Automotive Service Technician

The Field

Automotive service technicians inspect, maintain and repair the cars and trucks that you rely on every day.

They focus on the engine and other mechanical and electronic parts inside the vehicle.

It can be a pretty complicated job. They work with a lot of high-tech tools, technical information and very precise measurements. Sometimes, they have to do pretty serious detective work, and employ strong critical thinking skills. They also have to be able to communicate to people how things work, or why they don’t. And, of course, they need the ability to solve problems and fix things.

The Outlook

Anywhere you find cars and trucks, you’ll find service technicians to keep them on the road. Demand is especially high right here in the Bay Area.

Most work for dealerships or other repair shops. But they also work a lot of places you might never have considered. Transit systems, utility companies, government offices, part shops, and delivery services like the post office also employ automotive technicians. Even outside the auto industry, employers often like people who can solve mechanical problems.

For more information about entry-level jobs as an automotive service technician, like how many are available and how much you could earn in one, check out the Maintenance and Repair Worker and other pages at our online Career Coach. You can also use it to find out more about jobs you could qualify for after gaining more education or experience, like Master Mechanic and Systems Inspector.

Many employers have a hard time finding men and women with the hands-on education they want to fill the open positions they have. So experience at a school like Contra Costa College could be just what you need to land that next job, raise or promotion.

Our Program

After all, you don’t just want to get the job—you want to succeed in it. You want to fully understand how all of the parts of an automobile work and interact, so that you can recognize and anticipate problems you might not have personally encountered before. You want to be able to make the best, most-informed decisions and recommendations because that’s good for your customer, your employer and you.

We can help you there.

At Contra Costa College, you’ll spend more than two-thirds of your time in our incredible on-campus automotive repair shop, learning everything backward and forward, inside and out. You’ll take apart and rebuild entire engines, transmissions and suspension systems.

You won’t just learn how to replace broken parts. You’ll learn how and when to fix them, too.

And, you’ll get to work with traditional, hybrid and electric automobiles, because it’s important in today’s world to have experience with all three.

Maybe that’s why our reputation among professionals is so great.

Whether you’re starting a new career, looking to take yours to the next level with our evening Hybrid Technician or another professional certification program, or planning to transfer to a four-year university with an associate’s degree, we’ve got you.

Our Certificate of Achievement in Automotive Services counts as one year of professional experience toward your Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification.

And, best of all, at Contra Costa College you’re supported by great instructors and staff, fellow students who share your goals and an involved group of industry advisers who make sure our program is top-notch. We even have a Career Center to help you find jobs, apply and prepare for interviews. We’re with you, all the way.

So why not check out the program, see if we can help you pay for college or even get the ball rolling and apply now?