Mechanics as a career, how to get started?

[Shedfan]

I'm becoming increasingly disillusioned with life as an office monkey and I've been seriously considering getting onto the mechanical side of the motor trade however I have absolutely no idea where to start.

I have no real experience and I am finding information on how to get into this industry hard to come by. The only routes in I've found are apprenticeships but being 25 I am no longer eligable. There are adult apprenticeships but info on these is sketchy at best and I have found nowhere that is offering these courses.

Can anyone offer any more info on adult apprenticeships or any other advice on getting into this? I'm based in the west midlands.

Also if anyone runs a garage and is looking for a tea boy and general noob let me know!

[fred bloggs]

call up your local college and do a course. Apply for jobs.

[Taffer]

Marine engineering cadetships?

Get paid through college, learn hands-on engineering skills. Yes, there is time away at sea but it is learning practical skills which will be useful in automotive and other engineering sectors.

After your cadetship, there is no obligation to work for your sponsoring company.

Being an old fart at 25 I'm looking into it at the moment, hoping to start a course in January, but I'm hoping it will be a good path to go down. Yes, I'll have to essentially 'go backwards' in education (got a degree), but it should be of more use than 3 years stuck in a lecture theatre on a course almost totally consisting of theory.

www.mntb.org.uk for details!

[pgilc1]

Shedfan said:

I'm becoming increasingly disillusioned with life as an office monkey and I've been seriously considering getting onto the mechanical side of the motor trade however I have absolutely no idea where to start.

I have no real experience and I am finding information on how to get into this industry hard to come by. The only routes in I've found are apprenticeships but being 25 I am no longer eligable. There are adult apprenticeships but info on these is sketchy at best and I have found nowhere that is offering these courses.

Can anyone offer any more info on adult apprenticeships or any other advice on getting into this? I'm based in the west midlands.

Also if anyone runs a garage and is looking for a tea boy and general noob let me know!

Is working at cars something that comes natural to you? ie, have you been servicing, maintaining your own car, that sort of thing?