Automotive Technology Jobs in Hampton Roads, Virginia

Automotive technology is a field that generally has many job openings and opportunities to practice and grow in your career. Some of the duties of an automotive technician include:

• Keeping equipment available for use. This is by inspecting and servicing vehicles. They also help maintain the vehicles by changing oils, engine turn-ups, replacing filters, and wheel balancing.
• Maintaining vehicle appearance by washing, paintings and doing regular cleaning.
• Ensure the functional conditions of vehicles by conducting inspections, repairing failed engines, repairing the electrical and mechanical systems, and listening to operator claims.
• Maintaining vehicle records

Automotive technicians undertake several other jobs and responsibilities.

Some of the technicians do not feel they need any formal education. They get started at the entry level and keep learning as they practice. However, this way, becoming an expert, could take several years. It is therefore advisable to obtain a college degree to help you gain the skills, and knowledge you will need, much faster.

Big Automotive Tech employers in Hampton Roads

These are some of the biggest employing industries of automotive technicians in Hampton Roads.

• Government/military – Both the state and the federal government have a fleet of cars that need to be serviced and maintained. This means they will require the services of an automotive technician. The military tracks and cars as well.
• Service Industry – Most companies in the services need to move from place to place getting to clients hence their cars must be well serviced and maintained.
• Fire – The fire engines need regular maintaining and service for assured reliability in case of fire emergencies.
• Manufacturing – the manufacturers must have well-maintained vehicles to help to supply their finished products and also to get the raw materials.

There are more than 20000 people employed by the Virginia automotive industry. In total, 118 are in parts sector out of 158 companies.

Why It is Important to Earn a Degree before Applying

Even in as much as being an automotive technician does not necessarily require a college degree. It is in your favor for you to have it. These are some of the ways the degree is good for you.

Get work more easily: The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that automotive technicians with a college degree find it easier to land a job as compared to the ones without the degree. This is to say that those with the degree have more appeal to the employers as they are deemed more knowledgeable, hence, most likely to deliver better.

Potential for better start jobs: Most of the techs that start working without a degree spend much time mostly several years learning the trade as they work. This is mostly at the entry level. This is different when someone has a degree. At this point, you are most likely to skip the entry level and get straight to your career as a technician. You can secure a position with lots of responsibilities as formal education equips you with the necessary knowledge to handle the position.

Variety of employers to choose from: The demand for a mechanical technician is always high no doubt. Having a college degree only adds the pomp to it. You will come out of college with several companies chasing after your services. You also have the choice to either stick with a particular automotive company or move from place to place. The choice is yours.

More knowledge and skills: Learning the trade of automotive tech is the best way to get knowledge and skills at the same time. It, therefore, implies that the degree will not only help your prospects at securing employment but also give you the needed skills to prosper at the job. This is a good catalyst to help grow your career.

Potential better salary: When you already have the skills employers are looking for and you don’t need copious amounts of training in order to do the job, employers generally give an educated and trained candidate a higher starting salary than someone they would have to start from the ground up with.

How Someone can Reach their Goals through Formal Education

Everyone has career goals they want to achieve in time. If you are an automotive technician who wants to rise to the top of your career, then formal education is the way to go. Having a formal education could help you raise the ranks faster and reach the levels that those without the degree are unlikely to get to.

If you’d like to learn more about the Associate in Occupational Science Degree in Automotive Technology with Service Management from ATI, admissions counselors are waiting for your call. Connect with ATI today to see if becoming an auto mechanic is in your future.