Yeah, I was gonna try and become certified in Cummins engines, like one of my friends that is sitting on a fortune did. There is a diesel parts shop down the road from my house for construction equipment, so I might try to go down there and get familiarized with diesel engines (we really don't work on them that much in auto class). I just haven't had the time because I'm constantly busy with my other job and right now, within the last couple weeks I've made more than I made all last summer. Lifting heavy isn't much of a problem for me, I'm an offensive and defensive lineman so I'm pretty big. Thanks for the help guys.

 

I went to Wyotech. I graduated in May '07 I am now working at Mercedes Benz in San Antonio. The education there is what you make of it IMO. If you study your Edit off and ask lots of questions and you are there every day of class you learn more. Im satisfied with my education. I do agree with you though some of the instructors are Edit, I had one instructor tell me to look in my book the whole Edit phase of drivetrain. There are lots of people that give the school a bad name cause you can graduate and still be a Edit moron. Look into UTI they have an excel program that teaches you to work on specific brands of top of the line cars. Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volvo, and VW.

 

I was a mechanic for about 25 years. I now manage a custom fabrication shop. In my years as a mechanic and manager I've learned that being a good mechanic requires a good memory and common sense which is something school just cant teach you.
I hired a tech. from wyotech about three years ago. Best decision I made. But I don't beleive he learned his skills from school. I think its common sense more than anything else. I probably would not have giving him a chance if he didn't have a degree.
I believe school will get you in the door but its up to you to to stay there.
Anyway good luck in your choice in school.
Education isnt cheap but lack of it costs alot more.
Ray

 

Another vote for unoh here. I love the eduction that you get from there. I will be graduating in about 4-5 months.

 

Thats what we were told in our apprenticeship, you don't start really learing until you get out in the field. School is definitely what you make of it. I loved school but I also studied my butt off. I graduated at the top (2nd to the top anyway) of a class of 50 and I never, ever had a problem getting a job but like I said I worked very hard. I can tell you for sure, there are many "mechanics" out there. If you want to do something other than oil changes and brake jobs then stay ahead of the pack.

 

30 years ago i went to the local auto tech classes here in the portland community college and always was in the top two in the class. left to start work at a local phone company as a fleet mech. stayed 11 years. go to school learn some of the why it works that way theory. as far as diesel school the same college has a pretty good diesel school thought about taking some coarses there . but alittle reading on the forums and asking for alittle help here works wonders.

 

i have worked on cars and trucks most of my life, i am in the high performance side, i have worked with enough "light duty" diesels in my own time that i didnt have to take the diesel classes, another reason is that they are geared toward "heavy duty" diesels, one day they are thinking of putting a high performance diesel class in but they aint sure yet.

 

I have gotten a lot of my knowledge of cars just from hanging out with my older friends, surfing the net, and working on the trucks that break down after a lil muddin'. I'm seriously considering UNOH to be my #1 school to apply to. I checked out their site and the school seems great. I'd really like to go through the diesel and high performance courses. I really want to come back to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to open up a diesel performance and offroad performance shop, because there are like two diesel shops and a hand full of offroad shops over here. Thanks for the input guys.

 

A VERY select few!! I had fun there, mostly in Ft. Collins, mainly was in Laramie to go to school and sleep, other than that my roommates and I were down there.

Id deffinatley agree that it is what you make of it, and that school cant really teach you everything, you pretty much have experience prior or you get nothing. I went for autobody because I can wrench pretty well, but had never so much as held a spray gun, and since I have old cars, I wanted to be able to do everything on them beginning to end. But yea, if a person doesnt know basics of vehicles and has never done much work on one other than driving it, then a tech school wont, and cant, teach them everything and itll be more frustrating for them. Just the way I see it...