Typical Career Progression
| |
Position |
Remuneration |
Experience |
Education |
| Start Position |
1st year Apprentice |
$15,000 |
Nil |
Year 10 Pass |
| 1st Promotion |
2nd year Apprentice |
$20,000 |
1 Year |
Ongoing training at TAFE |
| 2nd Promotion |
3rd year Apprentice |
$26,000 |
2 Years |
over the course of your |
| 3rd Promotion |
4th year Apprentice |
$30,000 |
3 Years |
apprenticeship as well as extra |
| 4th Promotion |
Qualified |
$60,000 + |
4 + years |
training when you are fully qualified. |
** The above chart is only a guide to wage earnings
Typical accountabilities and responsibilities
Mechanics may perform many different duties on all makes and models of vehicles. Through discussions with your customers, or by using specialised testing equipment, you must locate any mechanical or electrical fault. Referring to workshop manuals, you will check parts, clean, lubricate and tune engines to ensure they run effectively. Any parts that are damaged or faulty are replaced.
At times you will test and repair electrical systems such as ignition, instrumentation and lighting. All work performed is then listed, including a report on the parts replaced, on an invoice for the customer’s reference.
Career Path Options and Employment Opportunities
As the automotive industry is ever changing with their technology, more and more mechanics are choosing to specialise within a chosen area. For example in air conditioning, or fitting LPG systems. As you increase your knowledge and experience you may have opportunities to advance in your role to service manager, a technical sales representative or diagnostic specialist, depending on the size of the company you work for.
Mechanics are mostly employed by companies that run service centres within car dealerships, service stations or independently. You can also work within government areas, such as the defence force, transport companies, or local councils. As a qualified mechanic you may choose your own business, whether it be a mobile service or from a service centre.
You will need to have available capital to establish your company but with a positive attitude and a commitment to hard work you can do very well.
As an industry that is continually changing, competition for available apprenticeships is extremely high. Sports car racing, Formulae 1, Indy cars, and super cars are all at the leading edge of technology where nanoseconds make a difference. Getting a gig in a race team is surely the ambition of most generalist mechanics and will mark the emergence of a true specialist.
About the Author
Automotive Training Australia
Automotive Training Australia (ATA) is an established Industry Training Advisory Board that actively represents all sectors of the industry.
Their mission is to ensure that the automotive industry is globally competitive, efficient, and highly skilled by providing advice and assistance to relevant government departments and state bodies and through the formulation of nationally consistent and high quality training for the manufacturing and retail, service & repair sectors of the automotive industry.
Did you know the first motorcycle speedway race was held in Maitland, Australia, 1925?