As I continue my quest towards technical savvy I realize that there are a lot of challenges and rewards in store for me. There are a few milestones I reached recently that I'd like to share...
Certifications and Recognition:
I was recently recognized with a "Circle of Excellence" award at UTI for my efforts with the student council to improve professionalism standards amongst the student body and for my contribution to founding the Student Mentoring Program, which is designed to help incoming students acclimate to their new surroundings and get their education off to a good start.
It was a pleasant surprise to receive this award and has been an encouragement to keep working on these student oriented initiatives.
I passed my first ASE test! ASE, an acronym for Automotive Service Excellence, is an organization that sets the stringent technical standards for professional automotive technicians to follow and maintain their education and certifications. Although not legally required, becoming an ASE certified technician is a requirement of most employers in the industry and is a testament of a technician's knowledge of their craft and dedication to quality service.
I have earned a certification from ASE in Automotive Engine Repair and am planning to take 3 more tests during the spring testing session. It is my goal to earn the 8 required certifications to become a an ASE Master Technician within 3 years. 1 down, 7 to go!
Life as an Apprentice:
About 3 weeks ago, I was working my full Saturday shift (which is the only shift where I work on my own without my mentor) and for the first time I "beat flat rate" for the day on my own. Flat rate is how we techs measure time on a daily basis. Each procedure has an assigned amount of time estimated to complete the task (determined by the manufacturers and industry professionals). Every hour is split up into ten pieces, six minutes each and every procedure performed on the vehicle is worth so many tenths of an hour.
For example, an oil change may be worth 4 tenths of an hour (24 minutes), or .4... When I do the work, I record my time on the work order and that time is then credited to me in the computer. In order to be considered efficient, I need to book at least the amount of time I was on the clock (i.e. If I punch in for 8 hours, I need to produce a cumulative 8 hours worth of tasks for that day). As an apprentice, I am not expected to meet the flat rate or, "book time", because I am still learning and things take me longer than the experienced guys. I am, however expected to work at it because when my apprenticeship ends, my daily flat rate will determine my wages. So, being a new technician still early in my apprenticeship, it was a good feeling to book 9.6 hours when I worked for 8.5 with no comebacks.
Another realization that I am making (although not totally unaware of this before I started my apprenticeship) is the amount of tools I will need to do my job. I have a tool chest that boasts an impressive 23,631 cubic inches of space and a 2,400 pound load capacity full of tools. This chest is 4'6" long, 2' deep and 3'4" tall with the space split into 11 drawers. It is literally about 2/3rd's the size of my last car (VW Jetta). I keep it obsessively organized which may eat a little more space, but it is the only way to be efficient while working. I have a solid foundation of all of the basic wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, electrical tools and a collection of sockets that makes a lot of techs jealous. I have the essential air tools and I have begun a respectable collection of specialty automotive tools. This box is almost full already and I just bought it last winter. On top of that, I have a small collection of tools at home in another tool chest/cabinet combo (considerably smaller than my work box) that I use for personal projects. To put all of this in perspective, consider the hard numbers: I have approximately $10,000 to $12,000 worth of tools (not including the actual storage chests which are valued at an additional $5,000) and I have a list of diagnostic tools and other specialty items I still need that is easily another $6,000 and is most assuredly not the last of what I'll be purchasing throughout my career.
Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining. I feel that these tools are a good investment and really are the vehicle with which I earn my income. I just didn't realize how many specific specialty tools there are. It really is impressive and helps me understand why, as cars evolve and require more training and tools to repair, it becomes increasingly expensive to maintain and repair a vehicle. (See below for a sampling of my growing tool collection)
On the school front:
I am beginning to feel a twinge of excitement as graduation slowly approaches. The proverbial light is beginning to illuminate the end of the tunnel and I have a hard time not counting down the days until I take that last test, a short walk across the stage and enjoy a serious helping of "I did it-ness" as I accept my diploma from our Campus President. In 5 months (or 7 three week course cycles) I'll be tossing my square hat into the air, neatly stacking my last textbook on the shelf along side the other 25 and heading into the shop full-time armed with of a host of certifications from UTI, Toyota, and ASE.
As my series on life a s a student and apprentice continues, I welcome your comments and thoughts. Being a musician at heart, I always take requests so, if there's a specific topic you'd like to hear about, let me know I'll do my best to weigh in on the subject in an upcoming addition to the ol' blog.
Thank you for your continued support throughout this crazy journey.
