Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Moving to The US and have some questions


  Email This Post



Ully55
New User

Feb 4, 2020, 6:39 PM

Post #1 of 8 (1640 views)
Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

Hi guys, I'm currently in a pre-apprenticeship course in Canada, but I'm American by birth and looking to move back to the states upon completion of this program. I have a little over a year of experience in a shop which made me decide that I wanted to pursue this as a career. But I know that the US and Canada aren't the same. So I was curious how a newcomer to the industry in the states should go about finding a job/apprenticeship, and hoping that some US based techs would be able to help me out a bit. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 4, 2020, 6:53 PM

Post #2 of 8 (1635 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

You're going to have to look for an entry level position where you can work beside and under a lead tech that is willing to teach you the ropes. It will take years of experience and tens of thousands of dollars in tools before you get good enough to bring in the big bucks.
The training and learning never ends.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Ully55
New User

Feb 5, 2020, 12:15 PM

Post #3 of 8 (1603 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

So it sounds like there isn't really an apprenticeship program. Would it be a good idea to take an entry level job at say Firestone or a large chain shop for some experience then look into getting into a dealership? How do they keep track of experience for writing the ASE exams?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 5, 2020, 12:23 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1596 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

No, we have no official apprentice program like Canada.
You just need 2 years experience to qualify to take the ASE tests.

A chain store would be OK but I doubt you would learn anything from them. They don't hire quality people. The ideal situation would be a high quality independent shop that will bring you up through the ranks and has a good lead tech that will work with you.
I taught a few myself but I'm retired now.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Double J
Veteran / Moderator
Double J profile image

Feb 5, 2020, 8:03 PM

Post #5 of 8 (1572 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

There is the ASEP program thru General Motors
Might be something you may be interested in pursuing
Click
Had a few ASEP'ers come thru my Dealerships over the years
Also ,Dealers by me are always hiring lube techs
Might be an option to hire in as a lube tech ,work your way up,make your bones that route


Ully55
New User

Feb 6, 2020, 4:16 PM

Post #6 of 8 (1528 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

Thanks for the replies everyone! Definitely helped steer me in the right direction as to what I should be looking for. Can't thank y'all enough as I was having a tough time finding any information online. Thanks again!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 6, 2020, 4:30 PM

Post #7 of 8 (1524 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

You're welcome, come back any time.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Feb 7, 2020, 3:26 AM

Post #8 of 8 (1500 views)
Re: Moving to The US and have some questions Sign In

Best of luck Ully55. We (people in general) need good and motivated techs this and most skilled trades, this one involves many areas of expertise.
Just some thoughts and suggestions to help make it all work out is OMG watch out for the tool expense that YOU should and will be a must to own yourself!


It's hard but try not to go over your head in easy borrowing the money to acquire them to find you dug a hole near impossible to climb out of.


Most important is learn to be easy on your bod with plain lifting, how to save your back (learn that) and good footwear for all seasons plus lots more.


Aim to be best at what you do and keep up with ever changing or updated way of the trade including after hours (few of those if real serious) classes in keeping up.


Last for now is try NOT to get angry at things that just aren't working out or very difficult. Just trust me it's not productive for YOU or anyone as this like other skills are not always so easy.


Again, best of luck,


Tom







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap