Are you a vehicle enthusiast who wishes to pique their curiosity further? The first stage is to learn how to be a mechanic. However, each state and territory have a distinct set of laws.
For instance, the process to become an auto mechanic differs slightly between Canada and other countries. It’s critical to understand the prerequisites for the field you wish to work in. You must also comprehend how each Canadian province’s legal system impacts the mechanics who operate within it.
Equally important is for you to comprehend what it takes to become a mechanic. This covers the procedures, the pay, and the employment possibilities.
Automotive technicians can choose to specialize in a variety of areas, from detailing to diesel servicing, while also learning the knowledge and useful skills necessary to succeed in many different employment environments.
There are a few procedures involved in the certification process, but with the help of this manual, you may choose the one that is best for you. Learn everything you need to know about the mechanic certification procedure and how to become a mechanic in Canada by continuing to read!
Who is a Mechanic?
Tradespeople known as mechanics are adept at repairing machinery and identifying its underlying processes using a variety of tools. The normal tasks of a mechanic include locating the broken parts of a vehicle, fixing the parts, calculating the cost of repairs, and explaining the process to consumers.
In order to understand complex technological problems, mechanics frequently specialize in one or more of these duties and complete on-the-job training and education.
How to Become a Mechanic
Becoming a mechanic in Canada is very easy. With the following procedures you should be able to learn how to become a mechanic in Canada:
1. Obtain a GED or high school diploma.
To train as a mechanic, you need a high school diploma or its equivalent. High school students can concentrate on math and science while taking electives in trades or combined work experiences to acquire credits toward an apprenticeship.
The many different kinds of apprenticeships and their advantages can be learned about through youth apprenticeship programs. Starting an apprenticeship program in high school has several benefits, such as giving you time to choose the best fit, allowing you to graduate with a training agreement signed by an employer, earning you recognition in the trades, and allowing you to finish level 1 in-school training.
As a high school equivalent, obtaining your GED also qualifies you for the educational qualifications needed to work as a mechanic. There are a total of five exams that demonstrate your high school proficiency. Your ability to think and communicate solutions in math, social studies, science, and language arts are tested on the GED. Adults interested in pursuing a career as a mechanic can gain experience by speaking with local recruitment companies to find out which colleges offer the co-op diploma program, investigating trade schools that provide traineeships and job placement opportunities, attending hosted job fairs, or enrolling in technical classroom training.
2. Acquire and Develop Essential Skills:
You can get a taste of what it’s like to work as an automotive service technician by doing an internship or joining an apprenticeship program.
Successful auto mechanics acquire a thorough knowledge of various facets of automobile repair, such as the distinction between fixing an electric engine vs a diesel engine.
This can improve your abilities as an auto technician and raise your earning potential. The personal and practical abilities listed below can improve your appeal.
- Manual dexterity: Because they frequently handle small components like screws and bolts, mechanics need to be dexterous with their hands. By removing old fasteners from salvaged body pieces, you can hone this skill.
- Physical Conditioning: Crouching, stretching, and lifting heavy items as part of your employment require good health and unrestricted mobility. Extracurricular activities are beneficial for keeping your body in good shape.
- Problem-solving skills: A mechanic utilizes diagnostic equipment to identify the issue with a car and then finds a fix. Sometimes you need to utilize your problem-solving abilities to figure out why a customer is having trouble with their car before using technical expertise to identify the issue.
- Proficiency with tools and equipment: Auto mechanics regularly examine and fix vehicles using a mix of automatic and manual tools. You can complete your work quickly and accurately if you have this knowledge and skill.
- Customer Service Skills: The majority of the task involves vehicles, but you also communicate with consumers while addressing repair options and vehicle concerns. Gaining the trust of the consumer while also being good at communicating with the customer can help the mechanic determine what is wrong with the car.
- Communication Skills: To manage customer expectations and finish projects on time, you need good communication and project management abilities. You can more easily complete other essential office chores like buying parts, scheduling, or investigating warranty coverage or recalls if you accurately communicate the type of issue that needs to be fixed and how you plan to address it.
- Adaptability: Mechanics frequently engage with electrical tools and equipment over the course of their job, handling them in accordance with the necessary safety guidelines. Additionally, they could help out other technicians or talk repair strategies over with a client.
3. Seek an Apprenticeship
Apprentices complete their technical training hours by enrolling in college-level coursework while working under the supervision of a qualified journeyperson to gain the skills necessary to become a mechanic.
Contact the Ministry of Training to register once an employer has agreed to sponsor you as an apprentice. A typical apprenticeship comprises 720 hours of professional training and 6,500 hours of work experience.
Job training may involve doing standard auto maintenance, changing or rotating tires, giving correct estimates for the work, maintaining thorough records, and making sure all tools and equipment are in good working order. You can start taking certification examinations after two years of working as an apprentice.
4. Obtain Certification
You can take the license exams after completing the necessary hours of classroom and on-the-job training. Exams for licensing or certification emphasize your understanding of the expertise needed to complete a certain task. To reduce test-day anxiety, study materials, sample exams, and instructional films are easily accessible.
You are acknowledged as a master of car repair when you receive certification from a company like Red Seal. You need a current certificate in a trade that is recognized for Red Seal status in order to register for the Red Seal examination.
A certificate with a Red Seal on it indicates that the holder has demonstrated the knowledge necessary to meet the national standard. Exams for licenses assess your knowledge of:
-Utilization of instruments, machinery, and records
-communicating methods
-Identifying and fixing car systems
5. Network with Other Professionals
You can develop your abilities and build reliable resources about the newest technology and trends by networking with other professional mechanics.
The connections you make can help you learn how to network and perhaps even open up a number of job prospects. To express your gratitude, follow up with your contacts. This provides a wonderful first impression and can introduce you to additional communities centered around your industry.
Join these communities online to network with other skilled mechanics. Being an active participant in an online community is a fantastic networking opportunity.
Make an online profile for yourself and add or like articles about mechanics. This could start a chain of comments that broadens your expertise and provides links to issues in related industries.
6. Apply for Jobs
The first step in a job hunt is to make a résumé. In order to demonstrate that you are a strong contender for the position, include any job-related skills, qualifications, and experience. Keep your web portfolio and the material on your CV consistent.
Because your skills and expertise are ever-evolving, it’s critical to maintain your CV current. Employers may look up your web presence, and the reliable data shows that you pay attention to every detail. Including a tailored cover letter with your application might also improve your chances of getting the hiring manager’s attention for an interview.
Average Mechanic Pay and Working Conditions
A mechanic’s hourly wage in the United States is $31.65. This compensation can change depending on a number of variables, including your employer, geography, education, and experience.
Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Edmonton, all in Alberta, are a few of the cities with the best salaries for mechanics. Mechanics frequently operate alone or with a group of other automotive professionals in service businesses.
Some of these mechanics might have distinct areas of expertise, such bodywork, paint restoration, and diesel engines. Here is a list of some typical work settings for mechanics:
-auto dealers
-repair services
-Basements aftermarket
-transport businesses
-gasoline terminals
Benefits of Being A Mechanic in Canada
- Salary: Mechanics typically earn substantial wages, and their employers also provide perks to them. Health insurance, paid time off, sick leave, and tool reimbursement are a few examples of these advantages.
- Low cost of training: Getting their training rarely comes at a great financial cost. Considering how inexpensive schooling is, an auto mechanic might take out some student loans.
- Understanding of the components and systems of a car and other motor vehicle: Working as a mechanic will offer you invaluable knowledge of these components. As a result, you will gain expertise in the area. You can use the knowledge you gained from fixing each mistake to prevent future problems, thus reducing your repair costs.
What Are the Certification Requirements?
Each territory has its own certification standards. It is possible to become certified as an automotive service technician in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, but it is not legally needed.
You are not needed to follow the aforementioned stages in order to complete an apprenticeship and obtain a Certificate of Qualification (or comparable certification).
Without attending school, becoming a mechanic is not viable in the other provinces. This is due to the fact that the automotive industry is a required trade in certain regions.
So, in order to work as a mechanic, you need a license. The jurisdictions that rigorously regulate auto mechanics have the following training requirements in these different locations:
-Ontario
-Alberta
-Quebec
-New Brunswick
-Nova Scotia
-Prince Edward Island
1. Ontario
In order to become a mechanic in Ontario, you must complete an apprenticeship that includes 720 hours of classroom instruction and 6,500 hours of practical practice.
The Ontario College of Trades, which oversees the skilled trades in Ontario, requires that registered apprentices be members in good standing. Generally, an apprenticeship lasts four years.
Pre-apprenticeship training is available across Ontario from colleges and community organizations to those who lack the qualifications to be hired as an apprentice.
The training typically lasts one year and frequently includes a work placement that counts toward your apprenticeship for eight to twelve weeks. Many times, books and equipment are offered.
You can gain apprenticeship training while obtaining your college certificate through the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship program. You can finish your apprenticeship’s academic requirements and a portion of the practical training in two years. You will have a college degree and be close to finishing your apprenticeship when you graduate.
2. Alberta
You need to undergo a four-year apprenticeship in Alberta to work as an automotive service technician. A minimum of 1,560 hours of on-the-job training and eight weeks of technical classroom instruction will each be required in a given year. You might have to acquire your own equipment’s.
Through the Registered Apprenticeship Program, high school students can get credits toward their apprenticeship. Another option is to enroll in a two-year college program that will allow you to graduate with a degree and gain work credits for your apprenticeship.
You obtain an Alberta Journeyman Certificate once your apprenticeship has been successfully completed.
3. Quebec
In Quebec, there are two ways to become a mechanic. The first alternative is to earn a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) in auto mechanics, after which you can register with the local Parity committee of the automotive services sector (CPA). Your first competency card as an apprentice will be issued when the CPA has reviewed your training and professional experience.
The second choice is to locate a company prepared to guide you and enter an apprenticeship right away. Automotive service technicians are required to finish a three-part (often three-year) 2,000-hour apprenticeship.
At the conclusion of each section, you must reapply for your competency card. A journeyperson receives a Certificate of Qualification after completing their apprenticeship and passing their qualification exam.
4. New Brunswick
To be eligible to work in New Brunswick, automotive service technicians must finish a four-year apprenticeship. The apprenticeship calls for a total of 7,200 hours of classroom and on-the-job training. You obtain a Certificate of Qualification (and, in most circumstances, your Red Seal endorsement) after finishing your apprenticeship and passing the final exam.
5. Nova Scotia
Automotive service technicians in Nova Scotia are required to finish a four-year, 7,200-hour apprenticeship. The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency requires all apprentices to register. A brief auto service program at a vocational college is another option, and the credits and experience you earn there can be applied to your apprenticeship.
Before they graduate from high school, students between the ages of 16 and 19 can sign up to become youth apprentices and start their training in the automobile industry.
6. Prince Edward of Island
To operate as a mechanic in PEI, you must be a registered apprentice or possess a Certificate of Qualification. 7,200 hours of combined in-shop and in-school instruction make up an apprenticeship.
Commonly used Tools by Mechanics
Mechanics use a variety of equipment and tools to service different brands of automobiles. Here are some examples of the instruments mechanics regularly use to perform their duties:
-Screwdriver
-Hammer
-ignition plug pliers
-Impact driver
-Ratchet air
-Vase pump
-Battery support
-Pliers
-Cap light
-Adaptable funnel
Final Wrap Up
From the guide above, you can see that becoming a mechanic in Canada is very easy. By just following the process required then you will find out that becoming a certified mechanic in Canada is not as rigorous as one might think.
