Root
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Registered: 28th Dec 08
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I really love cars, I'll admit I don't know everything about them but I've learnt a lot when I've been fixing my car on my own and with my dad's help too.
I really really badly want to start a career in auto mechanics because I really enjoy doing it. I have no previous experience or qualifications though...
any suggestions on what I can do? I don't have the time to take a year long coarse at college because I need to keep bringing money in to pay the bills.
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mattk
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Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
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College is the only way Im afraid
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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night time classes?
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Unless you voulantered your services to a garage then in the current climate i personally dont think youd stand a chance without any mechanical qualifications.
personally though id either go college if your deadly serious otherwise keep it as a hobby as day in day out it will get boring and less enojoyable.
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SportBoy
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Registered: 5th Oct 01
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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you would prob have to see if they do a night course or somthing ,
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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A night course wouldn't be much use either for a job, the only way is going to work in a garage really.
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Root
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Registered: 28th Dec 08
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It's all good doing a night-coarse at college for a year, but...then I have to spend a year doing a coarse before I can get a decent job, in that time I'll still be doing delivery job or something wank.
and by volunteering, you mean working for free? I'd do that, just for the experience side, I could continue bringing money in with my other job until I felt I gained enough experience to be taken on (with wages) or go somewhere else with some experience under my belt.
[Edited on 10-06-2009 by Root]
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SportBoy
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Registered: 5th Oct 01
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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which unless you sick in the head i wouldnt advise , i dont think i would do it again if i was otherwise informed.
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Ell_Pulsar
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Registered: 14th Jun 08
Location: Uk - Hertfordshire
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Not to dampen your spirit but, it does get a lil tedious after a while lol, and i can never be arsed to do my own car lol, but if your serious about it college is the way 4ward as long as they dont loose your portfolios like me lol
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john_c20xe
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Registered: 10th Feb 08
Location: Eastbourne, EastSussex
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quote:
Originally posted by Root
I really love cars, I'll admit I don't know everything about them but I've learnt a lot when I've been fixing my car on my own and with my dad's help too.
I really really badly want to start a career in auto mechanics because I really enjoy doing it. I have no previous experience or qualifications though...
any suggestions on what I can do? I don't have the time to take a year long coarse at college because I need to keep bringing money in to pay the bills.
well to get qualifications you will need to get an nvq takes about 3 years thats what im doing at the moment, not worth it really alot of hard work for shit money and work on shit cars 
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Root
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Registered: 28th Dec 08
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I don't wanna go for apprenticeships either cus I'll be working @ kwik fit changing tyres.
...so I have to work for free to get some experience? lol, like bar work.
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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quote:
Originally posted by Root
I don't wanna go for apprenticeships either cus I'll be working @ kwik fit changing tyres.
...so I have to work for free to get some experience? lol, like bar work.
you wouldnt be working at kwik fit, you would be taken on and payed say 80 p/w by a proper garage
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Mertin
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Registered: 12th Oct 05
Location: Scotland
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tbh, an apprenticeship is your best bet
start at the bottom of the ladder and work your way up. your getting paid, getting experience and also getting a qualification through college at the same time
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Apprenticeship would probably be the best bet.
Going to work as a mechanic all day is different from liking it as a hobby as well.
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Root
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Registered: 28th Dec 08
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tbh though John, there's not a job I'd enjoy doing. This is something that I like doing and I'd love the experience so I could tinker and repair my own car no matter what went wrong with it.
It's a job that I would be happy to stay at and continue doing.
Where can I begin looking for apprenticeships? I've tried going round a few garages already, been to a local community center and asked them but they don't do auto mechanics
I'm 20, so I can't go to connexions. lol
[Edited on 10-06-2009 by Root]
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Mertin
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Registered: 12th Oct 05
Location: Scotland
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quote:
Originally posted by Root
tbh though John, there's not a job I'd enjoy doing. This is something that I like doing and I'd love the experience so I could tinker and repair my own car no matter what went wrong with it.
It's a job that I would be happy to stay at and continue doing.
Where can I begin looking for apprenticeships? I've tried going round a few garages already, been to a local community center and asked them but they don't do auto mechanics
I'm 20, so I can't go to connexions. lol
[Edited on 10-06-2009 by Root]
Send your CV into local garages and dealerships with a cover letter explaining what your looking for. That way, if they dont have a vacancy just now they may keep your CV for when a vacancy does arise
Keep an eye out in local papers for job vacancies. Usually this time of year is when garages look to start taking on apprentices because college usually starts in september and theres alot of people looking to leave school
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steddy-eddie
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Registered: 9th Jun 08
Location: bridlington
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Connexions do help adults out aswell, apprenticeships are for 16-25 as far as i know, im 23 and have applied and just done tests for my local council doing mechanics on the council vehicles
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inliner04
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Registered: 23rd Mar 09
Location: Orpington, Greater London
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apprentaships are 16-65. I didnt realise this till i was researching, bceasue im thinking of doing the same thing
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moka
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Registered: 11th Mar 06
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My mate done a 3 year long course at lexus / toyota. His starting wage was about £2.80/hr. Obviously as he spent more time there this went up to probably around £4.50/hr.
He got to go up nottingham quite alot for weeks at a time.
He hated every minute of it and once he passed he quit... He now works fitting beer pumps and is on about 240 a week. lol.
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Kano
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Registered: 29th Aug 04
Location: Fife
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I started at Renault doing an apprenticeship and hated it, crap money and my own car always got neglected because its the last thing you want to be doing when your not at work. After a few years now of doing this and that I've staretd as a Breakdown/Recovery driver for a local company that has the Green Flag contract.
Love it and I'm earning nearly 25k for sitting on my arse most of the day.. My advice to you is keep it as a hobby as theres very few jobs working on cars that are actually enjoyable.
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a_j_mair
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Registered: 23rd Jan 04
Location: Scotland
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apprenticeships are harder to get once over 21 as minimum wages increase
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moka
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Registered: 11th Mar 06
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quote:
Originally posted by Kano
I started at Renault doing an apprenticeship and hated it, crap money and my own car always got neglected because its the last thing you want to be doing when your not at work. After a few years now of doing this and that I've staretd as a Breakdown/Recovery driver for a local company that has the Green Flag contract.
Love it and I'm earning nearly 25k for sitting on my arse most of the day.. My advice to you is keep it as a hobby as theres very few jobs working on cars that are actually enjoyable.
Keep your passion as a hobby i agree with immensely. I loved computers and everything technical. Done my a levels and im half way through uni, working for experience and hate the fuckin things. I get home and dont even look my pc in the eye/monitor/i dno & dont care 
[Edited on 10-06-2009 by moka]
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Ste L
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Registered: 3rd Jul 06
Location: Manchester Drives: 106 16v Rallye
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quote:
Originally posted by Root
tbh though John, there's not a job I'd enjoy doing. This is something that I like doing and I'd love the experience so I could tinker and repair my own car no matter what went wrong with it.
you say that now, but i've got a few mates who are mechanic's, who are into car's, and after working alday fixing other people, cant be arsed with their own..
and got one, who thinking about looking into something else, as it's crap -
thought about doing this myself, but as above, i like it as a hobby but i know i hate it doing it all the time
only way to get into doing it, is apprentiship, or as said working for free to get expriance..
collage coursed full time or night college will be useless as most places want you to have experiance, which you dont get at college really
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Root
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Registered: 28th Dec 08
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Thinking of paying for a college coarse, well Im going to see if they can get me in on an apprenticeship first, failing that, I'm gonna do a coarse for a year (I know it's 3 years for full certificate...but if I apply for jobs after the first year, maybe I will get one? THen I have my foot in the door and some experience)...
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jibjob
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Registered: 6th Apr 08
Location: Elworth, Cheshire
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best way to do it is apprenticeship. ive just finished my course and cant get a job because i have no experience and havent done my level 3 but i cant do my level 3 until im in a garage so im stuffed now
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