4 answers
jesse
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
3
Questions
Updated
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is there any jobs for small engine mechanics
i like to work with my hands and im very interested in motors #engineering
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4 answers
Kurt Myers
Manager
2
Answers
Valhalla, New York
Updated
Kurt’s Answer
Congratulations on thinking towards a trade!
It can be very rewarding and even lead to many other things and opportunities.
Having a good understanding of cause and effect is valuable in any job, and is learned easily while becoming good at diagnosing engine problems.
As an example,
1. I was an Auto Mechanic for 15 years.
2. That led me to my next career, which was "teaching" auto mechanics, in a trade school for a few years.
3. From which i then started "managing" a phone repair team for Verizon, where I have been for the last 20 years!
So how did i get to #1 above?
For me personally, I started just pumping gas at a station that also did auto repairs.
I talked with the mechanics, helped them on simple jobs, and after a year or so moved from pumping gas to a mechanics helper/aprentice position. Eventually learning and working my way up to a head mechanic.
But another option is to look into various post-high school "Trade Schools". They do cost money, but will give you a quicker path than I took.
If you are still in public school, ask your guidance councilor is there are any local BOCES or Trade "high Schools" in your area as well, thats another option to get started.
It can be very rewarding and even lead to many other things and opportunities.
Having a good understanding of cause and effect is valuable in any job, and is learned easily while becoming good at diagnosing engine problems.
As an example,
1. I was an Auto Mechanic for 15 years.
2. That led me to my next career, which was "teaching" auto mechanics, in a trade school for a few years.
3. From which i then started "managing" a phone repair team for Verizon, where I have been for the last 20 years!
So how did i get to #1 above?
For me personally, I started just pumping gas at a station that also did auto repairs.
I talked with the mechanics, helped them on simple jobs, and after a year or so moved from pumping gas to a mechanics helper/aprentice position. Eventually learning and working my way up to a head mechanic.
But another option is to look into various post-high school "Trade Schools". They do cost money, but will give you a quicker path than I took.
If you are still in public school, ask your guidance councilor is there are any local BOCES or Trade "high Schools" in your area as well, thats another option to get started.
Dan Wolf
Retired Electrical/Software Engineer and part-time College Professor (BSEET and MS Engineering Management)
129
Answers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Updated
Dan’s Answer
Are you interested in repairing small engines? Or either designing them or implementing them into new applications? Yes, I think there are jobs for each of the three options.
Repairing them doesn't necessarily require a college degree but designing them or applying them almost certainly requires a college engineering degree. The engineering degree will most likely earn you a higher salary and access to much more job opportunities.
Repairing them doesn't necessarily require a college degree but designing them or applying them almost certainly requires a college engineering degree. The engineering degree will most likely earn you a higher salary and access to much more job opportunities.
Maya Goldman
Engineering
17
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Maya’s Answer
You can always check our your local drinking water or wastewater plants for a tour and job opportunities. The water industry is always in need of professionals of all different education backgrounds (GED to PhD!). You can be trained as an operator or mechanic and have a job maintaining and working with the many mechanical equipment required to treat clean water for your community. These include pumps, screens, filters, odor control, and many others that all require motors and small engines to run constantly (the water never turns off!). It's definitely a hands-on job, every day in the field with some office work sometimes, too. And often lots of opportunity for growth. If you can't get in touch with your local water treatment facilities you should look at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and their career center: https://careercenter.awwa.org/
Joseph Neilson
Radiation Detection Physicist
219
Answers
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
I'm not sure what counts as a "small engine" or where exactly the jobs are, but perhaps I can give some pointers.
My first thought is whether a "small engine" means car-sized engines as opposed to large engines in goods vehicles, marine propulsion and generators. In that case, the mechanics' jobs are most likely mostly in the local repair and service garages.
But maybe it means smaller than that? I think the key in that case is to think about where such engines are used and where they'd be taken for repair. I'm thinking a lot of really small engines are in things like lawnmowers, power tools like saws and strimmers, and stuff like that - I'd expect garden centers, tool-hire firms and places like that to have some kind of maintenance and repair facilities available, and I'd imagine those are where you'd want to look for that sort of work.
My first thought is whether a "small engine" means car-sized engines as opposed to large engines in goods vehicles, marine propulsion and generators. In that case, the mechanics' jobs are most likely mostly in the local repair and service garages.
But maybe it means smaller than that? I think the key in that case is to think about where such engines are used and where they'd be taken for repair. I'm thinking a lot of really small engines are in things like lawnmowers, power tools like saws and strimmers, and stuff like that - I'd expect garden centers, tool-hire firms and places like that to have some kind of maintenance and repair facilities available, and I'd imagine those are where you'd want to look for that sort of work.