Today's SERVICE TECHNICIAN job is more skilled and challenging than ever before. New vehicles and trucks are for more complex than they used to be, and a modern service bay is beginning to look like a science lab, with expensive, sophisticated diagnostic and repair equipment, including computers.

The "grease monkey" image is a thing of the past. Although hand skills remain important, physical work is no longer the major aspect of automotive servicing. Today, the emphasis is on diagnostics, a process that requires an ability to think through problems in the abstract. The ability to diagnose the source of the problem quickly and accurately requires good reasoning ability and a thorough knowledge of automobiles. In fact, many mechanics consider diagnosing "hard to find" troubles one of their most challenging and satisfying duties.

As automobiles are becoming increasingly complex, a person who chooses a service techincian career is committed to life long learning to keep up with rapid change. Technicians are well-paid (frequently based on skill and speed) and are in high demand.

If you are interested in a career in this field, you should be mechanically inclined, have good reading comprehension and strong math skills, and enjoy working on vehicles and trucks. High school and technical school training in auto mechanics is an advantage, of course, as is training in chemistry, electronics, physics and computers.

If you have no previous training in auto mechanics, you can get started in a dealership as a porter, lot attendant or car washer, helping to prepare new and used vehicles for delivery and familiarizing yourself with the way the dealership's team works.

The next step is APPRENTICE TECHNICIAN where, under the close guidance of a qualified technician, the shop foreman and the service manager, you will learn the trade thoroughly in order to advance to the job of LICENSED JOURNEMAN TECHNICIAN. There are four levels of apprenticeship, each requiring a combination of on-the-job experience, eight weeks of classroom instruction and passing an exam before you move on to the next level. As you graduate through each of these levels, your responsibilities and skill-demanding assignments will increase at the dealership.

Because the job is challeging and the pay and benefits are good, many service technicians are content to remain in these positions thoughout their careers. But this training and experience may also be used as a step to becoming shop foreman, service advisor or service manager, which require excellent communication, organization and supervisory skills. Plus, some of the best salespeople come from the service department.

The SHOP MANAGER or FOREMAN is usually the best service technician. He or she supervises and trains other technicians and makes sure that their finished work is done properly and promptly. Large service operations may also have a SERVICE DISPATCHER who assigns the work to mechanics and directs the flow of vehicles through the shop.

SERVICE ADVISORS combine mechanical knowledge with communication skills. Think of them as the service department's sales people. They meet the customer, gather the information the technician will need to diagnose and repair the problem, write the repair order, estimate the cost and time needed to do the job, handle customer complaints and help bring new business into the service department.

They are the communication link between the customer and the technicians and are well versed in both "languages": the customer's and the technician's. Although some service advisors are licensed service technicians, it is not a requirement. Some automotive training is a definite asset and sometimes people move from service department administration positions, or the parts department, into the service advisor's role. There are a variety of career paths available.

The service department presents one of the most promising career opportunities in a dealership, with a clear line of advancement for those with ambition and skill.