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Starting my career as a tech with Dodge

306Doba

Well-Known Member
Local time
6:47 AM
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
395
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Location
Saskatoon, SK/Victoria, B.C
Well I just recently finished a 7 month 1st year automotive service tech course in September and have been handing out resumes since. Had an interview at the Dodge dealer down the road from me and just heard back from them today that I got the job! I'll just be starting off as a lube tech for the first 6months to a year but i'm fine with that (actually kinda what I was hoping for) because I don't have any prior experience working on cars(not counting shop time in school). The best part is I live on the same street as the dealership and it's about a 5min walk to work. Super pumped!

Once I bank 1500hrs I can go back to school for my 2nd year, and after I complete my 4th year of school i'll be a fully licenced tech able to work anywhere in Canada.

Any Dodge techs here with tips for a total newbie? lol
 
congrats Doba.....i just hope for your sake that cars are still around in 4 years that are running on gasoline.

i went to a tech school back in 1982...( yeah , around the same time all cars were going to onboard computers )....needless to say, they didnt teach us that in the school...and i never worked as a tech . kinda good in a way coz if i did that for a living, i more than likely would not love to turn wrenches for a hobby !.

best of luck and BONUSSSSSSSS having work 5 minutes away from home!
 
Good luck.

I kinda had the same experience as tpdwdog (and feelings), although I did work very breifly at a goodyear shop (which sucked, BTW)

The mid 80's were a really tough transition period. Lots of marginally tested and not well understood tech from the manufacturers and little experience and quality training in the field.

I understand it's MUCH better now, and the internet has to be a HUGE help.

Good luck again, and congratulations!
 
Congratulations, Doba. Remember these words - work hard, work honest and work fast. God bless in your new career.
 
Yeah we were givin plenty of warning that we could be working only on electric cars within the next 10 years haha. For only being a 1st year course we actually learned quite a bit about automotive electricity/electronics, OBD II and III, drive by wire, ect.

HT413, that is good advice, good work ethic is everything! pretty sure that's what got me the job, the guy who hired me said my refferences (old bosses) spoke highly of me haha. I like working late, taking short or no breaks and coming in on weekends/holidays. One of my old bosses likes me so much I still have the key/alarm code to his detail shop and can come in any time if I need to wash/clean my car.
 
Congrats, Doba - best of luck with your career!
 
Congrats bud!! I wish you all the luck in this..
 
congrats Doba.....i just hope for your sake that cars are still around in 4 years that are running on gasoline.

i went to a tech school back in 1982...( yeah , around the same time all cars were going to onboard computers )....needless to say, they didnt teach us that in the school...and i never worked as a tech . kinda good in a way coz if i did that for a living, i more than likely would not love to turn wrenches for a hobby !.

best of luck and BONUSSSSSSSS having work 5 minutes away from home!

Congrats Doba! Understand tpodwdog. I have been a maintenance mechanic for 25 yrs. and sometimes turning wrenches at work makes no fun turning wrenches at home ( hate working on my wife's and my primary vehicles ( the GTX even becomes a pain in the *** sometimes). CAN YOU SAY BURNED OUT!
 
Congrats Doba! Understand tpodwdog. I have been a maintenance mechanic for 25 yrs. and sometimes turning wrenches at work makes no fun turning wrenches at home ( hate working on my wife's and my primary vehicles ( the GTX even becomes a pain in the *** sometimes). CAN YOU SAY BURNED OUT!

yes,,,yes i can say BURNED OUT . im a carpenter by trade and my house needs gutters,,,and the fence fixxed and i really gotta get a ridge cap on the barn before winter ( thats where the mopars live )....i could go on and on....you know what they say.... the cobblers kids always need shoes ...and the plumbers sink leaks !
 
I know what you mean, i've been detailing/cleaning cars for a while now but you'd never know that by looking inside my ride. Something about doing work for free that you would normally get paid for just turns you off of it even if it benefits you in the end.
 
congrats Doba.....i just hope for your sake that cars are still around in 4 years that are running on gasoline.

i went to a tech school back in 1982...( yeah , around the same time all cars were going to onboard computers )....needless to say, they didnt teach us that in the school...and i never worked as a tech . kinda good in a way coz if i did that for a living, i more than likely would not love to turn wrenches for a hobby !.

best of luck and BONUSSSSSSSS having work 5 minutes away from home!

I have been at it almost 20 years professionally. Started in my early teens when I was introduced to mopars. Went to tech school right out of high school. Was hired on my 19th birthday for my first job as a mechanic. I remember hooking school to stay home and work on my car. I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
You gotta have gas pumping through your veins to do this for a living now days. But, if i could go back and do things different I would still be a mechanic. Other aspects of my life I would change, but I would still fix cars. And you would think that doing this all day long would make me want to not do it on my own car but that is not the case. It makes it easier to do the hobby. It allows me to enjoy it that much more. Maybe its me, maybe Im just crazy. I don't know. But, i love working on cars. It does suck *** at times, but you plow through the hard times and that makes you appreciate the good times even more.
I still get giddy working on my old cars like i did when I was a teenager. Working all day is the bread and butter stuff. But the old stuff...... thats dessert! When you are in a groove, radio playing your favorite tunes, working on your car, everything is going perfect. Those are the moments man. Its like a religious experience. I used to call the garage church and mopar was my religion.
I will probably go to hell for worshipping false idols. So be it.

- - - Updated - - -

Chrysler/Fiat is a good company to work for. Dealer connect is a great resource and the technical assitance center knows their stuff too. Once they start sending you to training and you get past the crawling stage and start walking you will see. The first 5 years will be the hardest. You know the least, and don't make much because of it. You have minimal tools, and buying more is tough since you don't make that much. Eventually you will learn more, make more and the tool man will be paid off.
The other guys in the shop will treat you similar to prospect for a motorcycle club, if you are lucky. They will give you a hard way to go at first to test your grit. This is a good thing. That means they like you and think you may have what it takes. I have a feeling you will be fine. roll with the punches, don't be a wuss and they will be more willing to help you along the way.
 
Congrats, great job, now get to work...LOL... Newbie Mopar/Dodge Tech.
 
Congratulations on the new job. My advice to you is to spendthe extra money to buy quality tools and mark them. When you find that tool youhave been looking for all week across the shop you'll know for sure it's yoursbecause it has your mark on it. I put my employee number on them with an electric pen. Most of my tools are Craftsman with afew Snap-on, they have served me well since the 70's.
I know that nowadays you can find an answer for just about anything on the Internet, butif someone shows you how to fix that really unusual problem that you just can'tfigure out on your own, make some notes and keep them in a folder somewhere.The problem is bound to pop up again and you'll know just what to do. Good luckand have some fun.
 
Congratulations. I hope you love it, because that's what it takes. I don't know how it is in Canada, but here's how it is in the states. ...and no offense meant, this is just the way it is. There are really no "technicians" left in dealer service departments, only well paid and educated parts replacers. Here's why.

With every single warranty repair, you're in touch with some factory pencil pushing "engineer" basically telling you what to do. There's no room for technician diagnostic time anymore. No room for individual acheivement or imagination. You have to play within the rules of the game. Some people are great with that. I never was. I saw it coming at the local GM dealer back in the late 80s with the GM "Cams Machine". It was online communication between dealerships and General Motors. It has progressed over time.

I wouldn't wish being a mechanic for a living on anyone. Somebody is always looking to cut your time on something to save a dollar. One thing I will recommend. FLip your ticket over and punch in and out on it on the time clock with all your warranty repairs and write a DETAILED explanation of your repair. I used to beat hell out of warranty everytime like that. At least it worked for me.

Good luck and you'll know real quick whether or not it's for you.
 
Congrats On Your New Job With Dodge & Mopar! I Worked At The Warren, Michigan Mopar Hustle Stuff, Direct Connection And Mopar Performance Parts Distribution Center! Welcome To The Family!
 
Thanks for the well wishes everyone!

First week and a bit has been great, I was expecting it to be a cut throat atmosphere but everyone has been extremely helpful. Nothing but a bunch of great people working there, any time I have a question they stop what they're doing and come help me or give me advice. Honestly couldn't ask for a better work enviroment.
 
Good to hear, Doba.
 
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