In order to become a master technician, you need to complete a postsecondary program. While there are some training programs that take as little as six months to complete, most require around two years to complete. After completing a two-year program, you will generally earn an associate degree in the field.
Once you have completed your formal education, you can then work toward earning an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. Certification must be obtained in different areas of automotive repair, including suspension and steering, engine repair, electrical systems, brake systems, and heating and air conditioning. In order to become a master technician, you need to be certified in all eight of the available categories.
It is possible to obtain an entry-level position as an automotive technician. In this case, it takes two to five years of on the job training to become fully qualified as a technician. In order to become considered a master technician, however, some form of formal education is generally required.
