Being a mechanic

[Weissen]

Hmmm, plumber or mechanic...
I think by far the best option out of those two is to stay at school and go to Uni and do a degree.
Money earning potetial with a degree 10+ years from now......at least twice what any mechanic or plumber is getting with the added benefit of working in a nice clean office environment, wearing nice clothes everyday, salary sacrifice and other benefits, and perving at all the pretty chicks wandering around the office.

I did a fitting and turning apprenticeship when I left school and now regret I didn't go to uni earlier in my life. I'm 40 now and am only now just catching up with what my school buddies who went to uni are earning, and I've been off the tools for over 15 years.

These stories of mechanics and plumbers earning the bigs bucks are mostly BS IMO unless they are self employed.
If there was any real money in the trades there wouldn't be the shortage of tradesmen that we have here right now.

I'm not trying to knock what you are doing buddy, no way, if that's what you want then you just go for it, but go in with your eyes open, think of the future not 2 years from now but 20 years from now.

Excellent advice in the second post BTW. Pay that!

 

[sv9946]

mikesvt and deathsminion you are both right on the money, its a shame to see people come in to work with tyres that have wire hanging out, shot brakes etc etc and then watch them put their kids in the car. light a fag and tell you to hurry up fixing that cd player (irrelevant to the actual problems i.e. tyres brakes steering) because they have to go to the pokies soon. then when you tell them about the brakes tyres etc etc, they tell you they don't have enough money for that. beleive me all of you happens at least once a day where i work. i do disagree that the wages are always crap, down in victoria where i am people will pay twice award wages or more (i.e over 1k a week) for good mechanics who look like staying for a while as they are in great shortage. i left school at 15 to be a mechanic and throughly enjoy it,that said the stress and pain to your body well put it this way you must be very well determined to be a mechanic, as it does get tiring soon for even the most competent car enthusiast mechanic.

just for an indication i am taking home $350 a week for just over 42 hours, plus overtime if i choose(first year apprentice), don't rule this out as a job because if you do, you will always regret it saying i wonder if i had havr done that where would i be right now.

anyhow my 2c but to the op, if you want to be a mechanic and think you would enjoy it more then do it as someone said to me you work to live not live to work, and you spend a lot of time at your job so you must make sure it is something you will enjoy

 

[Boonz]

i am a second year mechanic myself, there is definitely a great shortage in both trades.
i chose to be a mechanic because its something i enjoy and you can get a job anywhere around Australia once your qualified... the pay doesn't really bother me all that much cos its $300+ a week on average plus travel and other allowances for trade school and stuff.
after a while you do get sick of doing repetitive things but hey i think it beats sitting down at a desk all day... if i was offered a job as a service manager i wouldn't take it even if it was twice the amount of what i was earning cos i enjoy what i do, thats why i chose it.

 

[jeep97tj]

Im a heavy diesel mechanic, working away, flyin/flyout i was taking home $2400 in the hand a week. I work back home now work 2 day, 2 nights 5 days off and still take home $1250 a week. Mates are still at uni and working in fuel stations trying to pay there fees.

 

[bangers]

Im a heavy diesel mechanic, working away, flyin/flyout i was taking home $2400 in the hand a week. I work back home now work 2 day, 2 nights 5 days off and still take home $1250 a week. Mates are still at uni and working in fuel stations trying to pay there fees.

you work in the mines?

plumber or fitter and turner make the best wages if you want to work local. if you're willing to travel or work in the mines then either heavy vehicle mechanics or fitter and turner.

i was a HV mechanic and i loved it but the money wasn't as good as some trades and it was VERY physically demanding, especially if you are on the roadshift (on call).

 

[Noy]

depends what you enjoy.

you will be killing yourself if you walkd into work everyday knowing you hate the job but there for money... im a aprentice binder and im just about to hit my 2nd year. I dont like it anymore, and am going to look at panel beating or auto elec.

I wish i did what my parents told me to do, and that was do a pre-aprenticeship course.. maybe you should look into that?

 

[defa]

i didn't read all teh posts so someone may have mentioned this. i am not sure how true it is, but i was told that mechanical appreticeships don't cover as muchs tuff these days. as most places just replace motors rather than rebuilding motors. i sold a motor to a bloke and he was selling the bottom end to a 3rd year mechanic because he didn't know how to rebuild a motor. he was another that said they don't teach ya that sort of stuff anymore.
anyways. what i am getting at, is do an appreticeship of something you like and maybe do night school part times and learn a bit of mechanical stuff. then you can do your own cars, and mates cars and/or cash jobs on weekends. you could learn a lot more about cars with hands on stuff rather than giving oil changes for 2 years..
a mate of mine works at a honda dealership in melbourne and hates it. he is good at rebuilding autos so they give him nothign but autos to do for a couple of weeks. some times there is no variety in that job.. also sometimes there is too..
my brother is a mechanic and started not liking it till he got a job at a place called kustom city on the gold coast. now he loves it more than ever.. because it is just like doing up his own car except he doesn't pay..