When most people think of working in the automotive industry, they think only about sales, repair and assembly. While those are two very important specialties, automotive careers extend beyond those three career facets. From engineering and design to marketing to management, careers in the automotive industry are as varied as the models of cars on the road today!
Apprentice: A Starting Point
An apprentice is not an intern but is a paid position for an inexperienced newcomer into a job description, often in a skilled trade. As an apprentice, you learn all facets of the job from the simple and mundane to the layered and complex.
An apprentice in automotive technology, for example, must have advanced education or knowledge in the specialty. Within the field, you might gain multiple levels of training and certification if applicable. The more training you have, the better your career advancement possibilities.
As you master each task and function, gaining experience as you progress, you may be ‘promoted’ to higher-level tasks, positions and titles. Depending on the employer’s organizational structure, you can be an apprentice in manufacturing, design, marketing or other specialty.
Sample Positions Stemming from Apprenticeships
The variety of skilled trade positions within the automotive industry is myriad. Just a few engineering positions might include
— Metrologist: This position or a similar one might require mobile scanning and scanning, writing CMM programs to precisely measure crucial engine components.
— Hard Modellers: In a very loose nutshell, as a model and pattern maker, you create prototypes to scale as you work closely with design staff.
Possible Career Potential
As with virtually all occupations, the general rule of extent of education and experience counts. If you have an accredited degree in your chosen field and advanced certification, you offer above-entry-level knowledge as you start your new job. All else equal, your odds of receiving bigger pay raises and quicker promotions are greater than for those who “learn on the job.”
With dedication, consistently excellent work habits and clear thinking, it is entirely conceivable that your career in the automotive industry can reach management levels within your tenure if that’s what you desire. There’s nothing wrong with ambition: Have the tools to back it up for optimized possibilities.
Whether you enjoy fixing, assembling, designing, testing or selling automobiles, there’s a career position waiting for you to fill. Determine the proper learning path for you, whether you start as an apprentice or not, and fill your niche, starting today.
For more information on starting a career in the automotive industry visit the automotive engineering jobs website for a career with Jaguar Landrover.