What if your office was the great outdoors, specifically the open seas? Boat mechanics get to enjoy this refreshing atmosphere while working with their hands and doing something they love on a daily basis.
Boat Mechanics Career Overview and Education Requirements
If you think the boat technician role is one you may be interested in, check out the following post as Automotive Training Center (ATC) reviews this career and what you need to do to get your feet wet in the industry.
What Does a Boat Mechanic Do?
A boat mechanic or technician is tasked with caring for the various systems on board recreational boats as well as small commercial vessels.
Boat technicians may have an area of the boat that they specialize in, such as monitoring and fixing electrical equipment. Others do a little bit of everything!
How Do I Become a Boat Technician?
The path to becoming a boat mechanic starts with a solid education studying boats and the internal systems that drive them. Once you’ve gotten your high school diploma or completed your GED, enrolling in two-year post-secondary career training for Marine Service Technology is the next step.
Choose a school that offers both classroom and shop room time, so you can get hands-on experience with the equipment you’ll find on board these vessels.
What Do You Study in Marine Technology?
Today’s marine training facilities can re-create a boat’s systems and setups and even simulate underwater conditions thanks to in-shop water tanks.
So, from boat knots to wind knots, studying Marine Technology can provide a wholistic education of a boat’s many systems and the best procedures and practices for keeping every vessel in shipshape!
What Other Career Paths Are Possible with a Marine Technology Diploma?
In addition to being eligible to apply for a career as an entry-level boat mechanic, those who successfully complete a two-year Marine Service Technology program have several career waterways they can choose to apply for. Some of these include:
- Gelcoat and Fiberglass Technician: Maintains, fixes, and beautifies a boat’s exterior.
- Marine Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician: Keeps accommodations cool on board.
- Technical Instructor (after several years in the field): Brings things full circle by teaching future marine technicians the ropes.
- And More: See additional career avenues by checking out this infographic about where Marine Technology training can take you!
Learn More about Marine Service Technology
We hope this introduction to the boat technician role helped you move closer to deciding whether a future in the marine industry is an opportunity you can see yourself at the helm of.
The Marine Service Technology program at ATC Warminster is a modern tour of today’s marine vessels, equipment, and procedures that provides students with hands-on experience while they work toward a career on the water.
To take the next step toward pursuing an education in marine service technology, reach out to ATC today!
Learn More About Marine Technician Careers:
