should a do a mechanical apprenticeship?

[dylanstone]

hey guys,

might be starting an apprenticeship VERY soon because i love cars etc etc.

wondering if anyone has had any experience doing one or employing an apprentice thats had experience in the game and can give advice or what to do and what not to do.

cheers

[vr94ss]

The way I got my apprenticeship back in the day was writing an application letter and included school/TAFE pre-apprenticeship docos and sent it out to a bunch of Mechanical businesses from yellow pages. Send enough out and someone is bound to reply.

Oh, and drive carefully as an MM apprentice without a license is pretty useless.

[CSP]

Do it in the military. MUCH better pay/conditions.

[Davidcoolaye]

Yeah I don't want to damp your spirits but, I am a third year at the moment, I love it now, after 3 years... all they do is treat you like pure s*** for the first few years, I also recommend you do it in the military.

[nemesis_adrasteia]

if its what you love then go for it, im an apprentice mechanic i love my job.

what stream of mechanical work are you looking at going into?

[brokenikon]

Do it in the military. MUCH better pay/conditions.

Totally agree. If military service is not an option for whatever reason, I still recommend chasing up this trade, particularly as it directly relates to a field your interested in, think of the long term and just how much job satisfaction your gonna get, you'l love it.

*disclaimer - I am not a professional (by any standards) mechanic, nor have I done an apprenticeship as a mechanic*

[soop]

Be prepared for a lifetime of shit wages and hard work.

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Be prepared for a lifetime of shit wages and hard work.

LOL, says he who's a spray painter...

Wages and work load depends on where/who you work for.

[ari666]

because i love cars etc etc.

lol, if you love cars, there is only one way to kill it.... get a job working on cars.

other than that, go for it. just dont waste all your cash on shit and really listen and learn.

"your eyes and ears are more important that your mouth"

[Darren_L]

I don't know what things are like these days, but I started my apprenticeship back in 1989 at a Holden dealer.
Money & conditions were shit as mentioned above, even as a tradesman. Once qualified, I branched out to smaller, independant workshops where the money was better and the hours were longer. There was good and bad parts of the job. But after 10 years in the trade, I gave it up & looked for a job with better money & conditions. I still love cars, working as a mechanic didn't kill the passion at all. I'm not as enthusiastic about getting greasy under cars anymore, but hey I'm nearly 40 years old now And if it's my own car, then I'll still drag myself under the car when required.

You are unlikely to ever get rich working for someone else as a car mechanic, but you learn a lot doing it, and learn to appreciate what hard work is. A lot of kids these days won't take a job unless it pays at least 50K a year and they can sit in an airconditioned office. But most of them end up being useless at anything else and have to pay everyone else to fix their car, their mower etc, because they haven't learnt a trade. So a lot of their money wasted on that sort of thing. I reckon it's a good way to start a career, having a trade qualification does open doors to other careers down the track if you want to branch out to something else. If you want a long term career as a mechanic, you've got to work on heavy machinery ie diesel mechanic/fitter. Mate used to work for Caterpillar, and made a fortune, he was on around 100K, nearly 10 years ago, Part of the deal was they paid for all of his tools as well - he walked away with over $20,000 worth of tools.

[soop]

LOL, says he who's a spray painter...

Wages and work load depends on where/who you work for.

lol, I think that expirience qualifies me more then most to comment on shit pay and hard work.

[FstStig]

Was an apprentice Mechanic as well, 8 - 5 and $271 a week. Back breaking, hot conditions, will burn the shit outta your hands and anything else the coolant and oil get on to. But if you really really want to do it, then by all means go for it, we are just getting you ready for what will be coming.

[elmaso]

i was thinking of being a mechanic, but i though it would ruin cars for me, so im more tiling/ bricklaying. (P.S when your full qualified you can make like 2g a WEEK)

[Krisp]

bugger cars, no money. mines are where the money is at. 650 to 1500 a day on the rigs. im lucky that the job i have scored after screwing around on a range of equipment best suits me. bit of welding, bit of machining, bit of high pressure testing bit of automotive , bit of hydraulics bits of everything else as a main maintance fitter. i even get cash in hand automotive jobs after shift. since work considers it as making sure the job keeps rolling

[soop]

i was thinking of being a mechanic, but i though it would ruin cars for me, so im more tiling/ bricklaying. (P.S when your full qualified you can make like 2g a WEEK)

2g a week working on cars?
Only if you're using it as a front to sell drugs.

[Krisp]

Was an apprentice Mechanic as well, 8 - 5 and $271 a week. Back breaking, hot conditions, will burn the shit outta your hands and anything else the coolant and oil get on to. But if you really really want to do it, then by all means go for it, we are just getting you ready for what will be coming.

least your getting paid to train. feel sorry for all those uni ####ers that have to work hard without getting paid to do their degrees

[elmaso]

2g a week working on cars?
Only if you're using it as a front to sell drugs.

not cars, even good mechanics make under 1g. i meant bricklaying and roof tiling..... i should have been more clear .

[soop]

Yeah, but if Uni students do the right stuff, they're going to tripple what a mechanic can make in the first or second year working. All works out.
Also, its not free to do the apprenticeship, you still have to pay fee's and buy books as well as live of the 35c a week you get.

[Krisp]

Yeah, but if Uni students do the right stuff, they're going to tripple what a mechanic can make in the first or second year working. All works out.
Also, its not free to do the apprenticeship, you still have to pay fee's and buy books as well as live of the 35c a week you get.

there is tax deductions you can do, centerlink hand outs . then there is mature wage . dont make me wack you soop. your making me narky

[soop]

ohh hoooo. Tax deductions. Nothing from nothing is still nothing. Centerlink wont help you if you're working a 40hr week. And I can't comment on mature age. (from what I gather, its bugger all better though)

[Krisp]

soop are you a tradie?

[soop]

I am yes . Rather I was... But you get that.

[Krisp]

what area? and why no longer?

[soop]

Well I've worked all over, but I was a Vehicle spray painter by trade.
I had a car accident, hit my head and had a stroke. Can't see for shit anymore, which makes it hard to do the job.

How did Tony Abott put it? "Shit happens"

[Krisp]

aw, poor lil tigger . on another note seen some ####ed up shit. apprentice just became a tradesman a week later ####ed up his hand in the gear meshing . there is pot luck for everything