Preparation to become an automotive body repairer might begin early in your school career. Through high school, you might be able to participate in vocational occupation courses offered by your school, a local community college, a mechanic or an automotive dealership. After high school, programs might be available at community colleges or vocational schools or through car manufacturers, car dealerships or independent auto mechanic shops. Courses in math, science and automotive repair are helpful, and you might also look into more specific programs that include courses on types of vehicles and vehicle construction, automotive body repair techniques, paint and electrical systems.
In addition to any training you might receive from family and friends as you grow up, some courses that you might take in high school are ones that focus on math or science as well as any automotive-specific courses. Schools in many localities offer courses in automotive repair techniques or basic automotive technology. In addition to the training that you might receive in these courses, you might also be able to shadow a local repair technician or participate in an internship program to receive on-the-job training.
Many community colleges and vocational and trade schools offer certain programs to high school students so that they can earn college credit while still in high school. Taking advantage of programs such as these might be of assistance if you would like to become an automotive body repairer. These programs might give you the opportunity to learn from highly trained instructors and work with specialized equipment to which you might not have access otherwise.
After graduating from high school, you might decide to attend community college, trade school or another location where you might get more specialized training to become an automotive body repairer. In addition to traditional routes such as college, look into programs run by specific auto manufacturers. These might be offered at a specific school or through some other means. If you would like to become an automotive body repairer for a certain brand, this might be a good way to get training that focuses on that company’s specific vehicles, tools and processes.
Even if you are past high school age, you generally still can participate in the various offerings at colleges and by manufacturers. This is a field always in need of highly qualified technical repairers. Many times, employers are not as concerned about your age as they are about your ability to perform the job properly.
It also might be a good idea to look for opportunities to receive any certifications that could make you more employable. Some certifications might be general automotive certifications, and others might be specific to certain brands. Even after you have become an automotive body repairer, you might continue to look for educational opportunities and certifications to remain abreast of what is going on in your field.
