graduation. Because successful participants are placed with dealerships, jobs are close to guaranteed. AndWilliams says he knows of graduates who are making more than $70, 000 after just a few years on the job. “You can make a really good living, ” he says.
As car technology has progressed, so have the training tools. GM now offers some of its coursework and training through iPods, the Internet, and other media. Williams says another benefit to the ASEP training is that it provides graduates with a portable skill. “No matter where you go in the country, there is a need for auto mechanics.”
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has become a standard credential for automotive service technicians, and a certificate is important for those wishing to pursue a career in this field. While notmandatory forwork in automotive service, certification is common for all non-entry-level technicians inmost areas of the country.You can check with a local service center to find out more about what is expected in your area. Certification is granted in eight different areas of automotive service including electrical systems, engine repair, brake systems, suspension and steering, and heating and air conditioning. To become aMasterAutomobile Technician, youmust be certified in all eight areas. This master certificate is worth considering for future growth. As with most occupations, the more you know and the more you’ve mastered, themore valuable and employable you become.
Employers increasingly send experienced automotive service technicians tomanufacturer training centers to learn to repair newer carmod-els or to receive special training in the repair of specific components, such as electronics, fuel injection, or air conditioners.
The Numbers
Automotive technicians and mechanics held about 773, 000 jobs in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are expected to increase by 14 percent between 2006 and 2016, which means an additional 110, 000 positions. The median hourly wage for technicians was $16.24, with the highest-paid people earning approximately $27.22 per hour. Technicians working at dealerships may also receive a commission based on their work volume, and those who are union members tend to have better compensation packages than their nonunion counterparts.
CARPENTRY
Many of you have probably tinkeredwith carpentry at home. ThisOld House and the presence of Home Depots all around the country have made carpentry and remodeling accessible to everyone, and whilemany of us are capable of building a small deck or making repairs around the house, a professional carpenter is a master with measurements, wood types, design, and construction.
Being a carpenter involves everything fromframing a house to handcrafting furniture and building bridges.Building something gives you an amazing feeling, and carpenters have job satisfaction in small and large proportions depending on their project. While peoplemight specialize in industrial or residential carpentry, the neatest thing is that the job is always different. It does require a high level of patience, math skills, the ability to do precise calculations, and a willingness to work in a variety of settings on a variety of projects.
The Work
Each carpentry task is somewhat different, but most involve basic steps, such as working from blueprints while laying out, marking, and arrangingmaterial.Carpenters cut and shapewood, fiberglass, or drywall using hand and power tools. Some carpenters are skilled atmultiple tasks while others have a specialty. For those remodeling homes, a broad range of carpentry skills is most useful. Carpenters who work on larger commercial projects are more likely to have a specialty, such as tunnel bracing, sewer projects, or finish work.
All carpentersmustwork in accordancewith local building codes, and to be successful you should have manual dexterity, excellent hand-eye coordination, a good sense of balance, and
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