Career in Automotive Development? Advice Please?

MiissTL

Hello all,

My boyfriend is currently an apprentice mechanic in a main dealers.
He is 21 but very good with cars.
He has never worked in a garage before but is expected to know how to do everything.
He feels he is being thought nothing and lately he finds himself brushing the floor for most of the day and running around doing errands that are of no benefit to him.

Now I know he is only an apprentice and they are expected to do this etc. etc. but this company has not registered him yet apparently and so he will have to wait longer and longer to be called to FAS.. In my opinion, they are using the cheap labour. He should be being taught and not doing the work of qualified mechanics.

He is now wondering if there are any automotive courses in any colleges in Ireland?

He's very bright and has many aspirations, he would like to one day be working with some car manufacturer on the development side of things. (Dream Big! )

Does anybody know of how he could begin on this route?

I know doing a mechanic apprenticeship is a good start but he's not happy with his workplace and won't complain because he knows he is lucky to have a job.

He wants to consider going down another route or even looking for another employer!

I believe being happy is the most important thing in life and so want to help him to achieve that.

If anybody has any experience or advice I would love to hear from you and would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for reading.!

melekalikimaka

http://www.dit.ie/study/undergraduate/programmes/automotivemanagementtechnologydt007/

Xenophile

MiissTL wrote: »

Hello all,

My boyfriend is currently an apprentice mechanic in a main dealers.
He is 21 but very good with cars.
He has never worked in a garage before but is expected to know how to do everything.
He feels he is being thought nothing and lately he finds himself brushing the floor for most of the day and running around doing errands that are of no benefit to him.

Now I know he is only an apprentice and they are expected to do this etc. etc. but this company has not registered him yet apparently and so he will have to wait longer and longer to be called to FAS.. In my opinion, they are using the cheap labour. He should be being taught and not doing the work of qualified mechanics.

He is now wondering if there are any automotive courses in any colleges in Ireland?

He's very bright and has many aspirations, he would like to one day be working with some car manufacturer on the development side of things. (Dream Big! )

Does anybody know of how he could begin on this route?

I know doing a mechanic apprenticeship is a good start but he's not happy with his workplace and won't complain because he knows he is lucky to have a job.

He wants to consider going down another route or even looking for another employer!

I believe being happy is the most important thing in life and so want to help him to achieve that.

If anybody has any experience or advice I would love to hear from you and would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for reading.!

To like cars and have a job as an apprentice mechanic is dream job for many young people.

No big deal about Fas, they are undergoing transition at the moment so maybe the less said the better.

If he would like to work with a car manafacturer he will need to learn a foreign language and this he would need to start doing at the age he is now if he wishes to become fluent.

You can learn theory from books, DVDs. etc. Something else he could do is buy some electronic diagnostic and maybe other equipment and work on friends and family cars at home. Payment for this equipment can be arranged over a period of time with a parts supplier or through leasing or hire purchase.

To be in a workshop environment is the best training of all. I assure you that if he leaves that job there would be many many applicants rushing to try and get his job. Many young entrants into garages would now go in just to be there whether they are taken in as apprentices or general workers.

I would encourage him to hang on in there.

BostonB

I know nothing about it, but it seems to me if you want to get in with the design and development, you need to be doing an engineering course, and something that's with a good rep internationally, so a course in the UK or further afield.

When I was in college places like ford used to come in head hunting engineers. I dunno if thats still the case.

chris85

If he wishes to get in on the design end of things eventually he would need to become an Engineer. Mechanical/manufacturing/automotive engineer would give good understanding of knowledge required to get into this area. Would need to get a degree and would take 4 years in most colleges.

An apprentice is good but in terms of getting into the design aspect it will not be enough. There is more to the design aspect than just knowing cars. its all well and good knowing how to fit an engine but designing one has a mental amount of work required in it.

Hope he gets sorted.