Like many "blue collar" jobs, advances of technology have increased the technical demands and educational backgrounds of automotive service technicians and car mechanics. Cars have become so technologically advanced, many people feel it's impossible to perform any maintenance themselves anymore. As such, the importance of automotive service technicians is increasing daily. In 2002 there were approximately 818,000 automotive service technicians employed in positions in the United States alone. The majority of these workers are self-employed.
The major responsibility of an automotive service technician is to utilize their skills to diagnose the different sources of automotive problems swiftly and accurately.
Duties of automotive service technicians include:
- Writing vehicle damage repair estimates
- Repairing broken or worn mechanical components
- Maintaining repair and service records
- Installing equipment, components and systems
- Testing vehicles both before and after repair
- Repairing electrical wiring, circuits and fixtures
The automotive industry has gradually evolved from mechanical repair to computer technology. With electronic systems and computers being integrated into running vehicles, automotive service technicians must have an increasingly broad knowledge of new vehicle technologies.
The majority of automotive service technicians work 40 hour weeks in automotive repair and maintenance shops, automobile dealers and retailers of automotive parts, accessories and supplies.
