Mechanic

Program Concentration: Agriculture

Pathway: Agricultural Mechanics

By Barbara Mackessy

Main Job Duties from the DOT• Repairs and overhauls automobiles, buses, trucks, and other automotive vehicles:

Examines vehicle and discusses with customer or Automobile-Repair-Service Estimator (automotive ser.); Automobile Tester (automotive ser.); or Bus Inspector (automotive ser.) nature and extent of damage or malfunction. Plans work procedure, using charts, technical manuals, and experience. Raises vehicle, using hydraulic jack or hoist, to gain access to mechanical units bolted to underside of vehicle. Removes unit, such as engine, transmission, or differential, using wrenches and hoist. Disassembles unit and inspects parts for wear, using micrometers, calipers, and thickness gauges. Repairs or replaces parts, such as pistons, rods, gears, valves, and bearings, using mechanic's handtools. Overhauls or replaces carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters, and pumps. Rebuilds parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks, using lathes, shapers, drill presses, and welding equipment. Rewires ignition system, lights, and instrument panel. Relines and adjusts brakes, aligns front end, repairs or replaces shock absorbers, and solders leaks in radiator. Mends damaged body and fenders by hammering out or filling in dents and welding broken parts. Replaces and adjusts headlights, and installs and repairs accessories, such as radios, heaters, mirrors, and windshield wipers. May be designated according to specialty as Automobile Mechanic, Motor (automotive ser.); Bus Mechanic (automotive ser.); Differential Repairer (automotive ser.); Engine-Repair Mechanic, Bus (automotive ser.); Foreign-Car Mechanic (automotive ser.); Truck Mechanic (automotive ser.). May be designated: Compressor Mechanic, Bus (automotive ser.); Drive-Shaft-And-Steering-Post Repairer (automotive ser.); Engine-Head Repairer (automotive ser.);

Motor Assembler (automotive ser.).

Education and Training• According to the GCIS, national certification is available. Applicants must pass exams

and have two years of work experience.

• Formal training and on-the-job training is best according to the GCIS.

• According to the OOH, formal automotive training is the best preparation. Classes should be taken in high school and at a post secondary school

• According to Military Careers, job training takes 29 weeks of classroom instruction. Helpful school subjects include auto mechanics and industrial arts.

• Automotive Service Excellent ASE administers a comprehensive series of exams for a person to become a certified technician. (asecert.org)

• You will need a solid education (NATEF).

• GOE GED Codes R4, M3, L3

• Cars a mechanic has to have a high diploma and a drivers license. (Careers Without College _

• According to the Georgia Department of Labor a mechanic needs a high school diploma plus 2 to 4 years of education, training, or apprenticeship.

• Education would require one to three years after high school. (People at Work)

Working Conditions and Demands (GCIS)

• Must use force to remove some parts• Must be able to stoop and crouch• Must reach for objects• Must use fingers to pick things up• Must have good vision• Must be a good judge of distances• Must be able to visualize objects from pictures• Must be able to determine and solve problems• Test driving may be required• Some companies require mechanic to be on call• Road side service may be a job requirement

Working Conditions (Career cruising)

• Work indoors• Sometimes noisy and drafty• May have exhaust fumes, most are well-ventilated • Work in awkward positions• Handle heavy parts• Handle greasy parts• Work 40-48 hours per week• Saturday work may be required• 7% work part time• Cost of tools range between 1,000 and 2,000 dollars• 25% of the mechanics are self employed• Work for car dealerships, rental agencies, repair shops and

service stations

Tools (GCIS)• Air tools• Hand tools• Hoists• Auto equipment• Balancers• Battery charger• Brake machine• Charts• Checklist• Guages• Computer• Diagnostic equipemtn• Infrared engine analyzers• Jacks

• Welding equipment• Tire machines• Spark plug testers• Power tools• Manuals• Laths• Motor analyzers• Grinding machines• Flame-cutting equipment• Electronic service

equipment• Pens and pencils• Cost estimates• Pneumatic wrenches

Salary• According to the GCIS computer program a mechanic in

Georgia will earn an average wage of 2,310 per month ($27,720 annually)

• Median hourly earning was $13.70 in 2000 according to the OOH.

• Many master mechanics earn $70,000 to $100,000 annually according to the OOH

• Earn $60,000 or more per year (NATEF).• GOE Salary Code = 5 Highest over $28,000 annually• According to Careers Without College – Cars a person will

make more than $24,000 per year.• According to the Georgia Department of Labor a mechanic in

Georgia will average over $12.05 per hour.• According to People at Work, the pay is good.

Benefits

• Benefits depend upon where you work (GCIS).• Benefits may include holiday pay, sick day pay,

vacation days, insurance (Career Cruising).• According to the OOH, larger shops have paid

vacations, sick leave and health insurance as benefits but smaller shops don’t usually provide any benefits.

• According to iseek, benefits include vacation, sick leave and health insurance.

• Some companies pay a percent of the repairs completed. (no source provided so no points will be added)

Outlook for Employment• According to the GCIS program the needed mechanics will

increase at 14% through 2016.• Opportunities are expected to be very good in the future

according to the OOH.• GOE Outlook Code = 4 (Moderately high – can be found in a

couple of weeks• According to Careers Without College the outlook of the

mechanics varies depending on the training that the person has accomplished

• According to People at Work, the outlook is good. • Georgia Department of Labor states that they have over 900

openings per year in Georgia = good outlook

GOE Aptitudes• G3 = Average general learning ability• V3= Average verbal ability• N4= Low numerical ability• S2= High Spatial• P3= Average form perception• Q4= Clerical perception• K3= Average motor coordination• F3= Average finger dexterity• M2= High manual dexterity• E4 = Low eye-hand-foot coordination• C4= Low color discrimination

Typical day or week• A sample day:

• An mechanic spends eight hours working with coworkers.

• An mechanic spends nine hours working by yourself.

• An mechanic spends zero hours working with numbers.

• An mechanic spends zero hours writing or drawing.

• An mechanic spends zero hours creating or making things.

• An mechanic spends two hours running machinery.

• An mechanic spends eight hours on the phone.

• An mechanic spends zero hours using the computer.

• An mechanic spends zero hours working outside.

• A mechanic spends eight hours working inside.

• An mechanic spends zero hours working at a desk.

• A mechanic spends eight hours on their feet.

• A mechanic spends zero hours doing physical work.

• A mechanic spends zero hours travelling.

• A mechanic spends eight hours serving customers/clients.

• A sample day for a mechanic would start 8-9am completing unfinished work from the day before and answering the phone . On the average day from 9-12 the mechanic would be waiting on customers, examining and diagnosing machines, engines and/or doing repairs. They would go to lunch from 12-1pm. Then from 1-4pm the mechanic would be returning phone calls, examining , diagnosing and repairing machines , equipment and/or engines. Then from 4-5pm they would organize their days work, try to complete any unfinished repairs, continue to answer questions and return calls to customers or clients along with finishing any paperwork remaining from the day. (Career Cruising)

Other Interesting Facts (GOE)• GOE Temperaments J = Judging based on feelings or estheticsM= Making decisions based on factsT= Doing Precision work, to close tolerancesV =Changing task often, varied dutiesGOE Physical V =G – Normal vision neededH=G Normal hearing neededL=M Medium lifting neededW = Walking and/or mobility neededS = Stooping, kneeling, crouching and/or crawling neededH = Handling, fingering, feeling and/or reaching neededGOE Work Environment: I = Indoors, N= Noise and/or Vibration

Satisfactions and Dissatisfactions (OOH)

Good: Work Independently

Variety of repairs

The knowledge – there are more computers on the cars today than on the first air craft to reach the moon.

Should enjoy working with your hands and solving problems.

Bad:

Greasy hands

Working weekends

Must be orderly to avoid injury and to keep track of tools

Uncomfortable positions

Must be physically capable of lifting heavy objects.

 Hello, my name is ________ __________I’m a seventh grade student at Woodland Middle School. I’m doing a research project on a mechanic in my Career Connection class. I would like to ask you a couple of questions about your job if you have time. Question #1. Why did you choose this job?  Question # 2 What do you like best about your job? And why? Question #3 Would you recommend this job for someone starting out today? Why or Why not? Thank you very much for the information and your time. I really appreciate it. Thank you very much. After you get off the telephone. Write down the name of the person with whom you talked and the phone number. Record the time of day and the date of the phone call.

• Your Name• Your Street Address• City, State, Zip Code• Today’s Date•  • Organization or Company Name (From Reference)• Street Address• City, State, Zip Code•  • To Whom It May Concern: (Greeting)•  • I’m a seventh grade student at _________ Middle School. I’m interested in the Agricultural

Concentration specializing in the Agricultural Mechanic Pathway. At this time I am especially interested in a mechanical profession such as a mechanic.

• I would appreciate it if you would send me some information on the mechanical profession with some specific information about the career of a mechanic.

• Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon. • Sincerely,

Your Name

References and Sources• NATEF – Career Information http://www.natef.org/career.cfm• ASE – Test Information

http://www.asecert.org/test/test_information.htm• Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanics

http://www.militarycareers.com/occ/eautmech.htm• Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Occupational

Outlook Handbook http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos181.htm• Automobile Mechanics Georgia Career Information System (GCIS)• GOE pages155, xiii, xiv, 19 and 20• DOT Dictionary of Occupational Titles http://www.stepfour.com• Georgia Department of Labor, Labor Market Information• Careers Without College – Cars pages 41-49• People at Work page 280