Questions from and for automotive apprentices.
What tools do I actually need to buy in my first year, and what does the workshop supply?
Start with the basics and build up: a decent socket set, spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, and a good torch will get you through most first year jobs. The workshop supplies the big gear like the hoist, air tools, diagnostic scanners, and specialty tools, so do not go into debt buying everything at once. Buy quality over quantity as you go, and keep your kit locked up and marked, because tools walk off in a busy shop. Ask your qualified guys what they reach for most before you spend big.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified automotive
Do I need a special ticket to work on car air conditioning?
Yes. To handle refrigerant (the gas in an air con system) while you are still training, you need a trainee Refrigerant Handling Licence through the Australian Refrigeration Council, known as ARCtick. It lets you work on refrigerant in both the classroom and the workshop while you finish your qualification, and your employer or RTO will help you apply. You can read the requirements at https://www.arctick.org/refrigerant-handling-licence/trainee-licences/ .
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified automotive
Is it normal that my first few weeks are mostly sweeping, oil changes, and cleaning up?
Completely normal, and it is not the boss being lazy on you. Keeping the workshop tidy, doing services, and fetching parts is how you learn where everything lives and how the shop runs. Do those jobs well and without whinging, and you will earn the bigger jobs faster. The apprentices who take the grunt work seriously are the ones who get handed the interesting stuff sooner.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified automotive
What is a normal wage for a first year automotive apprentice?
Automotive apprentices usually sit under the Vehicle Repair, Services and Retail Award, and your rate depends on your year, your age, and whether you finished Year 12. Rather than trusting a number someone tells you in the lunch room, check it yourself against the official Fair Work Pay Calculator at https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/ . If your pay slip does not match what the calculator says, have a quiet word with your employer or ring Fair Work.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified automotive
Do I need a driver's licence to be an apprentice mechanic?
Technically you can start an apprenticeship without a full licence, but you will hit a wall pretty quick. Road testing customer cars, moving vehicles around the yard, and running parts are all part of the job, and you cannot do them on your Ls in most workshops. Get your Ps sorted as early as you can, because a lot of employers see a licence as a must have. It also makes you far more useful day to day.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified automotive
