The advantage to gettin a degree from an accredited university versus a tech/vocational school is to open up more possibilities for the future. From a tech school your training and qualifications are to turn wrenches as opposed to a university that requires the business, math, and other primary courses that leave you open for more then turnin wrenches.

Nothin wrong with being a good mechanic at all but why not leave the future open for more in case you decide you want something more later in life. My kid finished up his Associate degree in Automotive Diesel from UNOH and decided that wasn't what he wanted to do every day for the rest of his life so he moved on into the medical field now. Because he took actual accredited University program all those credits have transferred over to his new school and apply towards the next degree. If he had done the tech route he would be starting from scratch.

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and don't kid yourself any type of mechanicing puts your body through wear and tear.

Mental wear and tear is just as detrimental as physical. Office work can break a person down fast, too.

It comes down to what a person wants to do--like Bubba said getting a quality career (trade) education at an accredited institution is the best first step, just in case a person changes their mind later and wants to do something different.


UNOH has a good reputation, as do many schools.

you aint kidding about the wear and tear on your body, if your knees or back hurts just a little bit when you wake up now wait till you wrench for just a few years on Heavy Equipment or OTR trucks and stuff like that...i just got to my 2 years at work and im 21 and my back and knees hurt bad some days...i cant wait til im 40:argh:

I also contribute alot of the discomfort to being a catcher in little league before they had the knee savers, and playing offensive line in high school...both of those things got my legs jacked, oh and grandpa telling me i could pick up the 75 lb feed sack when i was 10 probably didnt help much either :D

I work on industrial engines and also wrench on my own trucks. ITs kind of a wash as to what kills my back more working with huge bolt torque specs and heavy parts or laying spread out over the top of an engine trying to cram my hand into a 2" hole while worming its way through 3 wiring harnesses. :humm:

New here, but i'd be glad to drop my 2 cents.
No matter what you do these days, for the most part, employers want experience before they'll shell out the big $$$. I work in power generation, no degree, and it would have done nothing for me on the technical aspect to go to a four year school. I put my wife through college while I was working 60 hrs. a week. She graduated, but here in the Dallas/Fort Worth, a business degree is like a GED. I know very few people starting out for more than $40k a year. She works in a office though, and has a comfortable laid back job. I on the other hand, make more $$$, but am on call, bust my back alot of the time, and my employer in a round about way owns me. I couldn't do an office job, but for most of the other opportunities w/in my company(cummins), I would need a damn degree to move up. So, I get employer paid certifications, but they do nothing for me if I get out of field service. My wife is gaining exp. in her modest job, and will soon have the exp. to qualify for a comfy job making more $$$. For the longest time I thought everyone was a fool for getting a common degree, such as business. But growing older, "back hurting more", I realize now why you go to college. And if all else fails, find a sugar momma w/ a good job. I still like my job, and don't take it for granted. But the drive home after a 16hr. day makes my mind wander.

heres what i figure if i go to UNOH and get my automotive and diesel degree and combine it with a bachelors degree in business i can work my way up in the ranks and then open up my own shop. the salesman the sold me my truck went to UTI. he is using that degree a lot selling used commercial vans and trucks.:booo: ive haeard those tech schools really only teach you the basics but it seems like from this thread they can be good. i figure if i bust my ass for 15 or 20 years in a shop then i will be able to open up a shop and retire worry fear:pca1:

No matter where ya go you will only get out of it what you put into. That's the biggest thing to remember.:c:

I'm an A&P Aircraft Tech, went to a vocational school for four 18 unit semesters to take the federal tests and get my license, straight out of high school. I need a couple classes to get my AS degree and after being out in the field, I'd like to take some business classes now.

I think if I took business classes before I worked full time and started working my way up at my full time job and starting my own stuff on the side, I don't think I would have put as much effort into the classes. But now I'm starting to look into some night classes because I'm interested in learning how to manage and plan more efficiently. Not sure that I did it correctly or not but I do know that I have no student debt/loans to pay off and I'm completely dedicated to any class I take now.

It might do well for you to consider an A&P program, unless you know for sure that you want to get into diesels. most A&P schools are intense and have very thorough training as far as general maintenance and troubleshooting techniques. there's very little emphasis on aircraft but it's mostly HOW to properly work on anything. CAT used to send their mechanics to or hire from the A&P school I went to until the hosting community college worked with them and got a CAT program, too.

I've gotten a lot of $20-25/hr non-aviation job offers just for having an A&P license. Hanging out in the pit of an AMA team at Laguna Seca, they told me if I ever wanted a job, they LOVE hiring aircraft mechanics.

It just all depends on the type of vehicles you want to work on. If u just want to work for a dealership or semis. There is schools out there just for those makes. Find out what u want to do and than go to the place where u wanna work and see if they can get u into school.
I grad in 2007 and am making 80,000 a year if the work is there