My son wants to be a “REAL” Auto mechanic, and I have no idea what route to take. By real I mean someone who can work on high end autos (BMW, Etc) He just started high school and they have no automotive program.I dont want him to go to a fly-by-night tech school and end up doing brake jobs and oil changes. Anyone have any real experience with Wyotech?What would be the best path.
some of the best car manufacturers have their own training programs. In European countries their school programs work differently, by high school age kids have chosen a specialty and they start training with specific companies. I believe BMW has a training program where they take students at high school age and start training them to be engineers. I’m not sure if they have similar programs if you just want to be a mechanic but its worth investigating.
You might go to some local high-end shops like a BMW dealership. Ask some of the mechanics what route they took. Ask an owner or manager what they would look for when hiring new mechanics.
Good Luck.
If he has an aptitude for it, and motivation and interest, good technical schools aren’t bad.
UTI in Arizona has a good program.
Getting the ASE certifications is good too.
Just because a vehicle is considered “high end” doesn’t mean that the technology in that vehicle is different than any other vehicle. Work ethic and acquired skills are what the “high end” dealerships look for…
Getting him into some science, electronics, physics, and computer classes at a local community college would help too. Then he could later apply that knowledge to engineering and other things in life…. like answering questions on Yahoo Answers…..
Call some high-end dealer service dept’s and ask the service manager what he would recommend—some shops take younger people of working age and have them do low order jobs while they also attend a trade school or get factory learning. Not familiar with Wyotech other than commercials but have not heard good things about them—can’t trust commercials…best to call some trade schools or talk to people in the business especially master tech’s.
I am Mechanic and shop owner.
My idea about the expensive technical schools is ,they are an scam.
the public technical school are very good ,an the teachers that goes there to teach are the number one in the industry.
being mechanic is vocational and so ,vocational is the teaching mechanics,after so many years in the field (almost 40) I am more than willing to teach for free in the public school,I am not doing it yet ,but ,that is just yet.
the public schools teaching programs does not accept people without extensive experience.
I personally know many mechanics old ones and new ones.,none of them wants to teach at the rich kids schools.because ,is a lose time ,effort and patience
I own a shop ,ten mechanic in the floor AND I DEFINITIVE RECOMMEND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
it is true that Mercedes Benz,BMW,VW and many company has trainings for Mechanic but, not before …….the technical school.
I’m a former mechanic myself, schools like Wyotech and UTI are very expensive. My son, who is now a diesel engine technician, has worked with a number of these graduates and has not been impressed with the quality of their knowledge. If there are community colleges in your area, I think your son would be better off to attend a community college. The military is also a great place to learn these skills, but that also has other considerations.
I’m assuming, of course, that your son has a decent mechanical aptitude, which is something no school can teach. Being a mechanic can be a hard way to earn a living, but it can also be very rewarding.
Good luck to your son, whatever he chooses to do.
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I never thought about it that way.