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Location:
NSW - Blue Mountains
Registered:
June 2004
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Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sat, 03 September 2005 20:22
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Hey, im looking for a 1st year apprentice mechanic job so I though I might give the forums a go, so if anyone out there is looking to employ or knows of a shop/dealership thats looking for a 1st year apprentice in the Western sydney area then please pass the details too me.
Thanks for any help
cheers
chris
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 04 September 2005 09:12
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2 ways to do it.
first is to call up places you would like to work and ask them if they could spare 10 minutes of theyre time for you to come see them. ideally this will be smallish privately owned places rather than big places. if you cant find a smaller place to give you some time, move up to bigger places.
secondly call up AGT, they are an agency that gives mechanics work. if you go to them and do ok in the test they WILL find you a job but most likely at a dealership and they do skim a bit of your pay for your entire apprenticeship.
having said that, dont be a mechanic.
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Location:
brisbane
Registered:
December 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 04 September 2005 09:35
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i agree dont be a mechanic and u got 1 in a million chance of getting into the performance side of things which is what everyone wants to be in..
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Location:
QLD
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 04 September 2005 09:50
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i want to be a be a rep for hk's  . i dont think its gonna happen
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Location:
Melbourne, Victoria
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 04 September 2005 23:09
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Im pretty sure there r plenty of open spots. Just go to yahoo au search and type in job search. You will get about 4 decent job searching sites and search away. I found the gov one the best www.jobsearch.gov.au
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Location:
NSW - Blue Mountains
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Wed, 07 September 2005 03:56
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I've been around to some of the local shops and ask, they all seam to be busy but not busy enough to employ apprentice, even tried the toyota dealership in kingswood but they werent looking for anyone at that time, checked on jobsearch.gov.au doesnt seam to be many near me (within 1 hour drive at least).
Any reason why a dealrship would skim your pay?
Why shouldnt I become a mechanic?
Im not trying to get into the performance side although that would be even better and unless im able to find someother job then theres nothing else i can realy do right now so might as well be something im interested in
cheers
chris
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Location:
Campbelltown
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Wed, 07 September 2005 04:04
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the dealership isn't skimming the pay, its the agency that finds you the job at one that does.
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Thu, 08 September 2005 11:39
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thats right.
be a mechanic if you want to, it aint that bad. there are pros and cons with any job. heres a couple:
PROS:
- learn how to work on your car, learn how to get performance
- get contacts in the trade = cheaper parts
- make money on the side (cash jobs for people)
- if you get sick of it, complete trade anyway that way you got something to fall back on
CONS:
- very poor income
- always dirty, cuts verywhere
- no real prospects to earn more money unless you become head mechanic at a dealership or start your own business
- people automatically think your ripping them off, even if you know them 
- did i mention the pay sux?
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Registered:
May 2003
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Thu, 08 September 2005 11:54
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Hey EVOSTI,
Saw u again the other week!
Besides that dude, from experience try out the trade yourself and do it for your own reasons and not merely for money. If you dont like it, like evosti said finish the trade and continue on something that is of interest.
Most importantly if u have enough job satisfaction from working as a mechanic you cant go wrong. That being said I think others have their own opinion to it.
Good luck and I hope you find your job or an alternate career path
Eddy
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Location:
NSW - Blue Mountains
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Thu, 08 September 2005 12:50
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| EVOSTi wrote on Thu, 08 September 2005 21:39 |
thats right.
be a mechanic if you want to, it aint that bad. there are pros and cons with any job. heres a couple:
PROS:
- learn how to work on your car, learn how to get performance
- get contacts in the trade = cheaper parts
- make money on the side (cash jobs for people)
- if you get sick of it, complete trade anyway that way you got something to fall back on
CONS:
- very poor income
- always dirty, cuts verywhere
- no real prospects to earn more money unless you become head mechanic at a dealership or start your own business
- people automatically think your ripping them off, even if you know them
- did i mention the pay sux?
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The only cons that i dont really like are the poor income and no real job prospects, more money would always be good. Also apprentices only earn around $300/wk right? and it goes up slightly each year of the apprenticeship, is that about right?
I've been trying to find a kind of local one, but most of them are pretty small places, dodgy or just not looking to employ an apprentice which is gona make it hard with these fuel prices if i have to travel a fair distance and end up having 1/2 pay going on petrol.
Even if i stay for the 4 years of the apprenticeship to become qualified i can still look for a different job after its done.
I've been trying to find other careers options, but all that seams to be around this area are laborers and sales type jobs, i would go for a laborers job but last one i was in fucked up my back (not enough to do damage luckily). so any hints on what else would be a good career option?
cheers
chris
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Thu, 08 September 2005 12:58
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small place is what you want!
when i started my apprenticeship it was $200 per week first year, it goes up each year obviously. prob closer to $250 per week first year nowdays.
i say give it a go, its only four years of your life if you dont like it, or if you REALLY dont like it obviously you could leave in the first year.
maybe consider boiler maker? id love to do that but i dont wanna go through another four years of apprentice wages again.
i know there some places that are paying $60K plus first year outta apprenticeship, thats pretty good money i reckon.
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Location:
NSW - Blue Mountains
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Thu, 08 September 2005 15:06
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So either a small workshop or a dealership would be best places to find? also most of the places close to me are small and most likly wont be looking for a apprentice or have already taken one on. I've already asked at a few of them and one of them (the one i use as my mechanic now) said that many of the workshops are closing due to less business these days and to give the MTA a ring to see if they could possiably find a job for me. Worth a try?
cheers
chris
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Location:
sydney
Registered:
March 2005
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Fri, 09 September 2005 15:19
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Refrigeration / aircon mechanic , i am second year and its dam good pay for tradeys some are on 25- 35 an hr depends what company. Also if you like using your hands and using ur brain its good , involves 70% electrical 20%refrigeration 10%takeaway food
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Location:
NSW - Blue Mountains
Registered:
June 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sat, 10 September 2005 19:06
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$25-35/hr even for apprentices?
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involves 70% electrical 20%refrigeration 10%takeaway food
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Too bad im not the best with sparkie type jobs, probably electrocute myself when its not even pluged in 
sounds like another option though, could alway learn how not to kill myself when fixing fridges
cheers
chris
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth.
Registered:
April 2005
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 01:55
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| EVOSTi wrote on Thu, 08 September 2005 19:39 |
thats right.
be a mechanic if you want to, it aint that bad. there are pros and cons with any job. heres a couple:
PROS:
- learn how to work on your car, learn how to get performance
- get contacts in the trade = cheaper parts
- make money on the side (cash jobs for people)
- if you get sick of it, complete trade anyway that way you got something to fall back on
CONS:
- very poor income
- always dirty, cuts verywhere
- no real prospects to earn more money unless you become head mechanic at a dealership or start your own business
- people automatically think your ripping them off, even if you
know them
- did i mention the pay sux?
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As a first year apprentice, 7.5 months into it feel like i can say something.
the odds arent quite like 1 in a million to get in the performance side. I had nothing to do one holidays, and i just started to ring up a few performance shops, casually, some said no, one said yes, so the next weekend, i went down to see him..asked if i could come out for a week....did fairly well i guess (1st day i stripped out an ae86...that ae86 is now mine )
so next holidays i was asked back. must have left an impression, coz before the end of the holidays i had him asking me if i wanted a full time spot  ...which means i had to throw away year 12 , and was thinking i was going into a extremently low paying job...but i bit the bullit, and signed away 4 years of my life.
so dude, just ring around, what have you got to loose?
i was lucky, got into the 'performance' side of this pretty quick.
they'll be some days when you think,' oh fuck this, i want out' but its only 4 years, a future employer will love it if you have a qualification under your belt...and guess what they see when they read that you have only done 2 years of an apprneticeship...means nothing.
pay isnt that bad, i started off getting 220/wk now pushing 300/wk..worst bit is that my fingerprints have dirt imbedded in them, and women dont like dirty hands...
one tip i can say, is to wear gloves, sure u loose that feel, but if u start now...you'll be just the same with them on as off ...and you dont screw up your hands...
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Location:
cambo
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 09:18
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gloves are for pussies, chics dig scars 
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Location:
Adelaide
Registered:
January 2005
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 09:28
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being a motor mechanic is chill
ima 3rd year now and loving it. and when ya live at home and dont have any debits the cash isnt that bad. its enough for me 2 buy corollas.
and yes the connections you get are awesum makes part sourcing alot quicker and cheaper.
GO MOTOR MECHANICS
wel actually im a "automotive service technician" doesnt that sound sexy.
cheers scott
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Location:
sydney
Registered:
March 2003
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 11:48
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well after 10 yrs of being mechanic
most of it in performance its not all that wrapped up as it seems
u have to work longer hours sometimes
workin on rally cars or race cars and there is a race meeting u could easily work up to 12 midnight or 2 am just to get car to the track the next day
i did like it while being an apprentice but as yrs go by it started to get annoying not to bad but the benefits are not that great
working on yr own car when u have just worked 40 to 50 hrs a week on other peoples cars is not very exciting
and these days everything is a bolt on
all these jap cars is bit boring these days
i love workin on old cars mind u the pay isnt as good cause of the long hours but u get alot of enjoyment working on 100 thou to 150 thou dollar classic cars being restored from scratch
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2003
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 12:22
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Hey mate, if you are not sure if you wanna do it or not... you might wanna look into a pre-employment automotive course at tafe.. It is the equivilant of doing your 1st year apprenticeship and you learn a shit load! I started it in July and am loving it... altho it is pretty easy course, they hook you up with workplacement and usually a job.. I am doing my work placement at a performance shop and it is awesome most of the time...
Anyway goodluck mate. i was in the same dillema as you at the beginning of this year.
Cheers
Michael
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Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
December 2003
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 12:48
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IM about 7 motnhs into 1st year and its great. I was at TAFE?Uni beforehand and was finding it a bit boring. So i signed up to Apps Vic(agency) and thy found a placement for me - Mercedes dealership which is great. I think i probably wont learn as much about other cars but bolts are bolts right and it can all be used.
Im making about 230 a week but am trying to get that bumped up, plus getting allowances and extra helping(cash) on the side. Trade school is good too as you gfet to go in, work on your car, do the all of the bookwork and learn about toher cars that u dont work on.
After it all im going back to uni to finish my degree and see what happens from there. If you're interested give it a shot-If u dont like it or dont want to do it for whatever reason pull out.
What do u have to lose?
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth.
Registered:
April 2005
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 15:14
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| sideshow wrote on Sun, 11 September 2005 19:48 |
working on yr own car when u have just worked 40 to 50 hrs a week on other peoples cars is not very exciting
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yes, yes and yes....im now at my workplace 7 days week, with 2 rally cars on the go, then my car staying there...its hard to find the effort to get stuck into it 
and ive got enough scars to satisfy teh ladies right now EVOSTi!
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
September 2004
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Re: Looking for job - Apprentice Mechanic
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Sun, 11 September 2005 17:18
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| StuC wrote on Sun, 11 September 2005 22:48 |
After it all im going back to uni to finish my degree and see what happens from there. If you're interested give it a shot-If u dont like it or dont want to do it for whatever reason pull out.
What do u have to lose?
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Does this mean you're doing this thing from vic apps while @ uni? Or did you defer from uni to do this vic apps thing to learn about cars and then you're going back?
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