It IS real.....

[mschrisgo2]

That’s a great salary for a trainee. And assuming they like it and do well the future would seem very bright. But I’m not surprised.

—— With all the computers in cars today (the current new car shortage is caused by the chip shortage. Every new car has dozens of them) an auto technician needs to be both a mechanic and a specialized IT person. —-

So they should get paid that well. Sounds like a good career for a young person today. Pays well amd can’t really be outsourced to someone in a cheaper labor market on the other side of the world.

** This, right here: “pays well and can’t really be outsourced to someone in a cheaper job market on the other side of the world.”

He has already started/committed to 2 different “careers” that evaporated right before his eyes, finish carpenter, and butcher.

He joined the carpenters union and apprentice program the Monday after his high school graduation. By December, the jobs were all gone and they shut down the program. This was 4 years ago, well before the current huge lumber shortage; commercial buildings went to metal doors, frames and trim. And commercial was all that was being built in California then (and not much more now).

Then he worked for one of the big cell phone companies as a salesperson, achieved highest sales in the region for a 6-month period. But they wouldn’t give him the “bonus for high sales achievement” because he hadn’t been with the company for a year yet. He walked out. “no integrity there, I can’t work for them.”

Big box home improvement store was next- “big company with a reputation for taking care of their employees” — but he hated cashiering.

Butcher was the next “career” - “people gotta eat, right?” Pandemic hits, meat shortage ensues, all the butchers in that grocery company were offered cashier positions, or unemployment. He already knew he hated cashiering, so he took unemployment, for just a few weeks [3 maybe 4?]

Next has been this delivery job, “it’s ok until I find something that pays better, uses my skills and offers some stability and possible longevity.

He is going to visit the dealership on Monday.

[Tradd]

Great to hear he’s pursuing it!

[JaneV2.0]

I wish him the best possible luck--with his job record, he surely deserves it.

[happystuff]

Yay and good luck to him!!!!

[mschrisgo2]

Grandson has his second interview tomorrow!

[sweetana3]

Looking only for the money is not the "best" use of his time. He should look for any and all training opportunities and continue that thruout his life. It would be great to be totally stable like in the 70s and 80s. Now you have to be prepared for change at any time. A portfolio of skills constantly updated is better than sitting and hoping one job in one company will last forever.

All those previous jobs taught him something.

[iris lilies]

Mschris, It sounds like your grandson is a go-getter and he will do fine. He is going to find his way.

[ToomuchStuff]

Looking only for the money is not the "best" use of his time. He should look for any and all training opportunities and continue that thruout his life. It would be great to be totally stable like in the 70s and 80s. Now you have to be prepared for change at any time. A portfolio of skills constantly updated is better than sitting and hoping one job in one company will last forever.

All those previous jobs taught him something.

Wrenching does teach you skills. Mechanical (repair and diagnose), electrical (same), some computer (interaction with cars internal network and diagnose failures of network and components), etc.
However while he may make a good salary, there is a LOT of cost in the tools and equipment he will be expected to supply of his own, and then there will be the shop equipment.
Those skills can be used to wrench in many places, as well as diagnosing and repairing things in other jobs, throughout life, etc.

My recommendation is NOT to fall for the tool truck guys and the "I have the biggest box" syndrome.
Much better to get the tools first, and not to finance everything. I've seen guys that bought the huge box and had to borrow all the tools, as well as a friend who works out of a Harbor Freight cart, with a huge amount of tools stuffed into it (there are lots of toolbox brands out there). There are specialty tools one will buy off a truck, there are tools one will break often enough to buy off the truck (better ratchets), as well as do you have x, I need it today. There are also tools I would rather buy the OEM, then the rebranded truck tool at twice the price. (I bought several things that our truck was trying to sell me, before he tried)
I have one former coworker, whose stepfather is/was (may be retired now), the Ferrari mechanic in town, who had over 16' of toolboxes, stacked around 8' tall and over $250K in his tools. It can be a very expensive job if not careful. But the skills do help in other endeavors.

[happystuff]

Grandson has his second interview tomorrow!

Good luck to him!!!

[Teacher Terry]

That’s great news about the second interview!!