Marine Mechanic School Preparing Marine Service Center Careers
It’s no secret that the automotive industry is a huge market, but few people know about the abundant opportunities available in the marine service industry. Plus, demand for these positions is growing.
If you enjoy fixing up boats and consider yourself engine savvy, you may be a better fit for a role at a marine service center than an automotive repair shop. Check out these tips for how you can prepare for a career at a marine service center.
Learn the Ins and Outs of Inboard and Outboard Engines
Engines designed for the water are either located outside the hull of the boat, known as an outboard engine, or underneath the boat in the center of the vessel, known as an inboard engine.
Marine service center technicians will work on a wide variety of these engine types. Outboard engines are typically removed from the boat and brought in for repairs, while inboard motors, which are larger in size, require an onboard evaluation.
Don’t miss this resource on the top five ways to ensure peak performance for your outboard engine!
Give Up Your Land Legs
Of course, you won’t be confined to a life at sea as a marine service technician, but you will need to occasionally service boats while on the water, like troubleshooting an issue with an inboard motor on an anchored vessel. You’ll also have the bonus of working close to the water, if not on it—a definite perk for a marine vessel motorhead!
Explore Different Types of Boats and the Care They Require
If you think working as a marine service technician is exclusively about the engine, then you’re mistaken. Yes, powerboats make up a good chunk of the vessels you’ll get to work on, but wind- or oar-driven vessels, like sailboats, also require professional, routine upkeep.
Fishing boats provide the strength and durability you’re looking for out on the water. Common repairs include front bow and rod locker modifications. Deck boats offer more seating, usually for a small group of people. These are often powered by a sterndrive engine and are perfect for swimming, water sports, and more.
While you may repair the engine, these boats require maintenance and upkeep when it comes to the seats. Many marine technicians even become gelcoat and fiberglass repair experts. In this realm, you’ll be working on maintaining and restoring the exterior appearance of a vessel.
As you can see, there are many ways to break into the marine service industry. It’s not always about repairing the engine, either. From gelcoat repair to air conditioning repair to plumbing maintenance, there are many ways you’ll be tested if you’re in the industry.
Get Ready for a Varied Workload
Depending on the size of the marine service center you work for, you may assume the role of an area specialist, a parts manager, or a technician with a wide variety of duties inside and outside of the vessel.
For example, some marine technicians may exclusively handle gelcoat and fiberglass work or refrigeration and air conditioning systems, while another may serve boat owners in both areas as well as offering general maintenance and repairs. This keeps a marine service center technician’s job fast-paced and interesting.
What You’ll Experience In Our Marine Service Technology Program
At Automotive Training Center, it’s our duty to prepare you for a career as a marine service technician. At our Warminster campus, we mold boating enthusiasts into highly qualified marine technicians. Of course, you’ll be learning from experienced instructors who are top-notch. You’ll also be training with the technology you’ll be working on every day as a marine technician.
The large water tanks at our Warminster campus ensure you’re able to get hands-on experience with inboard, outboard, and sterndrive engines. You’ll diagnose engine issues, see how boat engines operate and learn how to make repairs so boaters are able to get back on the water.
Becoming a Certified Marine Technician
At ATC, you’ll learn all about standard marine maintenance and performance updates, but also gain hands-on experience with the top name brands around. You won’t be looking at any old engine.
Instead, you’ll get up close and personal with well-known engines from top marine manufacturers, like Honda, Yamaha, and Mercury Marine. When all is said and done, you’ll be more well-prepared for a marine service center career because you will have seen what it takes to service and repair some of the most popular engines around.
Is Marine Mechanic the Career for You?
This is a valuable question we’ve heard from both students and prospective students over the years. You may be wondering if it’s the perfect match for you, though. You also may be wondering what you can do to prepare for a career as a marine mechanic.
If you’ve always been a do-it-yourself expert, that can be great preparation. If you’ve worked on cars, have technical knowledge, and are a constant problem solver, marine technician can be a great career.
Going beyond that extensive mechanical knowledge, you’ll also want to be prepared to explain how you go about things to those you will be working with or for. Explaining complex technical procedures goes a long way, so be sure to work on your communication and people skills to prepare for a career as a marine service technician.
Enroll at a 2-Year Post-Secondary Training School
Much like today’s automotive service centers, marine service employers are searching the seven seas for skilled technicians that have already completed 2-year post-secondary training for Marine Service Technology.
Attending a marine service training school with certified instructors and accredited programs is the best way to float your name to the top of the list. You can learn more about Automotive Training Center’s Marine Mechanic school program and the various positions available to you upon graduation here!
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