The work of an automotive technician is divided into two main types. The first type deals with the repair of the different mechanical systems and engines. There are dozens of different specialties in this area. They include brakes, engines, tires, transmissions, shocks, mufflers and even oil changes.

The other type of work deals with the body panels. That includes replacing glass, welding, painting and doing anything else that makes cars look good.

Many places do all kinds of work, but only on one make of car. For example, auto dealer mechanics might become Volkswagen or Ford experts.

New cars have more computers than the space shuttle, says Dan Frohlich. He's the chair of the Automotive Service Association. Cars of the future will have even more computer chips built in.

That means automotive technicians will spend less time with grease and more time with electronic diagnostic machines. In fact, says Pedro Monteros, director of the Automotive Training Center, a scanner is now a mechanic's most important tool.

In the past, says Frohlich, mechanics were considered grease monkeys. They could tell what was wrong by the way a car was shaking or the sound it was making. Not anymore.

"Seventy-five percent of a mechanical technician's time is spent diagnosing the problem, 20 percent repairing the vehicle, and five percent verifying the repair," says Frohlich.

Having a feel for the kind of work involved is still important. Glen Baron owns a repair shop. He says technicians must be handy with tools. They must like to tinker with mechanical things. They also need to be physically strong and be ready to get dirty.

People skills are necessary. A technician has to be able to explain what is wrong, what that means and how much it will cost to fix it. If the owner doesn't know much about cars, technicians need patience.

Baron adds that owners expect the problems to be fixed perfectly the first time. Sometimes that doesn't work out -- and the mechanic has to be able to explain why to an angry customer.

But that doesn't mean every technician spends his whole career with his head stuck in an engine. Petra Wolfe works with the automotive trades department of the Santa Monica College in California. She says there are lots of careers in offices analyzing data on computers.

But those jobs still require some practical experience. After finishing a program, technicians must spend at least five more years learning the ropes in garages. That way, they can understand the information the computer sends to them.

Would-be technicians need training more than ever. Baron says that beginners need at least a one-year program to learn the basics. They must also be good at math, English and electronics.

Monteros says students are not admitted to his school unless they have finished high school. "We fix the car with our brains, not our hands," he says.

"We assume that a person who only has a Grade 10 education will very rarely make it through the technology part of the program."

Frohlich agrees. He believes that in the future, no one will even be able to start without a certificate or diploma of some kind.

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) says there were 668,540 automotive service technicians and mechanics in 2003. Their mean annual income was $34,550.

On average, Baron says those who finish a program after high school can expect to earn about $13 an hour when they start. After two years, it will be about $17. And after they become licensed mechanics, they can expect to make $22 an hour.

As cars become much more complicated, there will be an increasing shortage of properly trained people. Those people who get good training can expect better money and more job opportunities.

Net Sites

Council of Advanced Automotive Trainers
This site lists technical training options for the automotive repair industry
http://www.caat.org/

I-CAR
A training organization with information on technician training and collision repair
http://www.i-car.com/

Automotive Service Association
This site covers topics of interest to North American automotive technicians
http://www.asashop.org/

AutoPersonnel.com
A job site dedicated to the automotive trade industry
http://autopersonnel.com/