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Beyond auto service technicians, there are multiple types
of mechanics in the transportation trades who serve
other niches. These individuals have many of the same
skills and responsibilities as auto service technicians, but
focus instead on small engine vehicles and equipment
(motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, power boats, lawnmowers,
garden tractors, generators), diesel engines (large trucks
and buses), heavy equipment (farm tractors, construction
equipment, rail cars), or aircraft.
Automotive body and glass repairers
The job: Where automotive service technicians typically focus on
the parts of a vehicle that allow it to run, automotive body and
glass repairers specialize in the other aspects for the car or truck,
including the windows, the windshield, the paint job, the finish,
the frame, and other parts of the body. These fixes are sometimes
thought of as aesthetic corrections, but they can also be important
for safety, reliability, and smooth operation.
The pay: Auto body and auto glass repairers in the United States
make a median salary of $48,450 per year.
The prospects: BLS projects that this part of the automotive trade
will grow just one percent from 2019 to 2029, representing about
2,300 new jobs. The caveat is that auto body and glass repair is,
currently, an aging workforce, which means that a disproportionate
number of the 175,000-plus people who currently work in this
career will likely be retiring in the next decade. That mass exodus
should mean plentiful job opportunities for younger workers finding
their way into the trade.
The education: Most auto service garages prefer to hire people who
have received formal training in collision repair. These programs
are offered at the high school, trade school, and technical college
levels as well as at some community colleges or four-year universi-
ties. College programs are usually two-year degree programs, while