Majoring in Auto Repair in Canada

Employment prospects for Canadian auto mechanic graduates

With more than 24 million registered cars on Canadian roads today, there will always be a demand for skilled technicians to repair and maintain these vehicles. Through professional training in automotive schools and colleges, you can develop the required expertise and skills in this dynamic field. In short, automotive industry professionals are in great demand.
In addition to good stable pay, auto technicians enjoy many benefits, including paid tuition, free maintenance of their family vehicles, and skills that can be transferred to do-it-yourself projects (plumbing, electrical) around the home.
So, in addition to auto repair shops, where can these graduates work?

• Car and truck dealers
• Auto parts stores
• High-performance auto shops
• Companies and organizations with their own team
• Racing teams
• Car recycling stations

Every job has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, a dealership may be a good place to start a career, but they often cannot provide the extensive experience comparable to an auto repair shop. After gaining a wealth of experience and business knowledge, some auto mechanics choose to open their own auto shops.

Determinants of income of auto mechanic graduates & income statistics

After an auto repair technician graduates, and after having several years of development, their income levels can vary upon:

• Education level, experience and certifications
• Level of responsibility involved in the work
• The size and type of company
• The location where you work
• Industry
• Type of compensation package offer
• Many other factors, such as English proficiency

According toPayScale Statistics, The annual salary of a car mechanic in Canada is C$29,456-C$87,257 Canadian.

The province and location of work is an important factor. The provinces in Western Canada tend to have the highest average wage rates (for example, Alberta and British Columbia have the highest mechanical wages).
Another thing to note about salaries in the automotive industry is that certain companies’ salaries are not always paid by the hour. Many repair shops operate a salary structure based on "parts work", which means that mechanics pay a flat rate for every maintenance or repair work they perform. As a result, staying busy and speeding up work can make you more money.
Most car mechanics usually work about 40 hours from Monday to Friday. However, wages are also affected by overtime hours.

》Job description of an auto mechanic

Automobile technology continues to develop rapidly. With all the ongoing changes, today's mechanics have to learn more than you think. Let us take a look at what auto maintenance mechanics are doing in a typical day, and you will know what to learn in this profession. In general, auto mechanics perform the following tasks:
》》Inspection and troubleshooting:

• Check the vehicle engine and system through sight, sound and smell to determine whether the vehicle has any signs of failure, or verify the extent of any damage
• Diagnose malfunctions using electronic testing equipment
• Test vehicles to diagnose, repair and perform maintenance on automobiles; or verify the quality of maintenance work

》》Consultation and regular maintenance:

• Consult with owners about necessary maintenance or repairs
• Estimate maintenance time and cost
• Perform oil changes, coolant flushing, spark plug replacements, lubrication, wheel alignment, tire rotation, and many other routine maintenance tasks

》》Maintenance:

• Replace worn or damaged parts
• Perform necessary repairs to engines, electrical systems, transmissions, exhaust systems, steering systems, transmissions, fuel systems, brakes and other automotive systems
• Remove and rebuild the engine, powertrain, or other subcomponents as needed

》》Administrative Tasks:

• To order parts
• Assist in inventory management

》Three types of automobile-related qualifications: college diploma, undergraduate degree, graduate degree

Traditionally, Canadian automotive repair credentials are obtained in three ways:

• Automotive Service Specialist Diploma:generally 2-3 years
• Automotive Engineering Bachelor’s Degree:generally takes 4 years to complete
• Automotive Engineering Graduate Degree:generally 2 years to complete (a master's degree usually requires an additional 2 years of study)

The best schools for Automotive Service

According toMacLean's latest program rankings of Canadian universities, the rankings of engineering programs are as follows:
1、University of Toronto (Engineering major)
2、University of Waterloo(Engineering major)
3、UBC(Engineering major)
4、University of Alberta(Engineering major)
5、McGill University(Engineering major)
6、University of Ottawa(Engineering major)
7、 Queen’s University(Engineering major)
8、Université de Montréal(University of Montreal Engineering major)
9、McMaster University(Engineering major)
10、University of Calgary （Engineering major )
11、University of Victoria (Engineering major)
12、Université Laval (Laval University - French institution)
13、Ryerson University（Ryerson UniversityEngineering major)
14、 University of Saskatchewan（University of SaskatchewanEngineering major)
15、Western University （Engineering major )
16、York University （Engineering major)
17、Dalhousie University （Dalhousie UniversityEngineering major)
18、Lakehead University （Engineering major)
19、Simon Fraser University（Engineering major)
20、Concordia University（Engineering major)
20、University of Ontario Institute of Technology （Engineering major)
* Special recommendations:
University of Windsor: Windsoar Universityis the southernmost public university in Canada. It is located in the Great Lakes area along the US-Canada border, in the industrial heart of North America, across the lake from Detroit, the American "Motor City." It is known for its automotive engineering major. It is also the only university in Canada that awards bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees in automotive engineering.