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Well i have gotten to a point that i have been thinking about changing jobs. i am a mechanic now and have been for the last 16 years. both military and professionally. was a dealer tech and now a independent tech. i would like to stay in the auto industry but not sure what way to go. any suggestions ?

I was in a similar boat, had enough of the auto repair world though. Started looking for automotive technology jobs, landed one with Cruise, the self driving car company. Been with them 3 years now, the environment, benefits, etc. is worlds above anything in the regular auto repair world. We need techs, but only in San Francisco at the moment.

Lots of hot rods shops looking for good talent. A well ran shop you can make pretty good money with the worker shortage of the industry right now. But you have to produce results in the right shop.

I have alot of guys making 70-90k per year.

I was a heavy equipment mechanic for years and in the mechanical field for 18 years total. I honestly got tired of working on equipment, it wasn't rewarding.

My wife found out I could be a high school teacher with only 1 year of easy schooling. I make just over $82k and it's only my 2nd year teaching and there's auto teachers making 6 figures for the same county I work for here in california.

I only work 185 days a year and honestly work less then that with the paid trainings, personal days, business days etc etc. all paid.

I get paid to work on my own cars while teaching students. Right now I'm building a 70 camaro in my after school auto club and they pay me an additional $5k a year (185 day school year) to have the auto club. Next year I'll bring in my 68 camaro to finish.

I love doing fabrication and now I'm getting paid to do it on my own cars, can't beat it.

All the time off is worth it alone. I make more then most of my mechanic buddies and only work the 185 days a year. You can always make more money but you can never get back your time. All the time I have off with my family now is so worth the switch in careers.

Forgot to mention I get into SEMA every year as a teacher. Bonus!!

Ahmad

Thanks everyone for the feed back. I would say i make decent money now. its just the very long hours and being on your feet all day. also smelling like chemicals does not help. i can say it has slowed me down on my own projects because of it.

One thing you'll never hear anyone ever say when it's time to meet their maker is "man I wish I would of spent more time at work" .

18 years of smelling diesel, gasoline, old gear oil, hydraulic fluid, fumes from vehicles and the steel mill I get cha.

Tomorrow I head to NHRA in a coach bus (paid) with students, oh man life's tough...

look into teaching....