Lauren Fix (“Yes, that’s my real name”) has been taking apart cars since she was 10 years old. It started when he saw his father, a former General Motors engineer who later worked on developing stainless steel brakes, working on cars in the garage.
“I said, ‘What are you doing?'” Fix recalled. “He never said, ‘Get out of here’…He said, ‘Do you want to help?'”
She did it. Since then, Fix has gained a wealth of experience. “I’m an ASE certified technician. I don’t mess around with wrenches on cars, but I’ve taken the exam. But I’m also an engineer, a mechanical engineer. I’ve designed and developed brake and suspension components. I repair cars. , I spent my entire life restoring cars.”
She founded it in 1989 with her husband Paul Fix. classic tubeprototypes and manufactures pre-bent automotive tubing at its upstate New York facility.
While the auto repair field has certainly changed since Fix was introduced, she says there are greater opportunities than ever before. Here, she tells Align where to look and what employers are looking for.
dealer selection
“If I were to become a mechanic now, I would consider working at a dealership,” Fix told Align. “The pay is generally better.”
This will likely require certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. ASE certification Requires at least two years of work in the certification field and passing the relevant ASE test.
“The ASE test is great. It’s factual and it’s not trying to fool you. It’s not an SAT test. You literally know what you’re talking about, I don’t know. What would you do if this happened?”
You can also have your dealer train you on the job. “It depends on the person,” Fix says. “If you’re really good, and you don’t mind tinkering with cars yourself, and you really know this stuff, you’ll probably be hired by a dealership, because they need good people they can trust. They’ll pay for your training,” something like that. [military] Service, if you give us four, we’ll give you four. In this case, the training period will probably be less than 2 years. Start with the basics. I will have to change the oil. And you work your way up. ”
You will also be compensated according to your experience. “If you know your stuff, are really good, efficient and competent, and work for a high-end brand, you can easily make $100,000 a year.” [like] Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi. ”
Gamers may particularly enjoy the job, Fix says, since many of today’s auto repairs involve working with vehicles’ on-board diagnostic systems, and sometimes use VR technology. “These are all very computer-oriented jobs,” Fix says. “What we really need is someone who can think like this.” [a gamer]. ”
Looking for women
If you enjoy working with people, consider becoming a service writer or parts manager. Women are particularly in demand in these jobs and often receive a commission. “usually, [a customer walking into a dealership] They will go to women because they think men are trying to sell them a lot of things they don’t want. ”
and upsell teeth Although this is part of the job, it is best done with a delicate touch. “It’s not a hard sell, it’s an upsell,” Fix says. “Looking at service schedule on computer [and saying,] “Hey, listen, when was the last time you changed your oil?” It looks like you haven’t been here in a while. You can change the tire… check the brakes. Please leave the 60,000 mile inspection to us. ”
Four types of people industries prefer to hire
According to Fix, there are four categories of potential employees that the auto repair industry finds particularly attractive.
1. High school graduates who are willing to work
”[Let’s say you’re] Highly educated, not good at taking tests, not wanting to go to university, not interested in spending money. “I want a job now. I want to start earning money today.”
perfection. Work in the automotive industry. Please come by all means. ”
2. Veterans
“You’re back from a mission. Maybe you have some skills.” [you’ve learned]. Maybe you just can’t find a job.
Don’t worry, there are dealers who will hire you right away. They love veterans because they understand procedures, understand hierarchy, and can follow instructions. ”
3. Low-level non-violent offenders
“These are people who did stupid things,” Fix says. “They learned their lesson.” If you’re an ex-convict looking for a fresh start, you may find this industry particularly welcoming.
means for changeFor example, it’s a Maryland-based nonprofit that provides cars to families in need. It also operates Full Circle, a job training program designed to help men and women transition from prison to life as skilled auto mechanics. ”[They become] “A lot of them start their own shop and end up hiring people they know they can trust,” Fix said.
4. Native Spanish speakers
“Whether you like it or not, there are people who walk the border, there are a lot of people who speak Spanish, there are a lot of Spanish speakers who want to fix their cars,” Fix said. To tell. …They usually keep cars longer.
Therefore, those people also need to communicate with other people who speak the same language. And they like the general conversation that I can speak Spanish to you. I’m Latin and you’re also Latin. ”
“It doesn’t matter what my opinion is [on the border crisis]. In fact, they are here.Rather we would rather have them [be] Productive citizens pay taxes rather than live on government handouts. ”
Do you work with your hands?you are in demand
“If you fall into one of these categories, or know someone who does, don’t think, ‘I don’t have anything,'” Fix advises.
“No, you have something. You have an opportunity. It gives you a good education on the job along with a salary. You can get all kinds of benefits.”
and [some of the] Dealer Group truly values and supports its employees. And that can lead to other opportunities.
You may also be able to get a job in [assembly] line. You don’t need to be educated. If you want to work on Honda’s production line in St. Mary’s, Ohio, you go there and apply just like anyone else. They need people. Everyone needs people who want to work with their hands. You may also be interested in air conditioning equipment. You may be involved in plumbing work. You may be interested in electricity. ”
Scholarships and other resources
Finally, Fix advises aspiring mechanics to consider a wide range of affordable or no-cost training options. His nonprofit TechForce Foundation awards millions of dollars in grants each year to engineers starting or advancing their careers. Also, Scholarships in partnership with Ford.
car scholarship This is another resource recommended by Fix. Special Equipment Market Association.
Above all, don’t underestimate the opportunities that are out there for people who want to work with cars.
“If you look at the Dow Jones, half of the Dow is influenced by the auto industry. We’re not just talking about cars and dealerships. We’re talking about tires, oil, battery companies, Nvidia, etc. There’s a lot of technology involved, and the impact is much bigger than people realize.”
