This blog is the first installment in Tony Molla’s three-part series highlighting the abundance and diversity of opportunities offered by careers in the transportation industry.
Parents, if becoming an automotive technician is not high on your list of career choices for your child, perhaps it’s time to look again. Automotive service and repair has changed dramatically in just the span of a generation. Working in the automotive service and repair industry is now one of the high-tech careers that is always in demand and can’t be outsourced overseas.
Sophisticated computerized control systems unheard of 30 years ago are now standard equipment on much of the nation’s fleet of vehicles. Modern driver assist systems, such as stability and traction control, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking and variable valve timing, just to name a few, are part of the rolling computer network we use every day for personal transportation. In the 21st Century, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles are commonplace; hydrogen fuel cell and other alternative fuel vehicles are deployed in municipal fleets around the country, and internet connections, voice recognition commands and GPS mapping are available in economy to luxury models.
Given the advance of technology and a richly varied automotive industry that offers an array of positions and career paths, the future is bright for talented young persons with math, science, communications and technical skills. And unlike many high-tech careers that require four, six, or even eight years of college, automotive technology careers can begin after just two years of education. As with any career, lifelong learning and continuing education is necessary, but the simple fact is, students in automotive technology can get out into the real world sooner – and with less college debt. This is the first of a series of blogs wherein we’ll explore the wealth of choices and opportunities a career in the automotive service industry can offer. I think you’ll find it an enlightening journey. Next up: job prospects and career paths that may surprise you.
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