest, I was intimidated as heck at first, being I had no "formal" education. I was severely let down though as I ran circles around the dealership guys... I got to fix their screw-ups on a VERY REGULAR basis, and I saw them do some butchering like you wouldn't believe.

Now I'm not saying this is true of ALL dealership guys, as we did have some that were on the ball and did some very professional work, but I learned that dealerships are not much different than any other repair shop.. there are good techs.. and there are bad. I ended up being laid off.. I think in part because I constantly questioned their "political" practices... of which I won't go into detail here. I don't think I'd go very far in a corporate environment

Anyways.. I'll say this about where I am now. Yeah we may not have a lot of the sophisticated equipment the dealers have, and the training programs don't even touch what the dealers offer, but everyone I work with is very professional, and we go out of the way to find the problem and take care of the customer... and if we still have problems or something takes longer than expected, we don't make the customer eat the difference.

Also I get put on a pedestal. My bosses go out of their way to make sure I'm happy. It's almost like they are kissing MY butt (instead of the other way around) and I'm still getting used to that kind of adjustment. No political BS to worry about.. just do your work, keep everyone happy, chit-chat with the customers and have a good time with it!

Another thing to consider... when/if you ever have to look for work in the future, a lot of independent shops will frown on you because of your dealership experience. No offense to you or your workplace, but a lot of dealership guys tend to put themselves above the other technicians in the industry, and as a result don't respect their work if they ever have to work in a different environment. A lot aren't willing to go the extra mile, like working late... or dealing with the customers personally... or sorting out a parts snafu with the local parts store... things like that, because these typically aren't things they have to deal with much at a dealership.

I'll just say this though.. it's very flattering when customers come in and ask for you by name to work on their cars. It's also flattering to watch a vehicle progress from its first maintenance to its first MAJOR repair knowing you're the only one who has touched it throughout it's lifespan. Also when a customer tips you (very rare these days) and INSISTS you take the money no matter how much you try to refuse.. well that just makes your week that much better.

One last note... this career is very physical demanding. You also deal with a lot of chemicals and other nasty things you wouldn't normally handle. Make sure you remember your body is a temple and try not to abuse it. Simple things such as wearing gloves.. wearing eye-protection.. wearing a mask when working around brake dust... well now is a good time to get used to those practices - at the start of your career.. not at the end when you need eye or back surgery.. things like that.

Good luck to you!