When I was in college, I opted to live at home, and drove into school in a beat-up old Saturn station wagon. One morning, my car broke down on the way to classes, shutting off at a stoplight and refusing to turn back on. Luckily, my family was around to have it towed to our local garage. Eventually, we got it fixed, the mechanics got paid, and I was back on the road. Once it was all over, I remember my mother saying something to me that I still think about: “Thank god there are people out there that know how these things work.”
The next time you’re around your car, or your family or friend’s car, pop open the hood and have a look at the engine. Unless you’re an expert, you probably have no idea how any of what you’re looking at works, or worse, what to do if any of it breaks. However, there’s still this idea that skilled trades like automotive service are for people who haven’t done well in school, who can’t make it into more “legitimate” jobs. Yet, it’s funny how much we need them when that tire goes flat, or the engine sputters and dies. Really, mechanics should be (and sometimes are) more respected for their specialized skills and knowledge.
If you can become one of those experts, you’ll be the one every car owner goes to, with a career that will last as long as automobiles do. Like any trade, automotive repair means skilled knowledge of something that everyone uses, but most people can’t figure out on their own. There’s even a personal angle to this, too: You can use those skills to fix your own car.
At Centennial College, there are a few ways to enter this career field, all coming from our School of Transportation. They all offer skills-based training that makes use of Ashtonbee Campus labs where students get to practice their skills on the engines and equipment they’ll be working on in their career.
If you’re looking to learn about cars, there’s the Automotive- Motive Power Technician program, which can train you to work in or run a shop. If you want something more specialized, there’s Auto Body Repair Techniques, Auto Body Repair Technician and even Automotive Painting.
But more vehicles than just cars need repair, so you can also enroll in a Truck and Coach Technician Program, as well as Motorcycle and Powersports Product Repair programs. No matter what you pick, there are opportunities for Co-op placements or Apprenticeships in each program. These involve training on the job with an employer, along with by college classes to teach you the theory. The instructors have current industry experience, and you’ll have the opportunity to work at modern, state-of-the-art labs and facilities both on and off-campus.
Working in automotive repair is a lucrative, rewarding field, and our Automotive programs can make you the kind of expert that’ll do well in the field. Plus, the next time your own car breaks down, you won’t need to call anyone, because you’ll already know what to do.
Written By: Anthony Geremia