This year has been declared the “Year of the Artisan and Skills-Based Education” by government, to promote the diplomas and courses offered by Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa. This month we will be looking at what it means to become a mechanic and what you will have to study to qualify as one.
A mechanic has a passion for solving problems, enjoys working with his hands, finding faults and fixing them. Becoming a mechanic is hard work and requires commitment and dedication to training, whether it is via apprenticeship or whether you gain a qualification from one of the many universities and colleges offering a degree or diploma that you can study in order to become a mechanic.
Mechanics are responsible for maintaining machinery, repairing faulty parts and ensuring that machinery works as intended. Mechanics can work on cars as well as various other vehicles (like motorcycles, trucks and tractors for instance) as well as commercial or manufacturing machinery. Mechanics may work in an industrial environment, in a workshop or garage or they can even be self-employed. Small companies often employ mechanics to look after the day-to-day working of their machinery or larger companies could employ a mechanic to look after their fleet of vehicles or larger pieces of equipment.
What do I have to do to become a mechanic?
There are various options for you to consider if you would like to become a mechanic:
· You can study at a Further Education Training college or university. Various colleges and universities offer degrees, certificates and diplomas in mechanics or engineering.
· You can enroll with a certified apprenticeship programme. An apprenticeship programme lasts for four years and provides you with plenty practical experience ahead of your trade test.
There is a complete list of schools and colleges listed on Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education & Training (MerSETA) website. These schools and colleges adhere to the MerSETA standards and comply with their principles to maintain the best standards in the industry. This website also lists a variety of apprenticeship programmes that you can apply to.
It might also be a good idea to talk to a mechanic or a mechanical specialist to find out how they enjoy their day-to-day activities and to gauge whether it is something that you would like to do.
You can contact Eduloan as soon as you have decided which school or training college you would like to study at and one of our consultants will be able to give you all the information you require to get the financial assistance to realize your dream of becoming a mechanic. For more information or to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website www.eduloan.co.za.