Automotive Body Technician

Automotive Body Technician

Career Overview

Automotive body and glass repairers can repair most damage from vehicle collisions and make vehicles look and drive like new. Repairs may be minor, such as replacing a cracked windshield, or major, such as replacing an entire door panel. After a major collision, the underlying frame of a car can become weakened or compromised. Body repairers restore the structural integrity of car frames to manufacturer specifications.

Education

Completing a certificate or two-year college program in automotive collision repair or a related field might provide the best opportunity to get a job in this field. It may be possible to learn this on the job at times, but employers prefer applicants who have completed a formal program. Industry certification is becoming increasingly important.

Future Outlook

Overall employment of automotive body and glass repairers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2019 to 2029, slower than the average for all occupations.

Work Environment

Automotive body repairers work indoors in body shops, which are often noisy. Shops are typically well ventilated, so that dust and paint fumes can be dispersed. Repairers sometimes work in awkward and cramped positions, and their work can be physically demanding.

Recommended High School Courses

  • Electronics
  • Communication
  • Trade-related courses
  • Automotive Repair

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment.
  • Inspect completed work to ensure proper functioning.
  • Install vehicle parts or accessories.
  • Operate welding equipment.
  • Paint surfaces or equipment.
  • Apply protective coverings to objects or surfaces near work areas.
  • Cut materials according to specifications or needs.
  • Remove dents from equipment, materials, tools or structures.
  • Read work orders or descriptions of problems to determine repairs or modifications needed.
  • Plan work procedures.
  • Remove parts or components from vehicles.
  • Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
  • Install machine or equipment replacement parts.
  • Prepare compounds or solutions to be used for repairs.
  • Adjust vehicle components according to specifications.
  • Replace vehicle glass.
  • Clean work areas.
  • Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
  • Measure distances or dimensions.

Schools

usa_school
American River College
Atlanta Technical College
Atlantic Technical Colleg...
Austin Community College...
Cerritos College
Chippewa Valley Technical...
Chippewa Valley Technical...
Clackamas Community Colle...
Clover Park Technical Col...
Coastal Alabama Community...
Coastal Pines Technical C...
College Of Lake County
Cypress College
Dakota County Technical C...
Des Moines Area Community...
El Camino College
Emily Griffith Technical...
Ferris State University
Forbes Road Career And Te...
Francis Tuttle Technology...
Gateway Community College...
Gateway Community College...
Greenville Technical Coll...
Iowa Central Community Co...
Lake Washington Institute...
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical College-...
Pikes Peak Community Coll...
Red Rocks Community Colle...
Rosedale Technical Colleg...
Salt Lake Community Colle...
San Jacinto Community Col...
Spokane Community College
Suny At Morrisville
Suny Erie Community Colle...
Suny Hudson Valley Commun...
Thaddeus Stevens College...
Utah Valley University
Walla Walla Community Col...
Washburn University- Inst...
Waubonsee Community Colle...
canada_school
Academy Canada- St. Jo...
Academy Canada- St. Jo...
Algonquin College
Centennial College
College Of The North A...
Conestoga College- Gue...
Fanshawe College- Lond...
Mohawk College- Stoney...
New Brunswick Communit...
Northern Alberta Insti...
Nova Scotia Community...
Okanagan College- Kelo...
Sait - Southern Albert...
Saskatchewan Polytechn...
University Of The Fras...
Vancouver Community Co...

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...
Curt Pozan Trades Scholar...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:
Low End:
$26,710.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$43,580.00 /yr
High End:
$73,470.00 /yr

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.