Drive Straight to a High-Paying, Tech-Powered Career
Today’s automotive and vehicle technicians do more than adjust timing belts and rotate tires — they need technical expertise and expansive materials knowledge to service a car’s, truck’s or boat’s various computer-based systems.
If you aspire to do more than driveway tinkering, put the pedal to the metal — and take the highway directly to your dream career at a local Western New York (WNY) Works college.
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Automotive Careers at a Glance
No. 5
U.S. News & World Report ranks Alfred State No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 1 in NY for automotive service technician training.
Nearly 25%
Growth through 2030 for motor vehicle and parts dealers in Western New York.
New York Department of Labor
$172,138
Lifetime return on investment (ROI) for automotive-related associate degrees from WNY Works colleges.
The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity
How Do I Become a…?
From the high-powered electric vehicle (EV) market to more sensors, safety systems and lighter materials used for passenger cars, today’s mechanic needs the know-how to fix any issue — from a malfunctioning backup camera to a dented aluminum side panel.
Short-term training and associate degree programs at your local WNY Works college introduce you to current repair procedures, equipping you for careers in collision and restoration at the region’s hundreds of dealerships and auto body shops. Here’s what you could do:
Auto Body Repair Technician
“It’s what’s on the inside that counts” doesn’t apply to cars. As an Auto Body Repair Technician, you’ll get exteriors gleaming, replace broken glass and straighten out the frame and panels after a collision.
Related job titles: Automotive detailing specialist, automotive diagnostic specialist, collision repair technician, field service technician, paintless dent repair specialist
Salary range, NY: $36,853–$60,220*
*New York Department of Labor
Participating Colleges and Programs
Automotive Technician Specialist or Mechanic
From engine blocks to exhaust maintenance, drivetrains and driver-side airbags, Automotive Technicians are the encyclopedias of the auto body shop. And if they don’t have an answer right away, they’ll run diagnostics until they do.
Related job titles: Automotive diagnostic specialist, automatic transmission technician, brake specialist, drivability specialist, field service technician, fuel system specialist, wheel alignment specialist
Salary range, NY: $34,105–$57,121*
*New York Department of Labor
Participating Colleges and Programs
Heavy Equipment, Truck and Diesel Technician/Diesel Mechanic
Keep supply chains and transportation systems running as a mechanic specializing in big rigs and other commercial vehicles.
Related job titles: Marine diesel mechanic, mobile heavy equipment mechanic, bus mechanic
Salary range, NY: $42,649–$63,615*
*New York Department of Labor
Participating Colleges and Programs
Motorsports Service Technician
Pick up the pace and steer your career toward the racetrack, where you’ll service high-speed cars and motorcycles built for competitive events.
Related job titles: Race technician
Salary range, NY: $43,791–$60,025*
*Salary.com
Participating Colleges and Programs
Automotive Career Development
Ready to Repair and Restore
Students learn to make vehicles as good as new in hands-on environments where they practice spot, collision and rust repair, frame straightening and auto painting.
More than MPH
WNY Works students prove their stuff — and leave everyone else in the dust — at competitions like the Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, land speed record racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the ELK (Everyone Loves Kids) Charity Challenge and The Great Race.