When compared to many other countries, it’s overwhelmingly clear that the United States system of transport infrastructure is based almost solely on automotives. Just look at any American city and you’ll see cars absolutely everywhere. Gigantic parking lots line the streets, and newer, larger roads are constantly being built to keep up with the increased demand.
Maybe you have a passion for talking and learning about cars. Maybe you’re already pretty handy and you’re looking to get into a new, more fun job market. Whatever your reason for going into this profession is, you want to make sure you go to the right school for your mechanic needs.
A word of warning: going to a good school to be a mechanic is going to be crucial in the coming years. Electric cars, which tend to need far less maintenance, (outside of the practically-weekly Tesla recalls), become more prevalent in the streets, the job outlook for mechanics steadily decreases. Right now, it’s just about on par with, if not a little lower than, the national average of all job outlooks, but it’s projected to go down in the coming years. Universities and trade schools are also pretty expensive, so you’ll need to find some scholarships and make sure you’re picking the perfect school.
If you're really passionate about being a mechanic, there certainly will always be a job for you out there. You just have to make sure you have the right skills to accomplish it, and the right resume to give you the heads up in this competitive hiring market.
So, here are some of the best schools you can pick to go into automotive repair.
Walla Walla University
College Place, Washington
Outside of having the absolute best name on this list, Walla Walla University may have the most in-depth hands-on experience program. Out near the beautiful mountain ranges of Walla Walla, Washington, this university gives students several options in terms of how they want to go into the automotive repair world.
Walla Walla University offers three different degrees in automotive repair: bachelor of science in automotive technology, bachelor of science in automotive management, and an associate of science in automotive technology. It all depends on how long you want to spend at the school and what you want to specialize in. If you’re looking to get in, get out, and get an internship as quickly as possible, the associate in automotive tech may be for you. If you want a more in-depth and rounded approach, you could do the same degree for your bachelors program. There’s also a bachelor's degree for those looking to go into leadership in the automotive repair industry. Certain degree programs will give you different skills, and it’s great to look deeper into them to find out which one could be for you.
What really sets Walla Walla apart from other colleges, though, is the student repair shop. The Walla Walla University automotive technology program runs a fully-functional mechanic shop staffed entirely by students of this program. It’s all the benefits of an internship plus help from professors in this field. And, the coolest part, is that this is a real job on campus. You get paid to do this! If you’re looking for flexible degree options, and some incredible hands-on experience, Walla Walla has you covered.
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, Kansas
Of any school in the country, none are trusted more by the nation's car dealerships than Pittsburg State University. Pittsburg State’s main goal is to make sure you are prepared for absolutely any aspect of the automotive repair industry. Collision repair, they have you covered. Diesel vehicle mechanics? Not a problem. They actually have seven primary areas of study, but your degree in Pittsburg State will cover all of, such as:
- Automotive mechanical design
- Advanced vehicle systems
- Automotive technical
- Collision repair
- Insurance management
- Dealership and corporate transformation management
- Heavy machinery
What sets Pittsburg State University apart from its counterparts is its lab system. Anyone looking to get into the field with a bachelors in automotive technology should consider Pittsburg State’s labs. In its state of the art simulation environments, Pittsburg State automotive technology students are able to practice their automotive repair skills in a controlled environment before they go out and put those skills to use.
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan
If you’re really looking to specialize into a particular automotive repair program, Ferris State university will likely have something for you. The cute town of Big Rapids, equally distant between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, houses one of the nation's best colleges for mechanics. Their esteemed automotive technology department has tons of different programs that all focus on separate aspects of automotive repair, so if you already know what area of the field you’re looking at, Ferris State will have something for you. This is to be expected from America’s largest engineering technology college.
Do you want to go into heavy machinery? It’s hard to get more in depth in Ferris state. Is management more of your thing? They can help you there too. I think that really puts Ferris state on the pedestal, though, or its specialties. It’s hard to find a college that will offer you a performance motor sport certificate program, but that’s something you can get over at Ferris State University.
Those are some of the best colleges for mechanics!
Automotive repair and technology is a solid-paying, demanding field for skilled craftspeople. If your goal is to enter this handy field, I want to make sure you’re going to one of the best schools, so look into some of these great colleges for future mechanics.
