Breaking into a field is difficult, especially when it is one that has as much competition as the automotive industry. One of the best ways to get a job is to have a solid combination of education and experience. Many individuals are unsure of the steps you need to take to land a job quickly and easily. Below are a few ideas for getting the automotive training you need to be successful in the field. Attend an automotive school. Although you will need more than just an education to be successful in your chosen career, school is a good place to start your automotive training.

Because many automotive schools offer student resources such as help getting internships and post-graduation job placement services, enrolling in a good school is the equivalent to taking the first step toward a successful career. Work as an intern. Most automotive schools maintain ongoing working relationships with local automotive shops, garages, and dealerships. These relationships mean that there are many internships available through the school.

Internships help you by giving you valuable on-the-job experience before graduation, giving you a better chance of being chosen for a job. Some internships may also give you credit toward your degree. Work as an apprentice.

Apprenticeships are seen less frequently than they were in the early days of our country, but they still exist. An apprenticeship is like an internship, except it is in lieu of a formal education. Someone who cannot afford schooling works for an experienced member of the field, often for very little pay, in exchange for the opportunity to learn more about the field. Bust tires part-time. Although busting tires, which means taking tires off and putting them on the wheels is considered by some to be a miserable job, it provides very valuable automotive training. Many mechanics started out busting tires for an automotive garage or dealership as they learned the ropes, gradually moving on to more advanced maintenance.

Change oil in a lube shop. Oil and lube shops specialize in changing the oil and filters in a car very quickly, allowing people to get in and out and on with their day. Although working in a lube shop may not offer many advancement opportunities, it allows you to learn your way around a car. When applying for positions at an automotive garage or dealership, you will therefore be able to show that you have had on-the-job automotive training.

Work behind a parts counter. There are many parts stores and parts departments in dealerships, where the do-it-yourselfers buy parts to fix their own cars. While working behind a parts counter does not offer experience working on cars directly, it does allow you to learn a lot about different cars. Additionally, many parts stores offer company automotive training programs that you can apply to future jobs in the industry. All of these options are accessible to those with little or no automotive experience, allowing even the most novice worker to receive automotive training.

The best approach is always to combine a formal education with on-the-job experience, giving you a leg up over your classmates when you all start seeking jobs after graduation.

Andy West is a freelance writer for VC Tech, The Automotive School. VC Tech is a world-class automotive training center, offering many exciting automotive programs. Please visit http://www.vctechnical.com to learn more.