How to Become an Automotive Technician: Career Guide, Courses, Jobs, Scope, Salary

Steps to Become an Automotive Technician

Following are some simple yet important steps to become an Automotive Technician.

Make a Decision

• Weigh down all the pros and cons of pursuing a career in Automobiles. Predict and project all the possibilities that lie in the field of Automobiles. 
• Based on all the details that you have gathered, make a list of all the courses and colleges that offer the course of Automotive Technician.
•  Look out for all the possibilities even abroad for better understanding and better choices. Compare all the parameters of pursuing the course in India as well as abroad. 
• Consulting someone who has been in this field can help you to easily understand the course.

Choosing the Right Set of Subjects

• There is no well-defined structure in 10+2 to choose a particular subject to become an Automotive Technician. 
• But one needs to have basic knowledge of Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics as these subjects are the building blocks for any course and entrance exam. 
• Take a good amount of knowledge from graduation and learn the concepts of Automobiles.

Preparation for Entrance Examination

• Having an in-depth knowledge of what are the exams for entry to some of the best colleges for Automobiles can help ease the pain in many ways. 
• Be updated with the syllabus and keep track of any changes in the syllabus. Be updated with the list of entrance exams and always have a look at the notification of the particular exam. 
• Prepare using Model Test Papers, Previous Year Papers, and mocks. Make a formula sheet or notebook to revise it out daily as this can also be useful while revision.

Find a Good College

• Finding the best-fit college is a tedious task. Look out for the colleges according to your needs and expectations. 
• Find out the best colleges for the program and have a detailed knowledge of the college like the Fees, Alumni, Placements, Faculty, Facilities, Infrastructure, etc. 
• Talk to Alumni of the respective college to get some detailed information about the college. Do deep analysis and research of the college before opting for any college.

After Qualifying Exam

• After qualifying for the entrance exam, candidates can be called for further rounds of admission which might include Group Discussions and Personal Interviews. some colleges might even choose to take an aptitude test or an exam.
• Some colleges offer admission via the Counselling rounds wherein different rounds of counseling for admissions are conducted to offer deserving candidates. 
• Some colleges offer admission based on marks scored in the qualifying exams (entrance exams) while some colleges offer admission based on merit and other academic undertakings. 
• Some PG Colleges even require your previous Work Experience, Academics, Social work, Certifications, Accolades, etc. to offer admission.

Types of Automotive Technicians

Check out different types of Automotive Technicians in India:

Automotive Technician

An Automotive Technician is a person who assists Automotive Engineers. He/she designs, conducts tests, makes observations, makes prototypes, analyzes test results, makes suggestions for improvements, troubleshoots, and rectifies problems. They are also responsible for writing reports, making presentations, collecting information, and creating spreadsheets. They also make sure that the highest quality of standards and materials are used to make a high-quality product. They design new and innovative components that can be used to deliver the highest standard of results. An Automotive Technician uses various software like Solidworks, Catia, MATLAB, Ansys to design and analyze the components. 

Quality Assurance Engineer

A quality Assurance Engineer is an engineer who tests an automobile component for its material strength, precision, defects, and durability to get a high standard quality product. A QA engineer mainly focuses on improving the automotive component production process i.e., they make sure that the teams are doing the right things the right way. They check if the product meets the actual requirements, assess risks, plan tests, analyze the test results, and come with new ideas to improve product quality.

Design Engineer

Design engineers design various automotive components. They use CAD software to design a new product/component. They work solo or in a team to create drawings necessary for prototyping and production. They also analyze the designed component for any defects. They ensure all prototypes and plans conform to industry standards and regulations. The design engineer can also make changes/corrections in the designed product to innovate new ideas. Design Engineers are the first in the line of creating any product.

Automotive Blogger

Automobile Bloggers write on recent innovation and technology in the Automobile world. They look over this new technology, use them, recommend the product if they like, and share their experience. Automobile Bloggers mainly share their experiences on social media. They also collaborate with Automobile Designers to write eye-catching content on the Automobile designer’s latest design. An Automobile Blogger knows how to write, Photoshop, and has Social Media handling skills.

Automobile Critic

Various Automobile Magazines, websites, newspapers, etc rely on Automobile critics to give truthful and fruitful criticism on the Latest Technology in the Automotive World. They give detailed insights into the Automobile industry. They attend Automobile events, Automobile shows, parties, meetings, press conferences, etc. to give their valuable feedback on these new technologies. Many designers and manufacturers rely on Automobile Critics to give valuable feedback on their material. Automobile critics also recommend the best automobile for every Indian earning class according to their limits.

How to Become an Automotive Technician in India

Choosing to pursue a career in Automobiles is one of the exciting career paths. The course description of becoming an Automotive Technician from School Level, UG, and PG Preparation is discussed below.

School Level Preparation

• Students can choose Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics in their 10th as these are essential subjects and these subjects act as a foundation for any upcoming entrance exams. 
• Having a keen interest in Automobiles right from the 10th can help a student to find a pathway to make a career in Automobiles.

How to Become an Automotive Technician After 12th?

After completing class 12, candidates should prepare well for their undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

UG Preparation

• After a Candidate has cleared 10+2, He/she will have to appear for various entrance exams that are taken for admissions.
• After clearing the written entrance exam, he/she will be called for Group Discussion/Personal Interview/ Merit Rounds.
• After clearing all stages, the next step is document verification. Candidates are called for verifying the documents.
• If a candidate clears all the stages and his/her document is found to be in perfect order he/she is offered admission.

PG Preparation

• After a Candidate has cleared Graduation, He/she will have to appear for various entrance exams that are taken for admissions.
• After one has cleared the written entrance exam, he/she will be called for Group Discussion/Personal Interview/ Merit Rounds.
• After clearing all stages, the next step is document verification. Candidates are called for verifying the documents.
• If a candidate clears all the stages and his/her document is found to be in perfect order he/she is offered admission.

Courses to Become an Automotive Technician

Here are some popular courses which students pursues to become Automotive Technician:-

BE/BTech in Automobile Engineering

• BE/B.Tech. Automobile Engineering, also known as Automotive Engineering is a 4-year undergraduate course that offers insights on developing new procedures, designs to enhance the working of automobile components. 
• It also teaches students to develop new testing procedures, implementing new designs, troubleshooting, and rectifying problems. 
• Automobile Engineering also teaches students to research the latest technologies in automobile industries to implement them for the benefit of the consumers.

Admission Process

• Admission in BE/B.Tech. Automobile Engineering is done based on scores obtained in 10+2 and Entrance Exams. 
• Some colleges prefer the combined marks of the Entrance exam and 10+2. Most of the students opt for the JEE Entrance exam as the scores of this exam are most widely accepted.

Eligibility Criteria for Exam

• Candidates should have completed their 10+2 from any stream (preferably Science) from a recognized board.
• Candidates should have secured at least 50% marks in 10+2.

BE/Btech in Mechanical Engineering

• B.E./B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering) is a 4-year Undergraduate course. B.E./B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering) the course is a blend of theory as well as practical knowledge of Automobiles. 
• In this course, students are taught various aspects of Manufacturing, Operations, Production, Fluid Mechanics, Automobiles, etc. 
• It is a comprehensive course imparting the knowledge of designing Automobiles and their components.

Admission Process

• Admission to B.E./B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering) is done via Merit as well as via Entrance Exam. 
• But most of the colleges prefer the marks scored by a student in the Entrance Exam. Also, some colleges conduct their entrance exam.
• JEE is the most opted Engineering Entrance exam because of its wide acceptance.

Eligibility Criteria for Exam

• Candidates should have passed 10+2 from a recognized board with at least 50% in 10+2.
• Candidates can belong from any streams (Science/Commerce/Arts)

BSc Automobile Maintenance

• BSc is a 3-year Undergraduate course. BSc in Automobile Maintenance teaches techniques and training that are essential to becoming an Automotive Technician along with theoretical and practical knowledge. 
• This course provides all the essential information and techniques. 
• Students get to learn about drive trains, Automotive Materials, Autotronics, Vehicle Dynamics, Electric Vehicles, Power of Mobility, etc.

Admission Process

• There is no national-level entrance exam conducted for admission to the BSc (Automobile) course. 
• However, some colleges choose to conduct entrance exams on their own to offer admission to some of the brightest minds.

MTech Automobile Engineering

• MTech in Automobile Engineering is a 2-year Postgraduate course consisting of 4 semesters. 
• MTech in Automobile Engineering course is a blend of theory as well as practical knowledge of Automobile. 
• This course gives an in-depth knowledge of Automobiles and its subjects include Thermal Engineering, Automotive Engines, and Subsystems, Automotive Transmission, Vehicle Dynamics, etc.

Admission Process

• Admission to MTech in Automobile Engineering is done via Merit as well as via Entrance Exam. 
• Some colleges prefer the marks scored by a student in Graduation while some colleges conduct their own entrance exam.

Eligibility Criteria for Exam

• Desirous candidates should have cleared Graduation from a recognized university.
• Candidates in the final year of their graduation are also eligible to apply.
• Candidates from any Engineering Field are eligible.
• Students should have obtained at least 50% in their Graduation.

How to Become an Automotive Technician Abroad

Automobiles have been one of the most versatile and popular fields in many other countries. Apart from India, many other countries offer Automobile courses. Australia, the US, UK, and Canada are some of the most opted countries to pursue education in Automotive Technician. 

Australia

• There are approximately 30 colleges that offer students to pursue a career in Automobiles. Some of the top colleges are given in the below table. 
• English is the preferred language for these colleges in Australia. 
• There has also been an increase in the number of Indian students moving to Australia for studies. 
• The numbers have risen from 15,800 in 2015-16 to 35,400 in 2019, an approximate increase of 123% in these 4 years.

Top Colleges

UK

• There are around 25 colleges that offer a chance to choose Automobile as a career in the UK having about 80 courses. Some of the colleges are mentioned in the below table. 
• These colleges prefer English as a mode of communication and teaching. 
• As many as 37,500 Indian students moved to the UK in 2019 as compared to 20,000 in 2018. 
• The average salary of an Automotive Technician in the UK is £36,340(INR 32,10,000).

Top Colleges

US

• Approximately over 25 colleges offer 126 courses in Automobiles in the US. 
• Though there has been a slight decline in the number of students opting to study in the US. 
• The numbers have fallen from 2,02,014 in 2018-19 to 1,93,124 in 2019-20 but these numbers are expected to pick up its trend citing some relief in US Student Visa policy that became a hurdle for most of the students during the Trump Administration.
•  An Automotive Technician earns $82,316 (Approx. INR 62,00,000) in the United States.

Top Colleges

Canada

• There are approximately 10 colleges that offer students to pursue a career in Automobiles. 
• Some of the top colleges are given in the table below. English is the preferred language for these colleges in Canada. 
• According to the Project Atlas 2017-2018 report, Canada saw a growth of 18.8% in hosting courses and colleges for foreign students. 

Top Colleges

Benefits of Career as Automotive Technician

• Salary: Automotive Technicians earn a monthly salary of INR 25,000 to INR 30,000 on average at the start of their career. With the experience they gain, they can make INR 60,000 to INR 1,00,000 per month.
• Job Security: A career in Automobiles is a promising career as the field of Automobiles is never going to run out of business. There will always be the requirement of a professional Automotive Technician for many works. Automotive Technicians will always be required and act as a medium or link in organizing any event and meeting with the deciding groups to implement new solutions to benefit the company.
• Opportunity to be Creative: Automotive Engineering helps bring the best creativity in a person as a person learns to analyze the technical problem in an automobile. It is by creativity an Automotive Technician shows up his/her organizing and coordinating skills.
• Profession Specific: Automotive is a wide field and has many different professions. One can work as an Automotive Technician, Automobile Blogger, Professor, Quality Assurance Engineer, Design Engineer, etc. the stream in which a person wants to pursue Automobile will entirely depend on the person's area of interest.
• Higher Studies: After gaining knowledge in the field of Automobiles a candidate can choose to pursue higher education. Candidates can opt for Post-Graduation. They can do M.Tech in Automobile Engineering or can even opt for Management Education (MBA). They can even opt for various programs offered by foreign universities.

Skills Required to Become an Automotive Technician

Following are some of the skills an Automotive Technician is entrusted to have in him/her. 

Salary of an Automotive Technician

The salary of an Automotive Technician can be competitive in the initial stages as the salary mainly depends on the performance of the candidate and his expertise in coordinating and analyzing. The better he/she is in his/her work the better wage he/she can expect. The average salary of a Fresher as an Automotive Technician can range from INR 3,00,000 to INR 4,00,000 per annum.

Average Annual Salary

Specialization Wise Salary (Fresher)

Gender Wise Salary

Experience Wise