Hello there,
I plan to move U.S for working as an auto mechanic. I'd like to know what is the average wage and working condition.
I'm working as an mechanic apprentice in Canada since I graduated from a community college having degree of Automotive Service Technician which was 2 year program. I was the top student at the program.
In Canada, mechanic candidate must work as an apprentice and collect the hours to qualified the mechanic license. It takes average 4 to 5 years to get the work hours and takes 8 months of appentice training for the apprentceship period.
I'm in dead end now. I've worked for a Honda dealer 1 year ago. Before I worked few independent repair shops. I feel like I'm getting dumber and dumber everyday.
The worst part is most employers take advantage of apprentice. They use apprentices like a dog nothing more than. I used to repair cars around minimum wage.
In Candada, government controls the mechanic license and it's life- time license unless a mechanic keep making serious mistakes.
Most mechanics I've worked with are nice people, kind of lazy, don't like to upgrade their skills often. "21'st century grease monkey" I don't wanna be a grease monkey.
I'll get all the hours to challenge the ASE mechanic exam by May 2008. I gonna challenge it.
Automotive trade in U.S is same as Canada? or better. Many mechanics move to other trades. My foreman who have 25 years of work experience keep saying "You better leave this trade. It's dead end." I know what he means.
Well, I'm kind of goal getter. Once I set a goal, I've always get it whatever it takes.