Why You Should Consider A Career In The Automotive Industry

We live in a world where career choices are abundant, regardless of the field.

Whether you’re new to the job market or considering shifting gears in your professional life, you might want to consider working in the automotive industry, especially if you have a particular interest in cars.

If you automatically equate an automotive career with being a mechanic or a technician, you wouldn’t be wrong, as countless people have already made lifelong careers out of fixing cars or specializing in car audio system installation.

However, there is so much more about the automotive sector than meets the eye.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that make working in the automotive industry interesting and inviting.

Plenty of Career Opportunities

As mentioned above, it would be right to automatically think of being a mechanic as the career to pursue whenever someone brings up the phrase, “automotive industry.”

However, you would be only partly correct because there are lots of career opportunities in the automotive sector other than being an auto mechanic.

You can go into sales, for one thing. If you have a natural knack for it, you will find plenty of success, regardless of whether you’re focused on selling cars or car parts.

You can also be a paint technician, for another. Specializing in auto body repair would also be a great career choice.

Other jobs in the automotive industry that you might want to look at include:

• Auto engineer

• Quality testing engineer

• Process engineer

• Auto electrician

• Auto sales manager

• Auto detailer

• Auto designer

• Tire technician

• Vehicle inspector

• Automotive electrician

• Tow truck driver

You can even work on the marketing side of things, which could include search engine optimization (SEO) or content writing jobs for businesses in the automotive sector.

The Pay Is Good

It’s hard to understand why there are people who think that automotive industry jobs don’t pay that much. If anything, people doing automotive jobs earn good money.

For example, auto mechanics in Canada earn more than $66,000 a year on average, which is a nice figure by any standard.

While pay scales may vary depending on job title, experience, and location, working automotive jobs allow you to take home a salary that’s competitive at the very least. Work your way up to higher positions in your company, like an auto engineer or car sales manager, and you will earn even more.

It’s An Ever-Evolving Field

The automotive industry is a technology-oriented sector.

Every year, we can expect to see innovations in car technologies. More recently, we’ve seen electric cars and self-driving vehicles make their way onto our streets.

Can you imagine what car technology would be like a decade from today?

If you’re in the automotive industry and truly have a passion for cars, you will have front-row seats to the continued evolution of vehicles and all related technologies.

Whether you’re fixing cars or selling them, you will know more about game-changing car technologies than casual car owners.

If you’re lucky, you might even find yourself having hands-on experience with the most recent technological innovation in cars, mainly because you’re an industry insider.

It’s Getting More Diverse

While it’s true that the automotive industry continues to be a male-dominated sector, the fact that women make up one-quarter of Canada’s auto industry workers is a good sign. It means that Canada’s automotive industry is starting to take the right steps towards becoming more diverse.

With calls for diversity across many industries getting stronger, we can only hope that it won’t be long before we see more people of different genders, sexual orientations, and social and ethnic backgrounds making the automotive sector more inclusive.

Cons About Working In The Automotive Sector You Need To Know

While the automotive industry is an excellent place to pursue a career, it would be less than honest to say that everything about it is perfect.

Just like any industry, there are pros and cons to working in the automotive sector.

We have already mentioned the pros above; now, let’s talk about some of the downsides you need to be aware of before deciding to embark on an automotive career.

Working in the automotive industry means you will have to face certain safety risks, specifically if the job involves actual work in a shop or garage.

When repairing or maintaining vehicles inside a garage, there is equipment all over the place that could cause an accident, from engine hoists to pole jacks.

If you ever work in an auto shop, you need to be extra careful while doing your job because you’ll never know what might happen.

You will also need to be prepared for the shape or condition of the place where you’ll be doing most of your work.

Those in sales and marketing will no doubt be working inside a comfortable office, but mechanics, detailers, and technicians will be working in a garage, the cleanliness and comfort of which may vary from company to company.

You also need to be ready to work long hours and even on weekends, especially if you’re in sales.

After hours and weekends are often peak times for selling cars and car parts, and you wouldn’t want to miss that opportunity to advance your career.

If you’re serious about becoming a car or parts salesperson, you need to be ready for the possibility of giving up part of your personal time with family and friends.

Some of the automotive careers mentioned above may require little training or experience, while others may ask more of you in terms of education and qualifications.

Still, the key requirement to enjoying a career in the automotive industry is a passion for vehicles and how they work. Without it, you might find yourself unhappy with your choice and end up switching careers again.

As long as you love cars and everything about them, you should seriously consider a career in the automotive industry because you will love every minute of it.

About the Author

Lauren Bricks is the Content Specialist for Streetfighter Motorsports LLC, a family-operated car audio and accessory installation, sales, and customization facility located in Phoenix, Arizona. She loves cars and although she spends much of her week writing about them, she still finds the time to hop onto the second-hand Corvette convertible her dad gave her for her 25th birthday and drive to the countryside with the top down.