Skills of a First Year Apprentice

[Jason]

I just completed my first level would that make me a Second year apprentice or a First year apprentice? Now with the actual question, since i have finished my first level what jobs does a employer expect me to do?

I can efficiently do alignments, basic brakes (honda), coolant flushes, brake flushes and oil changes I understand how to do other repairs such as timing belts, valve covers, and front end work but have never been given the opportunity to do a jobs like that on my own.

On a day to day bases I do oil changes and change tires with the occasional brake job. Is this work load normal for other apprentices who completed the first year? Should i find a job with more opportunity?

Topic

[zero]

Sounds about right. Level one is pretty useless overall. The important thing is that you have it and are accruing hours. You’re already doing most of the jobs associated with your training, so I wouldn’t jump ship just yet. The idea is that you go to school and then work on the skills you just learnt until you go back to school where the process repeats again.

Personally, if you’re at a shop that will support you for the next 3-4 years and you don’t get treated like shit. Unless after your second level your work doesn’t change, a few years is literally nothing in the grand scheme of things.

If a better opportunity comes up, by all means jump on it. Don’t under any circumstances give up a proper apprenticeship, I highly doubt it would come out better for you in the long run. Once you have your red seal, or license, you can go anywhere and find a job instantly. Honestly I have about 6-7000 hours, I’ve done everything short of rebuilding an engine or trans, with no certifications (but that’s another story) and I’m all but unemployable as a general tech.

[Larry Bible]

Sounds like you’re on track GD. Just show a good attitude and put out quality work while continuing to study a and accrue certifications. Do that and you will continue to move forward.

Best of luck,

[Jason White]

You have come a long way in your first year. You seem to be motivated and that’s a good thing. Always keep advancing. A lot of guys get stuck at that level where you are, and there are many reasons for that even if the person wants to succeed. For one thing, shop owners often want to keep a good veteran, skilled guy in the general service/express/lube tech position so the light work gets taken care of without worry. Also, there is a huge step from where you are to full technician on the line. To train someone is costly, in many ways.

A big error I see with guys with less experience is that they think because they are doing what they do now well, and have tackled some slightly bigger jobs than basic things, now they are ready for the big stuff. I’m yet to meet someone with sub-2 years experience that is ready to work the line. I know you have done some alignments and brakes and things like that but I doubt you could have really mastered it at this point, just because you haven’t seen enough. Just keep learning, and you’ll get there. Notice that almost all the master techs have been at it for a long time. I’ve seen it recently, as the shop I am working at had a hard time getting qualified techs, so they brought back some of the better express guys and a couple recent grads of the automotive program offered at schools. The express techs were the brighter ones, who were pretty good, they were excited about coming in the back, but you could see how quickly the stress and frustration started piling on. None of them work for us now. They had too much pride to go back to express, and in fact all but one left the business all together. I’m no better than they are, I’ve just got more experience and education. My first couple times working as a full technician got burned real bad, even went and drove a truck for a while. This job is not easy, take a long time to learn. It’s more of a practice to be honest. I know I’m still learning something every day and I’ve been at this for 16+ years total.

[Dave]

In my first year I was doing everything but the heavier stuff. No head gaskets, engine overhauls, transmissions, and so on. Pay sucked. Bought most of my tools from Sears of course. Had to weigh income vs. survival. So cheaper tools was a must. We had a rule in the shop, if you have to borrow it more than twice, need to buy one of your own. Which worked well. Told me what tools were most important to have.
That being said, I started out in at a Ford dealer in Southgate, Michigan. I worked under another guy who basically did the light side or wrenching. He of course passed all the crappy work off on me. Instruction means a lot at this level. This guy would barely tell me what to do if he did at all. Eventually I was handed off to a ace who was always contacting Rotunda to tell them about new repairs to nightmare issues. Which I took part in writing a few myself.
First thing he taught me as I was wrestling hard with one of the first keyless entry systems, (keypad on the drivers door) he seen me getting frustrated. No one knew how to fix the issue, I was the first to dive into it as far as I know. So he told me to go stand at the wall. He stood there with me. We sat there in silence, I cooled down, and somehow the fix came right to me. I asked him of his thoughts, and he said it sounded good, give it a try. Told me next time, step back instead of getting worked up. Never got worked up again after that. I tried the repair, and bingo, fixed. Sent the repair to Rotunda.
I think for the most part I really wanted to learn, and I was highly ambitious. Other guys in my shoes did nothing but oil changes and prepping new cars. No real initiative for them. The service manager seen I wanted it and wanted more. I asked him what I can do to get to learn new things. He teased me a bit, and suddenly the doors were opening up. I started doing clutches and a bunch more heavier and harder things.
Get your certs and really work on getting them. Show that you really want it. Show you are willing to do what it takes to get to the top. Do not get attitudes, they just make you look bad and like you cannot handle what is in front of you. Top paying wrenches paid their dues like you. We all have or are. Be patient. Figure out what pays the best, and look for those types of jobs. I loved doing brakes. Easiest money ever. Recalls, bring them on.
You will have great, and bad days. Its all part of the game. Just keep focused on your dream.

[Lee Ann]

[quote=”iron” post=172289]In my first year I was doing everything but the heavier stuff. No head gaskets, engine overhauls, transmissions, and so on. Pay sucked. Bought most of my tools from Sears of course. Had to weigh income vs. survival. So cheaper tools was a must. We had a rule in the shop, if you have to borrow it more than twice, need to buy one of your own. Which worked well. Told me what tools were most important to have.
That being said, I started out in at a Ford dealer in Southgate, Michigan. I worked under another guy who basically did the light side or wrenching. He of course passed all the crappy work off on me. Instruction means a lot at this level. This guy would barely tell me what to do if he did at all. Eventually I was handed off to a ace who was always contacting Rotunda to tell them about new repairs to nightmare issues. Which I took part in writing a few myself.
First thing he taught me as I was wrestling hard with one of the first keyless entry systems, (keypad on the drivers door) he seen me getting frustrated. No one knew how to fix the issue, I was the first to dive into it as far as I know. So he told me to go stand at the wall. He stood there with me. We sat there in silence, I cooled down, and somehow the fix came right to me. I asked him of his thoughts, and he said it sounded good, give it a try. Told me next time, step back instead of getting worked up. Never got worked up again after that. I tried the repair, and bingo, fixed. Sent the repair to Rotunda.
I think for the most part I really wanted to learn, and I was highly ambitious. Other guys in my shoes did nothing but oil changes and prepping new cars. No real initiative for them. The service manager seen I wanted it and wanted more. I asked him what I can do to get to learn new things. He teased me a bit, and suddenly the doors were opening up. I started doing clutches and a bunch more heavier and harder things.
Get your certs and really work on getting them. Show that you really want it. Show you are willing to do what it takes to get to the top. Do not get attitudes, they just make you look bad and like you cannot handle what is in front of you. Top paying wrenches paid their dues like you. We all have or are. Be patient. Figure out what pays the best, and look for those types of jobs. I loved doing brakes. Easiest money ever. Recalls, bring them on.
You will have great, and bad days. Its all part of the game. Just keep focused on your dream.[/quote]

So true!

[Rick]

My first year I spent 2 months doing nothing but oil/rot. Then after I felt comfortable doing that I asked techs to show me flushes. PS, BF, transmission, Coolant you name it. I spent about 2 months perfecting those. Then I moved on to brakes, alignments, valve cover gaskets, spark plugs. I never really had an apprenticeship or any one mentor me for my first year.

My second year I found a tech that saw my desire to learn and how much effort I put into understand and picking up new things. He started to mentor me and answer and questions I had. We still work next to each other to this day.

[Yuval Yeoman]

I began my apprenticeship at 16 in England at a large Ford dealership (1979). Four apprentice Techys were hired each year. First years began the day by cleaning the the 20 bays, emptying the garbage and getting coffee for the older Techs. I wanted to be a Tech so bad I didn`t care. I also didn`t know any better at 16. Anyway, I was assigned to a Mentor tech, his name was Al. I worshipped him. It was a flat rate dealership so the quicker he trained me the more money he made as I got a fixed salary for the first two years. So all the jobs I did, he got payed for. He taught me to be quick, but thorough. He never got mad at me when I messed up, he just fixed my mess. Looking back, I can see how unfair the system was. however, I learned a lot and was willing to do anything to become like Al. I would hope you meet someone like Al. Also, ask yourself how bad do you want to make it. And try to focus in on where you want to be in 2,3,4 years. It is a messy business, but, 34 years later, I`m retired, but I`m looking to get a hoist for my home shop. If it`s in your blood, it`s in your blood. I wish you all the best.

[Anthony Yakonick]

[quote=”iron” post=172289] We had a rule in the shop, if you have to borrow it more than twice, need to buy one of your own. Which worked well. .[/quote]

I’m a bit different. If it’s a 15mm socket, wrench or other everyday tool, they better have it. That $300 tool that gets used once every 2 months, if I have it there is no reason for the next guy to buy it, I have it. But the next rare tool and we’ll trade off.

[Author]

Replies