Is it worth becoming a mechanic in 2023?

[vc commodore]

Got a mate has been a qualified petrol mechanic for a good 20 years....He managed to score a job with Mack Trucks as a diesel mechanic without the diesel mechanic certificate....Stuck there for 5 or 6 years before moving onto the next truck related mechanical job.....

He is sticking to the trucks now as the money is better for him.....

 

[hademall]

Hi all,
I am thinking of beginning a mechanic apprenticeship later this year or early next year.
I already have some mechanical knowledge, and work on my car whenever I get the chance to.

Can anyone who is either a mechanic or understands quite a bit about the industry chime in about the following please?:

Is the wage good enough to be able to live decently in 2023- onwards (think cost of living, etc)? Working as an employee

Are mechanics in Australia paid hourly or flat rate like in the US?

What sort of money would I need to spend to build my tool collection?

Why isn’t the wage higher compared to some other trades, despite being a shortage of mechanics in Australia and especially America?

Cheers

If you do go ahead with the apprenticeship, my advice would be to be the best you can. Work and study hard and try to be across all the different variants of mechanics as you can.

I don't think having your own business should be your main aim in these uncertain times, but aiming to be the best in the business will reap rewards because you will ultimately be more sought-after if you are better than most at your job.

 

[hademall]

If you do go ahead with the apprenticeship, my advice would be to be the best you can. Work and study hard and try to be across all the different variants of mechanics as you can.

I don't think having your own business should be your main aim in these uncertain times, but aiming to be the best in the business will reap rewards because you will ultimately be more sought-after if you are better than most at your job.

Oh and you can always change jobs if it does not suit you. After all, variety is the spice of life

 

[vc commodore]

What is the average age/ number of years diesel mechanics work for in the mines? When do most move into a another career due to the strain from the job, etc.
I have heard it is great to get into when relatively young as most young people will probably not have as many commitments as they will later on in life?

Don't think you can put a number on this.....

From what I've heard and what I can gather from the responses here, once you start in relationships and looking at the possibility of families, staying in the mines will put alot of strain on relationships and families.....That strain does most of the time, cause a break down in those relationships.

So once you get into that relationship phase, you have to consider the outcome from being away from them for a few days at a time and the effect on it as a result

 

[chrisp]

Not that I know personally.....I do suspect people that are petrol mechanics will get trained in electric vehicles.....After all, there are both in dealerships, so I'd assume they'd have the training for them

They’ll have training available. But a point to keep in mind is that the service requirements on an EV are less than that of a ICE vehicle. These things have 3-phase motors with no wearing parts other than a couple of sealed bearings (like any other 3-phase motor). They don’t need oil changes, nor do they have a gearbox or differential. No air or oil filters to replace either. Even the brake pads last longer due to the regenerative braking. So, service is really just checking a few items - brake pads, brake fluid, tyres, wiper blades and washer fluid. Just about everything else are ‘repair as required’ items.

So even EV car servicing will become less labour intensive. But car servicing in ICE cars generally has been becoming less labour intensive as technology improves. I’d hazard to guess most modern cars will end in the recycling yard without having any major mechanical work done on their engines.

 

[Immortality]

The mines are a good way to make a buck and set you up for later in life.

Getting a trade is good because it shows future employers you are able to put in the commitment and effort to complete something even if in the future you move into a different field.

 

[Drawnnite]

If cars and mechanical things are your hobby then I have to say "don't make your hobby a job", it'll quite likely destroy your enjoyment of the hobby.
Years ago I wanted to get into mechanics and so on and was very glad the place I did work placement/experience at told me this.

As for the mines And FIFO...
Been there, done that. If you're young have no commitments and don't get into the trap of spending what you earn you'll do well. Set yourself up then be prepared to go back to a normal wage.
But the wage comes down to you working long hours, being away and having nothing else to do.
The roster as mentioned earlier in the thread plays a big part too. Even time is what alot of people want and they still earn well and are home for a good length of time.
Did I also say, be prepared to be filthy in dust, oils, grease and the mix of all 3 if you do go that way....

If you are hellbent on getting into a mechanics job then go for it. If you're looking purely at the dollars then it might not be for you.
One of the younger guys I've known through sports is a diesel mech apprentice (Buses) and enjoys it. Is happy with it and is learning lots with a decent wage. All comes down to where you get in and how you approach it.

Aim high with whatever you do.
Don't make your hobby a job.
And if you do, don't get suckered in to the snap on truck....

 

[lout]

been a mechanic/auto elec for close to 40 years
body is knackered, but i also played hard in my younger days
went into forklifts as a mobile mechanic
pay is about $10 hour more than automotive
rarely have to deal with my boss,
i have a problem with people who think they know better how to do your job, because they are a manager not a tradie
i go to night school when i feel there is something i want to learn
still trying to decide about EV

 

[J_D 2.0]

I'll add a bit to do with the tax deduction side of things....

Whilst I'm not 100% sure every minute detail, way back 15 ish years ago, I was able to claim the full cost of one of my tool boxes with tools....Value was over $2K...Had the receipt, accountant saw it, signed off on it being a work expense and the tax department reimbursed me the full cost

To this day, I still get a full reimbursement for tools purchased, even though I'm not a qualified mechanic....I do front ends and tyres for a living and have no pieces of paper with a qualification saying so

I used to be able to claim all my transport costs to and from work everyday (fuel and vehicle depreciation) because I had to transport all my tools to and from work.

The important part for ATO purposes was that there was no secure place to keep them at work. If you‘ve got somewhere secure to keep them then you can’t claim that deduction. At least that’s how it was many years ago when I used to work at the wrecking yard.

 

[vc commodore]

I used to be able to claim all my transport costs to and from work everyday (fuel and vehicle depreciation) because I had to transport all my tools to and from work.

The important part for ATO purposes was that there was no secure place to keep them at work. If you‘ve got somewhere secure to keep them then you can’t claim that deduction. At least that’s how it was many years ago when I used to work at the wrecking yard.

Sorry are you saying you can't claim tool deductions if there is a secure place to store them? Or more the insurance side of the tools?