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I was offered a job at two places.
One does things with tires, brakes, ect. Kind of like Tire Discounters.
One is a Toyota Dealership.
I will start out bottom of the food chain in each. I am going to school to finish my degree in auto repair (I listened to Eric’s advice on his videos).
The Toyota dealership is very slow to promote people. But offers online training, classes at their office in Cincinnati. Not sure how much they would benefit me if I’m going to school.
The tire place doesn’t do any of that. But I can learn, and move (or love) up faster.
Does anyone have advice on which is a better option?
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I Think my answer may be skewed to one particular decision… 🙂
Education is like money… In the long term… Having all the right stuff and training to do the job is nice… I understand no one wants to get stuck doing LOF work, but it is a good start…
I like your comment about love up faster! (Think you mean move up) but I like the term!
Good luck…
-Karl
LOL! I didn’t even realize I put love instead of move.
You brought up something I didn’t think about and that’s quality training, machines and other things I wouldn’t get at non-dealership shops.
I’m happy to start out LOF, because I need to get my foot in the door.
The tire place said they would help me work my schedule around school, the dealership told me I’d work what they tell me, which is fri/sat/sun/mon
Go to the dealership. You will have a hard time here, you will get picked on here, and you will have rules you have to follow. With that being said there is nothing like the experience you will gain from the education and online training offered. Also at a dealership you work on relatively the same cars day in day out and they normally share many of the components between them. This means it is easier to make times on the vehicles. Also at a dealership you are more likely to learn the right way of doing things and why. Then there is the advancement opportunities even if it is slow to move up there if you have all the online training there is nothing stopping you from going to that same manufacturer at a different dealership. Also benefits are normally better.
Wow thank you so much. I was honestly trying to figure out pros and cons of each offer. But you helped me decide it’ll be 100% the dealership. You brought up some good points and I really appreciate the input. You’ve helped tremendously.
Anyone know how the online training works? What is consist of?
Toyota has online programs through University of Toyota… You will have to take these when new models are being released and to be certified on different things…
https://www.uotdealer.com/login.jsp
-Karl
Awesome thanks. I’m a bit nervous and really excited. Seems like the kind of place that rewards hard work.
Have a thick skin, keep your mouth shut, ears clean, eyes wide open… Show up on time, clear eyed, clean and ready to work… Show how willing you are to learn and you will do fine… You will be called many things… NEWBIE, CHERRY, FLUSH QUEEN, ETC… Just remember everyone starts somewhere…. LEARN and grow… and remember nobody can ever make you feel bad about yourself but yourself…
I am not trying to say this is doom and gloom, just remember you are starting at the bottom… You will learn a lot, meet some good folks and hopefully you will get a good mentor… Show you are willing to learn (ask a lot of questions), grow from your mistakes (and you will make some) and don’t be cocky…
Get to know your MDT(s)… Learn their positive attributes and forget the negatives… Strive to be an MDT…
Best of luck…
-Karl
Get multiple points of views, people do things differently, as long as the job gets done and is done right no one really cares how you do it. So the first time you do something ask one person and the next another and if someone asks you why I already showed you explain I am just seeing if there is any different ways of doing it. If you get multiple inputs though it will allow you to combine the knowledge from different people and find the best for you. Always carry a pad of paper and a pen with you. Write stuff down especially when doing electrical work. Ask to look in different peoples tool boxes and take notes on what everyone has there is a reason everyone has it. Like toyotakarl said you are going to get ridden and its probably going to be hard, without lube, and put away dry and crusty. This is all part of it. You are new shut up and listen. You may have learned a whole lot in school and what not but, real world and school are 2 different animals. Don’t get me wrong school is a very very good thing but, when someone tells you to do it a certain way and not the way in school realize there is probably a very good reason.
When you borrow tools return them as clean or cleaner then when you borrowed them and ask where they want you to put it when you return it. This seems like a stupid thing but it is huge on the respect level and will earn you some right off the bat. Also if you screw up don’t hide it and don’t keep going ask for help from another mechanic that clearly knows what he is doing or does that all the time.
I am also not trying to doom and gloom you but, in the mechanics world its almost a right of passage if you can make it past the getting ridden part you are good, normally takes 1-2 yrs.
Also consider online training like homework do it every day and get as much of it as you can get done as fast as you can. Most dealerships require a certain number of technicians to be trained on different things. If you have the training even if you are not the one doing the work it makes it easier on the dealerships older techs and also makes you harder to get rid of.
Thanks so much. I feel way better now about jumping into this. I appreciate you guys taking the time to respond and give me advice. I will definitely follow all the advice you guys gave me and keep everyone updated.
Since I’m brand new at this, how does the Lube tech, B-tech, A-tech all flow and work together?
Believe it or not I was in your shoes, but I didn’t go to school to get knowledge on diagnosing vehicles because the dealership that hired me told me that they would take care of it, and save me a big amount of money…. That being said, 3 months later 2 weeks of schooling canceled, I like what I do but it extremely irritates me that I don’t know how to properly diagnose a car. Finish your school, and take the dealership. I love it! But be able to ddiagnose bigger problems would be great! I just hope I wasn’t lied to, and if I was I have burned a bridge for a good school. What I do is just oil changes, rotates, headliners, Windows regulators, door latches, and other work that the tech I shadow doesn’t wanna do. But it’s great learning! And great experience! And good luck! And if they see you work hard they’ll move you up quickly
Mater Tech will get his choice of what to do and most of the work other people will mess up or have already fubar’d.
A Tech: Normally takes at least 5 yrs experience to get to this point. Gets the complicated jobs normally engine related issues etc.
B-Tech: Normally takes 2-3 yrs experience gets the work that is kinda complicated and work most of the mechanics don’t want.
C-Tech: Normally takes 1-2 yrs all the stupid things that are slightly complicated ie brakes.
PM/PDI Tech: Normally takes 1 yr. Everyone hates this guy because his work is cake and once proficient normally can beat standard repair times.
Lube Tech: Normally schooling/slight experience. Does all the dirty work gets covered in everything.
Wash boy: Normally Entry level/no experience. You get to clean and detail cars. Clean the shop etc. Then sometimes watch the techs and learn.
That is the levels and how big wigs think the business works. Levels are normally based off of online/school training, experience, and certifications. Normally you have techs that are fast, slow, methodical, and specialists. Fast techs get put on the fast turn over stuff. Slow techs get put on the stuff no one ever makes time on. Methodical techs deal with everyone’s screw ups and the really weird stuff. Specialists get the things they do well: hvac, engines, electrical, and transmissions. That is normally how it works regardless of tech level.
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