To excel in automotive repair, it is essential to learn the foundational theoretical knowledge. With the rapid development of the automotive manufacturing industry in our country, the demand for professionals in automotive manufacturing and repair is continuously increasing, and high-level talents are extremely scarce, presenting a very promising industry outlook.
The pressure of global resource depletion forces automotive fuels to break away from oil dependency, transitioning towards hybrid and fully electric vehicles. In the future, there will be opportunities in every aspect of automotive repair that can lead to a successful career.
Basic requirements for cultivating automotive repair talents:
Read extensively and learn knowledge related to automobiles, as it will definitely be useful in the future. Establish a solid theoretical foundation and combine it with extensive practical operations to master every part of the vehicle.
1. Interest in knowledge and books
The interest in knowledge and books determines whether one can achieve a high level of technical expertise. Good automotive repair talents are not only those who listen to their masters but also those who have their own ideas and thoughts, and who build their own technical knowledge base. If you observe closely, you will find that employees with good repair skills have a lot of technical books, and they often do not hesitate to spend money on them.
2. “1/3 of the cars are repaired at night”
Those who follow the saying “1/3 of the cars are repaired at night” can be cultivated. Due to the special nature of the automotive repair industry, many issues are left unresolved during the day, and some difficult problems cannot be solved immediately, requiring careful analysis of faults. However, because users have high actual requirements for their cars and sometimes demand urgent repairs, repair personnel must pay more attention to faulty cars. This extra attention can only be given at night, during their own time. Based on years of experience, I have found that at least 1/3 of car faults need to be analyzed at night..
3. Combining education and practice
It is difficult to achieve anything solely based on enthusiasm; basic qualities are also important. However, for the reserve forces, we cannot rely solely on “academic qualifications” because the automotive repair industry requires strong hands-on skills, and a perfect combination of mental and physical labor is necessary to complete the repair of a vehicle. Therefore, new hires must be pragmatic.
4. Interest is the cornerstone of success
For anyone who is not interested in cars, learning automotive repair is very difficult. This interest cannot just be verbal; it must be observed, and one should enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together. With a certain level of professional knowledge and patience, one is likely to learn automotive repair well.
5. What kind of person can be a master?
This question seems easy to answer: of course, it is someone with high technical skills. However, I believe that the following types of people cannot be good masters: those who always say they will deal with difficult problems tomorrow, indicating a lack of dedication; those who only know how to let their apprentices take things apart without understanding how to analyze using repair manuals or professional knowledge, indicating a lack of professionalism; those who do not dare to let their apprentices analyze and solve problems themselves; and those who have never bought professional books themselves.
Methods for cultivating modern automotive repair technicians:
1. Basic theoretical knowledge + interest
Under the condition of having a certain basic theoretical knowledge, cultivate interest so that employees can fully experience the joy of repair, user affirmation, and affirmation of their abilities. At the same time, some important tasks should be assigned to promising employees to make them aware of their role.
2. Competitions + coordination meetings
Create a competitive atmosphere through competitions to encourage learning and collaboration, while ensuring unity and cooperation among team members. Because repairing cars is not a one-person job, it is essential to develop a good habit of regular communication. Morning meetings can be held to discuss technical issues that occurred the previous day, with each meeting having a theme.
3. Keep a repair diary
Repair personnel are required to write work diaries, which can strengthen memory, provide future reference, and allow for a “theory → practice → theory” reflection and learning process while writing.
4. Specialization based on a broad foundation
On a broad foundation, cultivate expertise in a specific vehicle model or technology to facilitate the collection and organization of information and rapid improvement of technical skills. The requirements for a repair technician should not be too diverse; practical repair skills can be improved through focused training.
5. Proactive and innovative
Repair enterprises should focus on developing the capabilities of outstanding employees, making better use of those who are adept at introducing and developing new technologies and equipment, and developing useful tools that can significantly improve efficiency. Actively transforming employees’ ideas into reality, collecting and organizing innovative thoughts, and promoting meaningful content while providing necessary rewards to relevant personnel.
Contents for cultivating automotive repair technicians
1. Strong logical reasoning ability
Repair technicians should possess a special logical analysis ability for automotive faults. This requirement is determined to some extent by the actual situation of the automotive repair industry in our country. Currently, our diagnostic methods, equipment usage, and fault occurrence locations have not reached the level where a simple replacement of parts is sufficient; thus, the main task of the repair industry remains “diagnosis”, as the saying goes, “70% diagnosis, 30% repair”. The true measure of a repair technician’s level is the accuracy of their diagnosis. During the diagnosis process, diagnostic personnel must “understand principles, be able to analyze, reason, and diagnose cleverly”. Excluding a difficult problem can sometimes be like solving a good mystery novel, except that the protagonist of the novel is the various systems of the car. Therefore, someone who cannot reason or analyze logically will find it difficult to become a good repair technician.
2. A certain level of English proficiency
The development of automotive technology has made it no longer a matter of a single country; international cooperation is needed. A significant portion of the cars we repair are imported, making a certain level of English proficiency particularly important. In work, one needs to consult relevant English materials for certain vehicle models, and it also facilitates understanding of the latest automotive technologies, repair manuals, and diagnostic methods from abroad.
3. Organic combination of mechanics, electronics, and hydraulics
The traditional concept in our automotive repair industry is that mechanics and electricians are separate, independent professions. However, with the rapid development of automotive technology, this division has become unrealistic. There is a strong need to combine mechanics and electricians, supplemented by hydraulic technology, to create an ideal automotive repair talent.
4. Mastery of certain computer knowledge
Modern vehicles require repair personnel to master certain computer knowledge, not only understanding the correct use of computers but also the basic principles and control principles of vehicle-mounted computers. Otherwise, many fault phenomena may be difficult to comprehend.
5. Ability to select, use, and extend the purpose of equipment
The skill level of repair personnel largely depends on their application of equipment. If you observe closely, you will find that many repair shops have a lot of equipment that is merely for show, and some equipment has not even been unpacked, purchased only because regulatory authorities required it. For example, the most basic exhaust gas analyzer is often not used to draw conclusions based on data. Therefore, a true automotive repair talent must know how to develop and utilize automotive diagnostic equipment.
Self-improvement
There are conventional and unconventional methods in repair; one must absorb the strengths of others to compensate for their own weaknesses. The repair diagnosis process should start from easy to difficult, which can yield better results with less effort. During the repair process, it is important to expand thinking, as the existence of a fault may not be limited to one fault point, thus thinking should not be too directed. Each vehicle has its unique faults and troubleshooting methods, and addressing these faults from easy to difficult may take a long time. Reading more books or relevant websites and taking notes can greatly assist in your repair diagnosis process. Every master has their own specialties or unique tricks that you may never discover on your own, so pay attention. (Source: Automotive Repair Technology Network)
