Calling all autobody techs

[antonio7566]

So at work I had a discussion with a coworker about what autobody techs make. We live in western Canada, and he said that the ones in the east cost don't get near the wage that we get.

I make $25 an hour on a flat rate system I make between 115-160 hours every two weeks depending on how busy we are. So my question to you techs out there what do you make and what part of the country do you live in, Canada or the states?

[cuate01221]

I make $0. But a shop near me is hiring for $25/hour flat rate. This is the States. I am currently looking for a job, but it is hard to get people to even look at my resume/past work.

[antonio7566]

I make $0. But a shop near me is hiring for $25/hour flat rate. This is the States. I am currently looking for a job, but it is hard to get people to even look at my resume/past work.

What shop experience do you have? And thanks for your answear.

[cuate01221]

What shop experience do you have? And thanks for your answear.

I've been going into a technical high school for 3 years. I do decent work, but as soon as I tell them I am 16 they say sorry no jobs available. I usually bring pictures of cars I have worked on but only got to show like 2 shops. They both said I am damn good for only being 16 years old, but unfortunately they had no space for me.

This is just 1 of the 17 pics I bring with me. I did this mostly by myself. Obviously needed help to put together. It's a kit car that came in 6 different pieces. I LOVE how this thing came out.

[antonio7566]

[QUOTE=cuate01221;2931059]I've been going into a technical high school for 3 years. I do decent work, but as soon as I tell them I am 16 they say sorry no jobs available. I usually bring pictures of cars I have worked on but only got to show like 2 shops. They both said I am damn good for only being 16 years old, but unfortunately they had no space for me.

This is just 1 of the 17 pics I bring with me. I did this mostly by myself. Obviously needed help to put together. It's a kit car that came in 6 different pieces. I LOVE how this thing came out.

Are you looking for full time or part time? Are you not in school, you should start in the wash bay work hard and prove your self that you can do the work that's where I started.

[cuate01221]

I am still in school. My school offers a Co-Op opportunity where as long as I keep an 80 average, I can go work in a body shop for 1 week then do school the next week. This would give me a nice head start in the trade. As for working in the wash bay, anything is better than nothing haha I don't care what I am doing, I want the experience so when I open my own shop, I know what to do.

[antonio7566]

I am still in school. My school offers a Co-Op opportunity where as long as I keep an 80 average, I can go work in a body shop for 1 week then do school the next week. This would give me a nice head start in the trade. As for working in the wash bay, anything is better than nothing haha I don't care what I am doing, I want the experience so when I open my own shop, I know what to do.

Ok I see now, well that's the problem most employers want full time staff but keep on looking and you should find a small shop that is willing to do but the the pay won't be that great but it's a start. Good luck.

[cuate01221]

I don't blame them either. My shop instructor said he had a few requests so I will see where those shops are at!

[9DUBWISE]

In Jax Fl the rate is $17/hr flat rate. But the shop i worked at you could get 160 hrs easy a week. That is until the economy took a dump. So i took up working on aircraft. Pretty similar except everything you do is inspected. And you sign your name to it. If you are a dumbass and a plane crashes then you and the inspector go to prison. Understandable. $25/hr is kick ass for body work.

[9DUBWISE]

Oh, and you have the snow and salt equals rust outs. Job security and higher rates.

[antonio7566]

Oh, and you have the snow and salt equals rust outs. Job security and higher rates.

You mean hear or where you live, we get rust here but nothing like the east coast of Canada. Our shop is steady but this winter has been a crazy one slower than any other year I have worked.

[crazymikey]

You've probably been slow since nobody is crashing because there's been no snow this winter!

[deevergote]

Yeah, west coast doesn't get the rust the east gets... salty roads are an east coast thing, both canada and US.

[antonio7566]

Yeah, west coast doesn't get the rust the east gets... salty roads are an east coast thing, both canada and US.

Funny but true I wonder why more snow? More people? Cheap road maintainace?

[crazymikey]

I think they use more sand out here because salt is only effective to about -20c, and as you know Antonio, it gets much colder than that here. Even more so for you being in Edmonton.

I'm lucky, considering it's February 4 and it's +10c and we don't even have any snow right now.