To become a diesel mechanic, it can take anywhere from a few months to several years. Certificate programs last six to nine months, associate’s degree programs last two years if completed full-time, and longer if completed part-time, and on-the-job training varies per business.
Is a career as a diesel technician a wise choice?
Diesel mechanics may expect to make an annual income of $50,200 on average. This works out to about $24.13 per hour. Pay varies depending on experience, location of employment, and state of residence. Local government diesel technicians make the most money, followed by those in wholesale commerce, car repair shops, and truck transportation.
Diesel mechanics who work for truck fleet dealers and repair shops may be paid a commission on top of their regular pay. While getting certification can help you boost your CV, depending on your organization and performance, it may also make you eligible for better pay.
Is diesel mechanic the career for you?
For people who are interested in mechanics and want to start a career that offers both gratifying work and a respectable entry-level salary, becoming a diesel mechanic is a suitable choice. Diesel mechanics may be the perfect job you’ve been looking for if you like to work with your hands, get joy from witnessing the results of your effort, and work in a profession that presents new challenges every day. Reach out to one of our professional Penn Foster Admission Specialists today at 1-888-427-6500 if you’re unsure how to get started with your training or have concerns about how online diesel mechanic classes work!
What is the average level of schooling among diesel mechanics?
Many organizations prefer to recruit diesel technicians with a professional certification, which can increase job options and career progression opportunities. Medium/heavy trucks, truck equipment, school buses, and transit buses are all covered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Diesel mechanics must have at least two years of experience in their areas of specialization and pass a test to become ASE certified. Advanced diesel mechanics, for example, can become master technicians by passing a series of exams on diesel engines.
To recap, diesel mechanics can enter the field by following these steps: Get a high school graduation and 3-4 years of training in diesel engine repair or service technology, or earn a certificate and/or an associate’s degree in diesel engine repair or service technology and be certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). As of May 2020, diesel mechanics and service technicians earned a median annual wage of $50,200.
Is it difficult to work as a diesel technician?
No, working as a diesel mechanic is not difficult. After three to four years of adequate training, you could become one.
A high school diploma or equivalent is the minimal educational need, but some businesses prefer that you have some form of college degree in vehicle maintenance, electronics, or mathematics. It would be good to have a degree or certificate in diesel engine repair specifically.
If you are hired without a degree, most employers will provide training, which can take three to four years. Cleaning parts, checking fuel and oil levels, and driving vehicles in and out of the shop are all common first steps. You go to more sophisticated courses like car diagnostics after learning routine maintenance and repair activities and demonstrating competency.
Diesel mechanics, on the whole, stay up to speed on new information and developments in the field of diesel technology and equipment. You can also obtain certified in areas like drivetrains, electronic systems, and preventative maintenance and inspection.
Ultimately, becoming a diesel technician is not difficult. The position may be a good fit for you if you have solid mechanical skills, are detail-oriented, and enjoy dealing with diesel engines and huge equipment.
Is a job as a diesel mechanic a promising one for the future?
Are you unsure whether diesel mechanics are still in demand? Yes, it’s a resounding yes. The need for diesel mechanics is predicted to expand by 8% between 2020 and 2030, indicating that the field is in high demand. While the role’s concentration remains on delivering optimal maintenance, repairs, and service to diesel engines, it has shifted as a result of new technology, an aging workforce, and a greater emphasis on eco-friendly performance.
This essay will explain why diesel has a competitive edge over gasoline, why the demand for diesel mechanics is growing, and why you should think about pursuing a future career in this rapidly expanding industry. Find out more about the promising future that a profession as a diesel mechanic has to offer right here.
What are the most well-paid mechanics?
HVAC mechanics work on machines that deal with heating, cooling, and air conditioning. Others work in industrial or commercial environments, while others fix equipment in private homes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual compensation for HVAC mechanics was $48,730 in 2019. Those working in civil engineering companies earned an average of $85,940 per year, while those working in aerospace earned an average of $77,180 per year.
Welding is a skill used by diesel mechanics.
Here are some samples of responsibilities taken from real diesel mechanic resumes that depict typical tasks they would conduct in their positions.
- Replace clutches, water pumps, turbo, alternators, brakes, and HVAC in diesel engines.
- Weld parts for truck and trailer repairs using MIG and TIG welders as needed.
- Supervise qualified soldiers who manage an unscheduled side of a maintenance shop where on-the-spot repairs are performed.
- Alignment of trucks, brakes, suspensions, drive trains, engines, engine diagnostics, and electrical and HVAC
- Welding; torch; plasma; aluminum welding; stick and MIG welding; whole truck and trailer repair
- Oil changes, wiring, hydraulic troubleshooting, fuel injection pump replacement, tire changes, and brake system repairs are all things that we do.
- Complete all of the dot forms.
- -unload and load trucks coming into the yard with various forklifts
- -On a bi-weekly basis, completed maintenance on all forklifts
- Demonstrate mental tenacity and stamina to handle constant short-notice demands while accomplishing a wide range of duties.
- Obtain authorization from a Cummins diesel engine mechanic.
- Complete refrigeration component diagnostic and repair.
- On customer vehicles, provide mechanical diagnosis and repairs.
- Crane operation, computer diagnostics, and hydraulic operations are all skills that can be learned.
- With a thorough awareness of OSHA regulations, you can spot potential safety issues.
- Pulleys, bearings, mounts, tires, seat belts, and rails should all be inspected for wear, security, and general condition.
- Replace carburetors, pulleys, and spindle bearings, sharpen blades, replace tires, and repair broken power lines.
How much does a diesel mechanic make?
A qualified Diesel Mechanic with 4-9 years of experience earns R 18 000 on average, whereas an experienced Diesel Mechanic with 10-20 years of experience gets R 23 000 on average. Diesel mechanics with over 20 years of expertise can make over R 27 000 per month.
UPDATED March 3, 2021
Please note that while Automotive Employment NZ Ltd has sought to be as precise as possible and provide guidelines for the most popular sectors of the New Zealand automotive industry, it assumes no responsibility for the information’s accuracy. Any recruiting choice should be based on a variety of sources of information.
Employees should be aware that while these rates can serve as a reference, you may need to analyze how your talents and experience compare to others in the workplace to get a more realistic picture of rates. Your work performance, overall employment stability, product knowledge, skill and qualification development, personal hygiene, communication abilities, and length of service to your current employer may all have an impact on potential compensation. These features of your job should also be considered in light of the economic situation in the area where you work or plan to relocate.
Rates and wages are quoted in New Zealand dollars for offshore candidates. Please double-check the date above, as the information supplied is only up to that point.
Automotive Technicians/Mechanics Light Automotive
For new employees, trade qualified Automotive Technicians are being paid NZ$27 to $35 per hour.
Certified master technicians or forepersons with specific franchise diagnostic skills and five years or more expertise with one marque are paid at the top of the scale.
Other factors that influence rates include population density or a special difficulty in obtaining skills owing to a remote location. The higher the rates, the larger the population, and the higher cost of living in these areas is usually the income driver.
Employers usually pay lower rates when they have worries about an employee’s depth of competence or if the individual has a more transient or unsatisfactory employment history. Trainees and apprentices should expect to start on far lower rates than those shown.
Because places of New Zealand that are in high demand have a higher number of people looking for jobs, the law of supply and demand has an impact on income, and rates may be lower in these areas.
Employers in less-in-demand places, where talents are hard to come by, may need to raise rates above the standard to attract talent.
Employees should be aware that there are numerous factors that employers consider when determining wage rates, including your ability to profit from your skills, the length of your employment, your productivity, efficiency, technical skills, and qualification extensions such as an AVI certificate or brand-related diagnostic qualifications.
Many firms also provide productivity and efficiency bonuses, as well as tool allowances and overtime. There are various variations on these bonuses, but they can often add $1 to $3 per hour to your earnings.
Median rate $35 per hour
In New Zealand, auto electricians are in limited supply. Rates vary widely, with some regional areas paying as much as $32 to $35 per hour.
With the closure of the border, rate rises in Auckland have escalated substantially.
Rates range from $35 to $45 per hour in the Auckland Metropolitan region.
Auto Electricians with both automotive and heavy diesel experience are in high demand.
Team Leaders/Forepersons
The team leader may work as much as 50% on tools and is responsible for technical supervision of workers, technical training, and sometimes substance of hands-on work. Employees will notice that the title and responsibilities of this position are not uniform across the sector. Assuming, however, that it is a senior technical function, the rates range from $31 to $40 per hour, with a high-end rate of $45 per hour that is rarely observed. A master technician/foreperson with both hands-on technical and supervisory responsibilities, or technicians working in difficult-to-fill areas, would be at the top of this scale. In Auckland, top-end wages are mainly only paid in a few dealerships where top-end, brand-specific skills are still difficult to come by and personnel are irreplaceable.
Service advisers are automobile technicians with a trade qualification who work in front-line positions. Upselling services and liaising with technical concerns are among the responsibilities, as are costing, invoicing, booking, and engaging directly with customers.
Salaries range from $55,000 to $70,000 per year.
Employees in this category who earn $65’000 to $90’000 can benefit from further incentives.
Service advisers at the lowest end of the pay spectrum are more likely to find work in areas with fewer people. Candidates working for large flagship franchises often earn a base salary of $65,000, albeit this varies depending on how incentives are computed, for example, the larger the at-risk component of income, the higher the overall income.
Employees receiving company cars is getting more widespread to the point of becoming the standard.
Service Controllers
Service Employees are trade qualified automobile technicians who are responsible for the distribution and control of incoming work to the technicians. Depending on the area, salary ranges from $65,000 to $80’0000. Senior employees with long tenures are frequently given company cars.
Service Receptionists/Non technically qualified service advisors
These personnel are often not trade certified and work as front line receptionists in a service department. This position is distinct from that of a technical service adviser. Meeting and welcoming customers, reserving vehicles, dealing with customers, re-delivery, invoicing, and customer follow up are all part of the job.
This is a salaried position with a salary range of $50,000 to $65,000. Additional incentives are frequently offered, bringing the OTE up to $65’000 to $80’000.
Vehicle testing inspectors, “COF B
Responsible for verifying that cars meet government and NZTA roadworthiness standards, as well as granting “warrants of fitness” and “certificates of fitness.”
The pay ranges from $30 per hour in some areas to $37.00 per hour for COF B accreditation at the high end. New employees from outside New Zealand normally start at the bottom and are not allowed to begin inspections unless they have obtained an AVI certificate, or “authorized vehicle inspectors certificate.” To qualify, technicians must have at least five years of recent experience as a technician or diesel mechanic.
COF inspectors earn a higher hourly rate because of their previous experience in the heavy diesel industry, which pays higher rates due to skill shortages.
Warranty Claims Administrators/Fleet Maintenance Controllers
National distributors tend to pay towards the higher end of the scale, with salaries ranging from $55,000 to $78,000. Salary levels in aftermarket warranty companies are usually set at or near the median rate. Employees may find it challenging to secure the higher end of these wage rates.
Because most of these organizations are headquartered in New Zealand’s main metropolis, these roles are frequently found in lease companies, national distributors, or mechanical insurance operations.
Candidates with heavy diesel expertise who are capable of providing these services in the heavy diesel sector may be paid more. This is owing to the higher wages offered to Diesel Mechanics in general.
Assistant Service Managers
In most cases, this is a second-in-command position to the service manager. Salary ranges between $75,000 and $95,000. It’s worth noting that the higher the level of responsibility for staff management, the higher the pay. Employees who work for small satellite sites, for example, are likely to be on the lower end of the salary scale.
An assistant Service Manager working in one of New Zealand’s major dealerships might earn a salary around the top of this range, with a portion of incentive pay on top of that.
Assistant Service Managers can make anywhere from $75,000 to $110,000 per year.
The location and level of responsibility will be the most significant differences.
What credentials do I need to work as a truck mechanic?
You’ll need the following items:
- the ability to operate, maintain, and repair machinery and tools
- to be thorough and give close attention to the smallest of details
- ability to solve problems
- the ability to function with your hands effectively
- skills in customer service
- the ability to collaborate effectively with others
- engineering science and technology knowledge
- the ability to take charge of your own destiny
- should be able to successfully utilize a computer and the major software programs
Messy work
Working on diesel engines is filthy because technicians work with lubricants and rust, which can transfer to their hands and clothing. In the event of a spill, most garages have sinks and specialist soaps. Some facilities may even provide technicians with showers before they leave work.
