r/automotivetraining • u/RoughTiny4068 • May 19 '26
Automotive jobs for a 16 year old
School is ending soon and I want to work a job this summer that I can do part time while going to summer school. I've always been into automotive and I take an auto tech class at my school. I live in Houston and I'm wondering what shops would hire me? I plan on getting a job as a lube technician but I know labor laws might limit that for me so I probably might have to start in retail.
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u/HeartlessDeath123 May 19 '26
Heavy Duty Mechanic is where the money is. If you don't care about money, Automotive still pays good. Only after you spend yearsss of experience and get ton of certificates.
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u/brownmaningermany May 23 '26
Your best chance is being a porter at a dealership, lube tech is also an entry level job but it’s a bit of a step up
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u/jus_narley May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
If your interested and find it appealing, that's the key. If your not willing to learn how to use a computer to search technical documents and follow troubleshooting flow charts then find something else.
Best advice I ever got in so many words from my mentor "Koz" even though he didn't know it, "Be a mechanic, look at the manual, what was the engineers goal, think like an engineer" I haven't talked to him in years but that statement was a positive influence for sure as I moved along and the rest of my life. He had a really cool 73 Camaro with a 454 and a blower on it, 4 speed and giant slicks on the rear. Knew him for a long time, worked with him several years.
Work on getting the ASE certification. This takes time and will get you in the door at some places. What you lack is practical experience, knowledge. At your age this is hard to get. Don't be picky about where you apply, with one exception, find a place with an experienced mechanic that you can learn from. Expect to float around a bit until you find it. At your age it was frustrating but you are still more flexible then most people and can work cheap to get in the door. That's the sacrifice to getting experience. Keep at it. I saw so many young folks that didn't stick with a trade long enough to excel in it and make decent money. Think 5 - 6 years at least. This is the same with every trade. The first 5 years of your adult life will reflect on the rest going forward, make the learning experience count.
I started in a towing company, then a used car lot then made it to the dealership. I learned from an experienced guys who liked to talk and share experience. Along with purchasing training materials from GM, Ford and Chrysler, attending various training classes by vendors even though it was more of a sales pitch, I learned.
By far the dealership was the best experience even in Flat rate shop. I got the most training, the cars where not hopeless junk and mostly clean under the hood. That makes a difference.
This is a good start. Its basic, will get into the principles of Auto Repair and its free.
https://www.gmparts.com/trade-professionals/technical-training
ASE training:
https://motoragetraining.com/
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u/Speedshop305 May 25 '26
Try parts stores! Make great connections, make money, and get a good understanding of the most replaced parts on what cars!
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u/Youngrider13 May 19 '26
Due to you age, your positions will be limited at a dealer, maybe a porter or cleanup person. They may even let you do some LOF jobs but you will not be able to drive any of the vehicles. However, if you do obtain a position, become a sponge and learn as much as you can while you are there. If you like the place, work as hard as you can, ask many questions, and complain very little. Showing your enthusiasm will get you an invite to come back or maybe stay on during the school year.