Go to a local hardware store. See how many different tools there are for each job. Pick the area of the store that interests you most and ask an employee more about the tools there.

Visit a hardware store and look around.

Gain mechanical knowledge by taking a class at your school. If your school doesn't offer it, try a community college or see if you can intern or shadow a mechanic in your community.

Take a mechanics class. 

Try these quick projects from Khan Academy that you can do at home. Build a simple motor, a ping pong ball launcher, or something else from the list!

Develop mechanics knowledge with hands-on projects!

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers

Install, service, adjust, or repair coin, vending, or amusement machines including video games, juke boxes, pinball machines, or slot machines.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Miscellaneous Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Fill machines with products, ingredients, money, and other supplies.

Inspect machines and meters to determine causes of malfunctions and fix minor problems such as jammed bills or stuck products.

Test machines to determine proper functioning.

Replace malfunctioning parts, such as worn magnetic heads on automatic teller machine (ATM) card readers.

Maintain records of machine maintenance and repair.

Adjust and repair coin, vending, or amusement machines and meters and replace defective mechanical and electrical parts, using hand tools, soldering irons, and diagrams.

Record transaction information on forms or logs, and notify designated personnel of discrepancies.

Keep records of merchandise distributed and money collected.

Email software

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Web browser software

Inventory tracking software

Angled screwdrivers

Flathead screwdrivers

Phillips screwdrivers

Digital volt meters

High voltage probes

Leak seekers

Magnetic nut drivers

T handle nut drivers

Electric circuit testers

Logic probes

Allen wrenches

T handle allen wrenches

Bullet button wrenches

Contact adjusters

Digital oscilloscopes

Dual trace scopes

Cordless power saws

Electric saws

Work lights

Electric screwdrivers

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Every day

Never

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week or more but not every day

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Once a month or more but not every week

Number of hours typically worked in one week.

More than 40 hours

40 hours

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

More than half the time

About half the time

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers

Overview

Career

What Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers

Overview

Career

What Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers Do

Other Job Titles Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers

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