Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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Have thought about doing some courses, getting some quals and proper experience, then maybe eventually setting up something myself.
My concerns are that iv heard and seen people who have gone into that line of things and have said it has ruined there hobby because when they are dealing with these things day in day they cba to do anything to there project in the spare time and it ruined what they loved doing.
Thoughts?
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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I decided at 18 to work with cars as they where my hobby. For the three years I did it for I barely touched my own car.
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Jed D
Member
Registered: 15th Mar 11
Location: Durham
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i done a VRQ level 1 and 2 and loved it, if anything it got me more into cars 
if i could of changed anything about it id of dont the NVQ apprenticeship because the full time college course wasn't hands on enough
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Eddx14xe
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 10
Location: Hertfordshire
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This is the reason i dont want to do it. I need to find an apprenticeship to carry on training as an electrician or plumber but i'm struggling to find anything.
I've been thinking about changing to mechanics but i'm put off with the though of a hobby being a full time job.
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daymoon
Premium Member
Registered: 1st Aug 08
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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True. I had few cars to work on over summer and havent even cleaned mine in that time... IMHO You need a decent job and a garage where you can keep your car and work on it when you want and not worrying what you going to drive to work on a monday...
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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The other option is just to do a course to further my knowledge for my own interests
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Ojc
Member
Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
User status: Offline
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Come to college with me tomorrow, I reckon I'll be home by lunchtime after being told for the 3rd time how to properly open a paint tin
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Jake
Member
Registered: 24th Jan 05
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
Come to college with me tomorrow, I reckon I'll be home by lunchtime after being told for the 3rd time how to properly open a paint tin
with a flat head screwdriver?
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Eddx14xe
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 10
Location: Hertfordshire
User status: Offline
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You could always do evening courses to further your knowledge. I wouldnt mind doing the same but havent got the money to pay for it at the moment.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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How much are they roughly? do you get any sort of grant these days?
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Eddx14xe
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 10
Location: Hertfordshire
User status: Offline
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Its around £800 for a 1st year course. An evening course might be less though as obviously its not full time.
The only grants i know of are the ones the government gives your employer when you have an apprenticeship.
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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Other than getting a bit of paper with a qualification on it college is a waste of time. You won't learn anything you don't already know, reading through your project thread you rebuilt your gearbox yourself so you already the skills for it and you wouldn't be doing anything near that complicated.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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Only thing I really haven't done that I want to learn is stripping an engine and rebuilding or is that fairly easy when u get into it
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Warren G
Member
Registered: 14th May 06
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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you will learn shit on a course unless its a decent one....
learn most things working on cars tbh
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Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
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I did bodywork so can't comment but plenty of people who don't work in the trade strip and rebuild engines, I know my dad did when he was younger.
Best thing to do is buy a motor and rebuild it yourself.
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John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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Not sure what a course will teach you when you can clearly work out how to do things yourself?
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Eddx14xe
Member
Registered: 12th Jan 10
Location: Hertfordshire
User status: Offline
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Steve, spend £500 on a workbench, engine stand and an engine. Take it apart and put it back together. Learn more than a college course tbf
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--ToM--
Member
Registered: 23rd Nov 07
Location: Wirral
User status: Offline
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im 22 an electrician by trade (on paper) but quit at 19 as i hated it and have worked with top end classic cars since my boss has given me pay rise after pay rise as i learn and do more and i can honestly say iv learnt loads in the short time iv been there so basically self tought i think its the best way i wouldnt know what i do now from being in a classroom
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Norcy91
Member
Registered: 15th Sep 08
User status: Offline
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I did a full time level 2 course at college as a mechanic, and you know far more than i do from it! 
Nearest thing we did to your gearbox rebuild was taking it apart and putting it back together, never replaced anything or got taught what to look out for etc. That could have just being my course being rubbish though!
Engine rebuild wise, they'd only let us take apart an old engine, usually an 8v Vauxhall block. They'd been on an engine stand for about 6 years, dry as a bone, no chance of being used again, therefore hardly learnt anything about it.
Pretty much everything that involved stripping bits off an engine meant using an old engine knackered engine on a stand.
You'd probably feel you're wasting your time doing it, but would come out with the papers at the end.
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Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
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What worth is a certificate though if you've not really learned anything? If you're just doing it to further your own skills then it doesn't really mean anything.
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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Twiggy
Member
Registered: 15th Oct 04
User status: Offline
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I was gonna do a course but got a X20XEV for free and stripped it in my trailer No fancy engine stands ect. Infact have done this twice.
Got a good understanding of how an engine works, got coverd in shit and also made a few quid selling the parts 
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DannyB
Premium Member
Registered: 6th Feb 08
User status: Offline
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A few college courses wouldn't give you the knowledge to just set up a business, especially as a mechanic. You'll learn far more working on your own car than you will of 3 years in a class room. you already have a good knowledge of cars so you have an advantage. If you wanted to work in that area you would need to do college course for at least 3 years, get your qualifications and then work at a garage. You would maybe even be on a placement if you was at college. But then you have a full time career so that's not an option.
Do a night time course maybe, get your qualifications and then if you want to pursue it find somewhere that will employ you. It's never too late to have a change of career though, so don't let age put you off. Not saying you're old, but placements will look for 16-17 year olds over 29 year olds.
[Edited on 18-09-2011 by DannyB]
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