Answers to your questions

Those employed in this field are responsible for inspecting, diagnosing, maintaining, and repairing vehicles. They handle everything from basic care maintenance, such as routine service inspections to complex mechanical or electrical repairs, including integrated electronic systems.

ITA will start off by providing you with a solid theoretical knowledge of the automotive technician. You will do a lot of your learning in a hands-on environment, working on actual vehicles, repairing a variety of systems and parts, from brakes and exhaust to steering and suspension. And you will learn how to use a wide range of industry-related tools and equipment.

Due to the complexity of automotive technology, most automotive technician employers prefer that applicants complete some formal training, such as an automotive technology diploma program, before obtaining entry-level trainee positions.

At ITA, we prepare our students for an entry-level position as an automotive technician in only six (6) months time. We’ve designed our program for accelerated learning, which enables the student to acquire the specific knowledge and skills they need to begin their career, NOW!

Students are required to have a Laptop or Tablet computer for classroom learning, where access to multimedia online course material is provided. Supported devices are:

• Windows v7, 8, 10; Chrome OS; MAC OS/IPAD OS

• 9” - 15” screen

• 4 Gig RAM

• 128 Gig HDD

• WiFi - 802.11ac

Students are required to have an industry-related tool kit for hands-on learning. ITA offers a partner provided, ITA approved, tool kit that students can purchase from our partner directly; the value of which, in terms of quality and price, is tremendous for students entering the trade. If you already have a set of tools, you will need to have them verified by ITA before they can be approved for use in the garage.

An ITA provided auto technician uniform is required and must be worn by students when working in the shop.

Through our payment plans, students can pay their tuition over time, using a variety of payment methods, making it easier to afford our quality training programs.

Most automotive technicians get into the trade because they like cars and want to work with their hands. That said, technicians are able to make a good living. According to Government of Canada estimates from 2017-2018, the wages of automotive service technicians break down like this: *

• The Canada-wide median hourly wage was $24.00, which translates to yearly pay of about $49,920 for full-time work.

• The highest hourly wage was $37.00 (about $76,960 per year).

When looking at such estimates, it's important to understand that it is possible to encounter wages that are higher than those reported, especially when you specialize. Take-home wages are also affected by how much overtime is worked. Most automotive technicians, though, tend to work a typical week of about 40 hours, Monday through Friday.

Another thing to be aware of about pay in the automotive trade is that wages aren't always paid on an hourly basis. Many repair shops operate a pay structure based on "piece work," which means technicians are paid a flat rate for each maintenance or repair job they perform. The result is that staying busy and being fast at your work can earn you more money.

Multiple paths exist in the automotive trade for those who want to match their interests to their careers. So, what does an automotive technician do when he or she wants a more distinctive career?

Some automotive technicians choose to specialize in specific automotive work like:

• Maintaining high-performance vehicles

• Rebuilding engines

• Climate control

• Fixing or installing transmissions

• Testing and repairing electrical systems

Other technicians, once they've gained a suitable level of experience, choose to focus their careers on servicing vehicles from particular manufacturers or regions of the world (e.g., North American, European, or Japanese makes and models).