Work Environment
Most automotive service technicians work in well-ventilated and well-lit repair shops. Although mechanical problems can often be fixed with computers, technicians perform many tasks with greasy parts and tools, while sometimes in uncomfortable positions.
Career Outlook
Automotive service technicians, often called service technicians or service techs, inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks. Employment of automotive service technicians is expected to grow 17 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job opportunities for qualified jobseekers should be very good.
How to Become an Automotive Service Technician
Because automotive technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, some employers prefer automotive service technicians who have completed a formal training program in a postsecondary institution. Industry certification is usually required once the person is employed.
Pay (source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
The median annual wage of automotive service technicians was $35,790 in May 2010.