Enroll in an automotive class at your school, in your community, or online and give it a try! Explore different fields: design, mechanics, engineering, technology, and more. 

Education

Take an automotive class.

Decide on something you want to try building, then look up tutorials and videos on Google and Youtube. Start small and work with what you have or can easily acquire.

Advice

Build something!

Got a great idea for a business? Do research, audit a business class, interview local business owners, or talk to your mentors and find out what it takes to start your own business. 

Skills

Learn how to start your own business. 

Automotive Master Mechanics

Repair automobiles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. Master mechanics repair virtually any part on the vehicle or specialize in the transmission system.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Second Interest High-Point

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

First Interest High-Point

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Automotive Technicians and Repairers

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Examine vehicles to determine extent of damage or malfunctions.

Test drive vehicles and test components and systems, using equipment such as infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and computerized diagnostic devices.

Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes.

Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors.

Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.

Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience.

Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.

Confer with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements.

Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.

Disassemble units and inspect parts for wear, using micrometers, calipers, and gauges.

Overhaul or replace carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters, and pumps.

Repair and service air conditioning, heating, engine cooling, and electrical systems.

Repair or replace parts such as pistons, rods, gears, valves, and bearings.

Tear down, repair, and rebuild faulty assemblies, such as power systems, steering systems, and linkages.

Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels.

Install and repair accessories, such as radios, heaters, mirrors, and windshield wipers.

Repair manual and automatic transmissions.

Rebuild parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks.

2-channel lab scopes

3 pound sledge hammers

5 pound sledge hammers

5-gas emissions analyzers

Adjustable wrenches

Air compressors

Air conditioner chargers

Air drills

Air sanders

Alignment wrenches

Allen wrenches

Alternating current/direct current AC/DC inductive current clamps

Anti-lock braking system ABS/air bag scan tools

Antifreeze recovery equipment

Anvils

Auto scanners

Automotive on-board diagnostics scanners

Awls

Ball joint separators

Ball peen hammers

Bandsaws

Battery chargers

Battery hydrometers

Battery load testers

Battery/alternator testers

Bearing pullers

Bench lathes

Bolt cutters

Borescopes

Box end wrenches

Brake line flaring tools

Brake rotor hones

Brake shoe tools

Brake tools

Brass hammers

Breaker bars

Buffers

Cable cutters

Calipers

Capacity testers

Carbon scrapers

Catalytic combustion analyzers

Center punches

Chain wrenches

Channel lock pliers

Circuit testers

Circular saws

Clamp-on multimeters

Claw hammers

Coil testers

Cold chisels

Combination pliers

Combination wrenches

Combustible gas detectors

Compression testers

Computerized engine analyzers

Computerized scanners

Continuity testers

Crescent wrenches

Cutting torches

Cylinder leakage testers

Deburring tools

Desktop computers

Diagnostic code readers

Diagonal cutting pliers

Dial gauges

Dial indicators

Dolly blocks

Drill bit sets

Drill presses

Dwell meters

Dynamometers

Electric drills

Engine cylinder hones

Exhaust analyzers

External snap ring pliers

Feeler gauges

Flare nut wrenches

Flat files

Forklifts

Freon recovery equipment

Front end alignment equipment

Fuel pressure testers

Gas welding equipment

Gasket scrapers

Gear puller tools

Gear wrenches

Graphing scanners

Grease guns

Grinding equipment

Hacksaws

Hammers

Hand clamps

Handheld computer diagnostic equipment

Heat guns

Hex keys

High velocity low pressure HVLP spray guns

Hoists

Hydraulic presses

Ignition module testers

Owner & Mechanic

In Washington D.C., the road-trippers interview human rights attorney Brittan Heller who speaks about "connecting the dots" of one's inklings instead of forcing life into a direction. Later, in Philadelphia, the team speaks to race car mechanic Sal Donato before interviewing Christine Borelli and Stacey Cruise, two educators who worked to revitalize a crime-ridden school.

Sal Donato

Owner & Mechanic

Videos

Sal Donato

Milestones

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Engineering

Sports

Building Things

Interviewed By

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