Apprentice Mechanic

Top gear and fast and furious made being a mechanic look like rebuilding engines and tuning v8s. The reality is closer to a 19-year-old first-year apprentice at 7 in the morning draining the engine oil from a Toyota Camry that booked in for its 60,000 km service. The Australian Certificate III, in light vehicle mechanical technology, runs four years and covers 36 units. 20 core and 16 specialty. The apprentice works full-time at a host workshop, dealership or independent and attends TAFE one day a week or in block release. Assessment combines written work, oral questioning, workplace logbook entries and direct observation in the workshop. The day and year one is logbook services. Drain and refill the engine oil. Replace the oil filter.