As a parent, you want what’s best for your child: You want to see your son or daughter succeed in a career and be able to financially support themselves. Going to college is not always the best way for your child to get there. If your child is a hands-on learner and is interested in a trade profession, a career as an auto mechanic may be the right path for them. Here are a few reasons why your son or daughter should become an auto mechanic.

1. Great Pay

While the traditional college degree can leave your child with thousands in debt and four years wasted with no guarantee of a job, mechanics can spend that time taking control of their financial destinies and earning with paid internships and jobs at top dealerships and repair shops. In the time it would take to earn a bachelor’s degree (assuming your child never changes his or her major), our estimations show that your child can earn nearly $140,000 and possess a lifelong skill. With four years’ experience, properly trained mechanics can expect to earn an hourly rate of about $25 by then, which equates to over $50,000 annually, plus efficiency bonuses for top performers.

2. More Variety

Welders weld. Electricians wire. Machine operators operate machines…over and over and over again. Choosing a career as an auto mechanic provides the opportunity to become a jack of all trades and is never the same from one day to the next. From brake repair to electrical issues, mechanics will tackle many different jobs during every shift. While variety makes work interesting, being well-rounded and resourceful is essential to making good money and always having career options.

3. Fringe Benefits

Along with great pay, there are several fringe benefits that come with being an auto mechanic. Unlike other trade professions, mechanics have the luxury of being able to work indoors 365 days a year. Thrive as an individual if that’s your speed and win as part of a team. Not to mention, being able to work on your own vehicles, your Mom’s car, your spouse’s SUV, and the neighbor’s van is a huge benefit. Being able to make a few extra thousand each year is a life-long benefit to becoming a properly trained auto mechanic.

4. Growth Opportunity

A vast majority of current auto mechanics are retiring. The industry is already begging for more mechanics and the cry is only going to get louder as mechanics retire and the number of vehicles on the road increases, thanks to the rise of ecommerce and delivery services. Plus, most highly compensated service managers, shop owners, and manufacturer service reps began and earned their stripes by working as mechanics. You can literally take it anywhere.

5. Job Security

Lack of supply drives increased demand. As cars last longer, maintenance and repair increase. As mechanics retire, demand for mechanics and the wages being offered will continue their rapid upward trajectory. And perhaps most important, even in an uncertain economy, people and businesses must keep their vehicles up and running in order to keep moving forward. Vehicle repair is virtually recession-proof, and your son or daughter can be, too, with a career as a properly trained auto mechanic.

Choose Wisely

Rather than waste the time and money on a college education with no guarantee of a job and racking up thousands of dollars in debt, Matrix Trade Institute’s 20-week automotive mechanic efficiency training program provides a clear path beginning with hands-on education and leading to an in-demand career with unlimited earning potential and job security.

Get the right tools on day one, learn to work with them every day by using them properly with real world hands-on instruction and repetition. Learn to score efficiently and maximize success. Accelerated hands-on programs like the revolutionary approach at Matrix go against the grain of traditional education. We prioritize earning with hands-on learning with paid internships that turn into full-time jobs with great companies who offer up to full tuition reimbursement upon graduation.

Contact us today to learn more. In the meantime, your child can take our Aptitude Test to see if a career as an auto mechanic is right for them.