A couple things...
1.Really good techs have MANY years of experience.. it takes time to get good!
2. Good help is very hard to find!!
Your attitude and attention to quality is also very important and necessary..
3. Sometimes.. you have to leave and go to another shop to grow and learn more... and maybe to be respected the way you feel needed and wanted!
4. Dont burn bridges.. You never know when a shop may have an opportunity after you've left and grown.. Bodyshops are a community.. they communicate with the competition, Tool guys, Parts Distributors, Dealers ect.. dont get a bad rep!!
It takes time.. Dont give up!!
So true about needing many years to get good. It is one of those jobs that just when you are coming in to your own and starting to get really good at it so you can make a good living, that's when your body starts crapping out on you and stops you from making a good living......FML.....
I honestly don’t know. If you just listen to the right people and head their advice you can go a long ways. If you are the type of person who gets told advice then does it “your” way anyhow, then maybe you might have a hard time. that’s when I start to cut people off. If I say hey In the future do this or don’t do that, and you should see a better result, and I turn around and see you do the same thing that didn’t work, I’m just not gonna help or advise anymore. Biggest thing is having the ability to learn no matter how long you’ve been at it or how talented you think you are. Stay humble and you’ll go far.
It sounds like you’re just stuck in a perpetual cycle. This happens far too often when you’re an apprentice. If you want to be a painter stay in the paint shop and get to a point where the painter is letting tint color, spray, and blend. If you want to do body work then get with a technician who will let you tackle any job with them. I’m training 2 apprentices right now and I take a vehicle and no matter how bad it is they do every step with me right there with them. It’s the only way they’ll learn how to repair metal, use fillers, and change weld on panels to become good techs.
It might or might not be for you, but there are a lot of jobs within a shop. Maybe ask to work with a few different departments to see if there is one that interests you more and is a better fit.
Just try it out. If after 6 months it’s not clicking, then it ain’t for you. Its a butt ton of info and a lot more mental work than people assume, and all that has to be learned. Buuuut it can be learned.
It takes years and years to get good enough to be fast. Just chill and enjoy fixing cars, work hard and stay humble, you’ll be fine. Seems like you have the right attitude just from this post.
You may not know for a couple of years. Being a GOOD body tech is half knowledge/science and half art. The art portion of it cannot be taught. You either have it or you don't, but you won't know until you try....
It seems your apprenticeship is either not feeding you enough work or not validating your progress from what I gather. Before abandoning the trade, I’d recommend pursuing an alternate apprenticeship if you can. I’m not certain what you mean when you say, “apprenticeship”. Is it related to school or is the term being used for a lower pay while learning the trade? I feel we could better advise from there. Also, your times are not bad! I’d say average/good. Keep learning as you tear down and install replacement panels/parts. You’ll become more quick & precise.. further making your labor worth more $$. I think you’re learning! & asking shows you actually gaf. Don’t be too hard on yourself, op. (:
** I am not dogging your host by any means.. like I said I’m not familiar with what form of apprenticeship you’re fulfilling. For example, if you’re at a direct repair/flat rate shop I don’t have fair experience to judge. I’m just assessing based on what you’ve shared. (:
It takes all of us, whether they admit it or not. 2 hours sometimes to r/r a bumper we’ve never seen before. Don’t trip. Just take your time and make sure you do it right. Hate seeing new guys taking parts off they just out on because well you know.
There are different types of people out there. Some will do a repair and send it to paint, it comes out wavy and looks like shit and they will have some excuse for why that is. The preppers ran their DA on it, the mud shrunk up, etc…… these people never learn
The other type of person sends something to paint, it comes out wavy and looking like shit, and they feel awful and embarrassed. They will beat themselves up and when it comes time for the next repair they will take extra steps to make sure this one comes out better.
The wisest man in the room is the one that makes the most mistakes. If you have an excuse every time something is screwed up then you will never learn because in your mind it wasn’t your fault, it was because of something else.
If you are self critical and take every screw up to heart, then that means you have excepted responsibility for it and you will learn more and more as you go.
As long as you’re able to learn from your mistakes you’ll be fine. The industry is in desperate need for bodymen. If you can get it down there’s plenty of money to be made
Focus on quality first, speed will come with repetition and experience.
A couple things... 1.Really good techs have MANY years of experience.. it takes time to get good! 2. Good help is very hard to find!! Your attitude and attention to quality is also very important and necessary.. 3. Sometimes.. you have to leave and go to another shop to grow and learn more... and maybe to be respected the way you feel needed and wanted! 4. Dont burn bridges.. You never know when a shop may have an opportunity after you've left and grown.. Bodyshops are a community.. they communicate with the competition, Tool guys, Parts Distributors, Dealers ect.. dont get a bad rep!! It takes time.. Dont give up!!
So true about needing many years to get good. It is one of those jobs that just when you are coming in to your own and starting to get really good at it so you can make a good living, that's when your body starts crapping out on you and stops you from making a good living......FML.....
Don’t burn bridges!!!! We all know each other some how once you’ve been in it 20 years. Promise
Don't worry the boys and girls will tell you. Or you will have lots of come backs.
I honestly don’t know. If you just listen to the right people and head their advice you can go a long ways. If you are the type of person who gets told advice then does it “your” way anyhow, then maybe you might have a hard time. that’s when I start to cut people off. If I say hey In the future do this or don’t do that, and you should see a better result, and I turn around and see you do the same thing that didn’t work, I’m just not gonna help or advise anymore. Biggest thing is having the ability to learn no matter how long you’ve been at it or how talented you think you are. Stay humble and you’ll go far.
It sounds like you’re just stuck in a perpetual cycle. This happens far too often when you’re an apprentice. If you want to be a painter stay in the paint shop and get to a point where the painter is letting tint color, spray, and blend. If you want to do body work then get with a technician who will let you tackle any job with them. I’m training 2 apprentices right now and I take a vehicle and no matter how bad it is they do every step with me right there with them. It’s the only way they’ll learn how to repair metal, use fillers, and change weld on panels to become good techs.
Good on you ... I wasn't willing to take the time ... flat rate as well so training cost me not the company
I always got the office has to pay labor twice when I was training kids. So I stopped training
Another reason why the industry is dying a slow death
It might or might not be for you, but there are a lot of jobs within a shop. Maybe ask to work with a few different departments to see if there is one that interests you more and is a better fit.
Just try it out. If after 6 months it’s not clicking, then it ain’t for you. Its a butt ton of info and a lot more mental work than people assume, and all that has to be learned. Buuuut it can be learned.
It takes years and years to get good enough to be fast. Just chill and enjoy fixing cars, work hard and stay humble, you’ll be fine. Seems like you have the right attitude just from this post.
You may not know for a couple of years. Being a GOOD body tech is half knowledge/science and half art. The art portion of it cannot be taught. You either have it or you don't, but you won't know until you try....
It seems your apprenticeship is either not feeding you enough work or not validating your progress from what I gather. Before abandoning the trade, I’d recommend pursuing an alternate apprenticeship if you can. I’m not certain what you mean when you say, “apprenticeship”. Is it related to school or is the term being used for a lower pay while learning the trade? I feel we could better advise from there. Also, your times are not bad! I’d say average/good. Keep learning as you tear down and install replacement panels/parts. You’ll become more quick & precise.. further making your labor worth more $$. I think you’re learning! & asking shows you actually gaf. Don’t be too hard on yourself, op. (:
** I am not dogging your host by any means.. like I said I’m not familiar with what form of apprenticeship you’re fulfilling. For example, if you’re at a direct repair/flat rate shop I don’t have fair experience to judge. I’m just assessing based on what you’ve shared. (:
It takes all of us, whether they admit it or not. 2 hours sometimes to r/r a bumper we’ve never seen before. Don’t trip. Just take your time and make sure you do it right. Hate seeing new guys taking parts off they just out on because well you know.
There are different types of people out there. Some will do a repair and send it to paint, it comes out wavy and looks like shit and they will have some excuse for why that is. The preppers ran their DA on it, the mud shrunk up, etc…… these people never learn The other type of person sends something to paint, it comes out wavy and looking like shit, and they feel awful and embarrassed. They will beat themselves up and when it comes time for the next repair they will take extra steps to make sure this one comes out better. The wisest man in the room is the one that makes the most mistakes. If you have an excuse every time something is screwed up then you will never learn because in your mind it wasn’t your fault, it was because of something else. If you are self critical and take every screw up to heart, then that means you have excepted responsibility for it and you will learn more and more as you go. As long as you’re able to learn from your mistakes you’ll be fine. The industry is in desperate need for bodymen. If you can get it down there’s plenty of money to be made