Motorcar mechanic

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Automotive mechatronics technician measuring a chassis
Coat of arms of the automotive trade

The automotive mechatronic technician (Germany) or automotive mechatronic technician (Switzerland) describes the former profession of car mechanic and is an apprenticeship .

The profession is a classic male domain . In 2010, the proportion of women in training and professional practice in the DACH countries was not more than 2.8%.

job profile

Germany

Car mechanic repairing an engine (1952)

The automotive mechatronics technician emerged in 2003 from the professions of an automotive mechanic, automotive electrician and automotive mechanic. The name change was chosen to correspond to the modern job description. The new job title was a response to the changed requirements in the automotive engineering trade. On August 1, 2013, the new training ordinance came into force. Thus, 10 years after the previous reorganization, the job description has been adapted to current developments.

Without technology, especially IT technology, there is no everyday workshop routine. Modern computers and electronic test systems are daily companions alongside the dismantling and assembly tools. The market shows that things are heading towards the future: electric cars and hybrid motors are on the advance and even under the hood of small cars, the latest technology with electronically linked systems is now hidden.

requirements

The prerequisite for this apprenticeship is a good secondary school leaving certificate or a very good secondary school leaving certificate.

Duration of training

The training usually lasts three and a half years and takes place in the dual system . This means that the training takes place in the company, in the vocational school and in inter-company educational institutions. A shortening is possible under certain conditions. Possible reasons to shorten the training period are particularly good performance in the vocational school or the crediting of vocational training.

Specializations

During the training to become a vehicle mechatronics technician, the trainee can choose one of five key areas. The training is deepened in one of these areas:

  • Passenger car technology
  • Commercial vehicle technology
  • Motorcycle technology
  • System and high-voltage technology
  • Body technology

Area of ​​responsibility

Service, maintenance, repair and diagnosis work on modern vehicles are primarily tasks that vehicle mechatronics technicians have to accomplish every day in a vehicle workshop. Executing the customer order, observing the specifications and thinking and analyzing logically difficult tasks plays a major role here.

Areas of responsibility within the focus areas:

Car
  • Maintaining and repairing cars, such as brake and chassis assistants, steering systems, engines and transmissions or engine management components
  • Checking the component functions during and after repairs
  • Diagnosing and examining vehicles, such as reading out fault memories and checking the vehicles for road safety
  • Retrofitting z. B. from trailer hitches, auxiliary heaters and navigation systems
  • Use of modern workshop information and communication systems, such as researching data and updating and parameterizing control units
Commercial vehicle technology
  • Commercial vehicles service, such as performing a 100,000 km inspection including checking the components for wear
  • Repair parts and components such as brake systems, engines and transmissions
  • Diagnosing the linked vehicle systems including eliminating malfunctions in the communication between the individual components
  • Check commercial vehicles for roadworthiness and carry out the necessary repairs
Motorcycle technology
  • Motorcycles wait, like doing spring checks
  • Check the frame, suspension systems and running gear for wear and damage
  • Carry out repair work on the brake and chassis system
  • Retrofit accessories according to customer requirements and road traffic regulations
System and high-voltage technology
  • Identify vehicles and their system components
  • Adhere to the corresponding procedures when diagnosing errors
  • Define troubleshooting strategies
  • Retrofit components in existing vehicle systems
  • Dealing with high-voltage systems and their components
Body technology
  • Planning and preparation of body work
  • Repair of accident-damaged vehicles
  • Repair and assembly work
  • Assess the scope of damage, identify errors, defects and their causes
  • Maintenance, testing and adjustment of vehicles and systems

graduation

There is a journeyman's examination in two parts. The journeyman's examination part 1 is the same for all five training focuses. It lasts five hours and involves at least one work item. In part 2 of the journeyman's examination three work tasks have to be mastered, two of them from the chosen training focus.

further education

Switzerland

There are currently three professions in Switzerland for basic vocational training :

  • Automotive Assistant EBA (2 years)
  • Automotive specialist EFZ (3 years)
  • Automotive mechatronics technician EFZ (4 years)

The automotive assistant has the lowest requirements and the automotive mechatronics technician the highest. The motorcycle mechanic EFZ is based on its own regulation.

The three learning locations are always the training company, the vocational school and the inter-company courses .

Automobile assistant

The vocational school is attended one day a week. The inter-company courses comprise a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 24 days of 8 hours. The ordinance first came into force on January 1, 2007.

Automotive specialist

In the 1st year of training there are 1½ days per week at the vocational school, from the 2nd year of training 1 day per week. The training is divided into the subjects of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The inter-company courses comprise a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 45 days of 8 hours. The previous occupation was a car mechanic.

Automotive mechatronics technician

The training is divided into the subjects of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The previous occupations were car mechanic and vehicle electrician-electronics technician. From the first to the third year of training there are 1½ days per week at the vocational school, in the fourth year of training there are 1 day per week. The inter-company courses comprise a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 66 days of 8 hours.

further education

Career in the Swiss automotive trade

See also

Related professions

Web links

Germany:

Switzerland: