Automotive Electrician

• Double Certificate I in Automotive and Engineering

Automotive electricians install, maintain, identify faults and repair electrical wiring and computer-based equipment in motor vehicles and related equipment. This includes caravans, trailers, earthmoving equipment, mining equipment, marine applications and agricultural equipment.

Automotive electricians also install electrical equipment such as lighting systems or starter motors, or electrically operated accessories in vehicles such as radios, air conditioners and anti-theft systems. To repair and install electrical and electronic equipment, automotive electricians need to have a good understanding of electrical wiring systems. Most drivers know how important it is to have their vehicles serviced regularly, another task handled by automotive electricians. During a tune up for instance, automotive electricians may adjust engine control systems and timing to ensure that vehicles can run at peak performance. For repair and maintenance tasks, automotive electricians need to be able to detect existing faults and foresee any near future electrical and electronic problems.

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There are 83% who have a Certificate III or IV, 8% have an Advanced Diploma or Diploma and 10% have no post school qualification. It is recommended that you gain the available qualifications to get the best possible chance of employment.

TAFE SA offers the following courses to help you find employment in this industry: Certificate I in Automotive (Specialising in Light Vehicle); Certificate II in Automotive Mechanical. Still Unsure? Then enrol in a short course also offered through TAFE SA such as Auto Electrical and Electrical Fundamentals. For further information about these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au.

SA Apprenticeships are available in this occupation. For further information go to the Traineeship & Apprenticeship website at http://www.employment.sa.gov.au or phone the Freecall number 1800 673 097.

Aside from a commitment to ongoing learning, automotive electricians also need excellent customer service skills. They often have direct contact with customers, some of whom can get impatient. ''Most customers want their car yesterday,'' says Greg. On the technical side, in this job you need a sound understanding of electrical and electronic systems. A systematic and thorough approach is also a must as are good problem solving skills.

You'll also have to be confident using hand tools, specialised electrical tools and instruments and machines such as drills, grinders and lathes. Automotive electricians work mostly from an automotive electrical workshop, vehicle dealerships or service stations. Occasionally, they may be called out to someone's home or workplace. According to industry representatives, there is a shortage of automotive electricians in South Australia.

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When automotive electrician, Peter Hackett, started his automotive apprenticeship, a 1972 Holden was a pretty advanced model as far as auto electrics were concerned. ''Now its an antique. Today's cars are really advanced and its more the norm rather than the exception for them to feature computerised and electronic components. ''Peter regularly tends to the electrical and electronic gadgets that keep motors in top condition and prevent the brakes from locking the wheels. Peter has worked as an automotive electrician for the past 16 years, many of which were spent running his own business. His initial choice of career was not without conflict. ''I did work experience in the automotive industry when I was still at school but I couldn't make up my mind whether to become a mechanic or an auto electrician. I opted for this job because it combined mechanics and electrics. ''That hurdle over, Peter went on to TAFE and completed a pre-apprenticeship course and then his apprenticeship. If the fact that Peter went on to be offered three jobs after TAFE is any indication of how much he would eventually enjoy the occupation, then his career took off in first gear! ''I love what I do. That's because its always challenging. I'm confronted with new problems each day. If everything was the same, day in and day out, it would be boring. ''According to Peter, his time in self employment made a great job even better, albeit, much more demanding. Although self employed automotive electricians need to take care of business matters, they can generally still be found in the workshop, doing what these tradespersons are trained to do. ''There's a lot of time and effort involved. My workshop was a small business so I was a worker, supervisor and owner all rolled into one and I would typically put in a 14 hour day. ''Like all customer service related occupations, Peter has come across his share of irate customers. ''They're not happy to begin with because something is wrong with their car and most customers want their car 'yesterday'. You try and meet everyone's needs, but its not always going to happen. ''Aside from some customer relationships savvy and the technical skills you'll need in this occupation, Peter strongly recommends ongoing learning to help you keep up with the rapid changes occurring in the vehicles of today. ''Be dedicated to the four year apprenticeship and keep on learning, otherwise you'll fall behind.''

Automotive electricians work with computer-controlled engine management and other systems. They service, identify and repair faults on electronically controlled vehicle systems such as electronic fuel injection, electronic ignition, anti-lock braking, cruise control, automatic transmission, air bags and airconditioning. Part of their duties is to install electrical equipment such as gauges, lighting, alternators and starter motors in vehicles as well as install electrically operated accessories such as radios, heating or demisting equipment, airconditioners, driving lamps and anti-theft systems. They use meters, test instruments and circuit diagrams to find electrical faults. Automotive electricians also adjust engine control systems and timing to make sure vehicles are running at peak performance. They can also test, recondition and replace faulty alternators, generators, starter motors and related items such as voltage regulators and batteries and repair or replace faulty ignition, electrical wiring, fuses, lamps and switches. They use hand tools, specialised electrical tools and instruments and machines, including drills, grinders, presses and lathes. They can also solder or weld when repairing electrical parts. Automotive electricians sometimes sell and install electrical parts and accessories and install, repair and service airconditioning systems.

To be an automotive electrician, you must enjoy practical and manual work. You also need to have normal eyesight and colour vision as well as good hand-eye coordination. You need to be well organised and be able to approach work in a systematic and thorough way. This occupation also requires good technical aptitude.

If you are looking for variety and challenges at work, you will find it in this job. According to another local automotive electrician, each vehicle has a different problem so its rarely boring at work. An increasing number of vehicles today come equipped with computerised and electronically controlled systems - everything from components in the motor to mobile phones. As a result, there has been a corresponding increase in the use of diagnostic equipment to locate electrical and electronic faults in vehicles. There is increasing pressure on automotive electricians to keep up with the introduction of new diagnostic equipment and to understand how to use it. Ongoing training and learning is critical therefore, for these tradespersons if they are to stay abreast of such changes.

For further information, contact:

Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (SA)
GPO Box 1051 Adelaide SA 5001
Ph: (08) 8332 6155
Fax: (08) 8364 0563
Email: amwusa@amwu.asn.au
Internet Address: http://www.amwu.asn.au

Motor Trade Association of South Australia Inc
GPO Box 2204 Adelaide SA 5001
Ph: (08) 8291 2000
Fax: (08) 8291 2099
Email: mta@mta-sa.asn.au
Internet Address: http://www.mta-sa.asn.au

Automotive Training Australia (National Office)
La Trobe University Bundoora VIC 3086
Ph: (03) 9479 3480
Fax: (03) 9479 3487
Email: ata@automotivetraining.org.au
Internet Address: http://www.automotivetraining.org.au

The starting award salary for a qualified automotive electrician is about $25,000 and this may go to around $32,000 after three to five years in the job. In addition, automotive electricians receive a tool allowance. Some employers are willing to pay higher than the award rate, given the current shortage of skilled workers.

For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or email tafeinfo@saugov.sa.gov.au