Automotive Electrician

Automotive electricians are car mechanics that specialize in the repair and maintenance of electrical systems on cars, trucks, and motorcycles. With today’s advanced technology and computer systems used on automobiles and other vehicles, it is necessary for the individuals who diagnose and address repair issues to be educated and well versed on a variety of electrical builds and components. An automotive electrician might further specialize into specific vehicles types, or systems such as air conditioning or engine repair. In addition to traditional electrical systems on cars, there are also now built in global navigation systems, parking assistance and rear camera systems, and even televisions and video game systems in some passenger vehicles today. An automotive electrician is responsible for knowledge and repair affecting all of these features.

Computers play an important and pivotal role in the day to day duties of an automotive electrician, as they are used for uncovering issues that may need to be repaired on a vehicle. The computers that look for problems in a car use software that is constantly updated with evolving repair information regarding specific vehicle types. As vehicles builds have become increasingly complex, automotive electricians must do a lot of research and reading to stay on top of changes and solutions to problems. In addition to using digital diagnostic devices, automotive electricians must still be well versed in traditional mechanic tool use such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, and pliers.

The work environment for automotive electricians is that of a car mechanic shop, with a traditional 40 hour a week schedule with some weekend work possible to accommodate customer needs. Working on a car often requires kneeling, bending, and other potentially uncomfortable positions over many hours, as well as it may involve the lifting of heavy tools and other equipment. Most automotive electricians have at least a high school diploma,and then generally further vocational or on the job training specific to automotive repair. Additional education and occupational experience in electrical systems is necessary, and can be obtained in some high school vocational programs, or at local junior or community colleges. Once training is complete, it will be necessary to obtain a certification in the Automotive Service Excellence program, as many employers require this prior to hiring. It requires passing an exam, as well as at least 2 years of experience working in the field. The average salary for automotive electricians is between $12.44 and $22.64 per hour, with the highest earners making over $28.71 per hour.