Author Topic: Motorcycle mechanics school?  (Read 15693 times)

Offline Tom

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #30 on: April 10, 2015, 03:47:45 PM »
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #31 on: April 10, 2015, 04:03:05 PM »
Well, there ya go..  ;D
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Offline mach1mustang351

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2015, 12:38:13 AM »
I have an Associates degree in automotive technology.  I went through a program at a junior college.  I can say for sure it is a 100% get what you put in situation.  I was in class with many of the same people as we worked through the program curriculum.  In these classes more than half the people were ditching the lab time, cutting the lecture.  Trying to beg TAs to sign off labs without doing anything.  They come out of it with a certificate and nothing.  I used to TA some of the classes as I was nearing graduation and these kids would tell me "I don't need to know how to use a multimeter, I'm going to build hot rods" or a simple "I will never have to do that" It used to make me crazy because I was actually thinking about being a technician as a career and I took it seriously.  If you want to get paid and be a professional, BE A PROFESSIONAL!!!  Show up, put in the work, learn and be a valuable asset when you get out into the workforce.  I was mad because some of these dunces will actually obtain a certificate with a 2.0 GPA, no knowledge, no motivation,  and have the same credential as me when we try to apply for jobs.  Towards the end of my career in that school (180 units) I worked with the instructors to help rework the program to combat these problems, mandatory uniforms, more TAs to deter cutting, lab cheating, standardized testing that wont allow moving on without passing basic knowledge portions.  Anyway. It fired me up reading about the UTI situation and all that.  It brought up some of these memories.

As far as the vintage bike situation, how's this for an idea.  I would assume there is a bit of money to kick start the school program.  What if a portion of this money is spent buying bike parts, carcasses, basket cases etc.  Use these bikes to take apart tinker, learn  and sell.  Use the money to buy different bikes to take apart tinker, and do an independent study situation.  Take pictures and build a portfolio.  A professional one.  Then he can take it to interviews.  "there is no school to do what I wanted to I learned on my own" Employers will love that, it shows a smart, self motivated person.  As a person that hire sand interviews people, this is a rare breed.  If your local community colleges have a auto program that will teach, electricity, brakes, and the basic mechanics that can be translated to the bike world.  Also some job hopping could help depending how deep he wants to go, work at a machine shop, weld shop, body shop.  Even sweeping the floor in places like that you can learn a lot asking questions and showing a willingness to learn.  As stated earlier, if there is a burning desire to do this there is nothing in the way. 

Hopefully there was something useful in there.  I felt a little bit like I was ranting.  Sorry if that was the case  ;-T 

Offline Lannis

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2015, 05:29:43 AM »
I have an Associates degree in automotive technology.  I went through a program at a junior college.  I can say for sure it is a 100% get what you put in situation.  I was in class with many of the same people as we worked through the program curriculum.  In these classes more than half the people were ditching the lab time, cutting the lecture.  Trying to beg TAs to sign off labs without doing anything.  They come out of it with a certificate and nothing.  I used to TA some of the classes as I was nearing graduation and these kids would tell me "I don't need to know how to use a multimeter, I'm going to build hot rods" or a simple "I will never have to do that" It used to make me crazy because I was actually thinking about being a technician as a career and I took it seriously.  If you want to get paid and be a professional, BE A PROFESSIONAL!!!  Show up, put in the work, learn and be a valuable asset when you get out into the workforce.  I was mad because some of these dunces will actually obtain a certificate with a 2.0 GPA, no knowledge, no motivation,  and have the same credential as me when we try to apply for jobs.  Towards the end of my career in that school (180 units) I worked with the instructors to help rework the program to combat these problems, mandatory uniforms, more TAs to deter cutting, lab cheating, standardized testing that wont allow moving on without passing basic knowledge portions.  Anyway. It fired me up reading about the UTI situation and all that.  It brought up some of these memories.

As far as the vintage bike situation, how's this for an idea.  I would assume there is a bit of money to kick start the school program.  What if a portion of this money is spent buying bike parts, carcasses, basket cases etc.  Use these bikes to take apart tinker, learn  and sell.  Use the money to buy different bikes to take apart tinker, and do an independent study situation.  Take pictures and build a portfolio.  A professional one.  Then he can take it to interviews.  "there is no school to do what I wanted to I learned on my own" Employers will love that, it shows a smart, self motivated person.  As a person that hire sand interviews people, this is a rare breed.  If your local community colleges have a auto program that will teach, electricity, brakes, and the basic mechanics that can be translated to the bike world.  Also some job hopping could help depending how deep he wants to go, work at a machine shop, weld shop, body shop.  Even sweeping the floor in places like that you can learn a lot asking questions and showing a willingness to learn.  As stated earlier, if there is a burning desire to do this there is nothing in the way. 

Hopefully there was something useful in there.  I felt a little bit like I was ranting.  Sorry if that was the case  ;-T 

I think that's some of the best advice I've seen, and it means something coming from a guy who has actually done it, considers himself happy and successful, and is passing on what he's learned to others.

I don't know whether it was here or somewhere else - there was an article about a guy who loved steam locomotives.   So he worked his way into steam mechanics through technical courses in metallurgy, combustion, and practical apprenticeships, and today is the head mechanic at a museum with 6 locomotives, owns one himself, and has the biggest smile on his face of anyone I've ever seen.   He'll never work a day in his life ..... !

Lannis
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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2015, 05:29:43 AM »

Offline Tom

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #34 on: April 12, 2015, 09:15:02 AM »
Like all education.  "You get out what you put in." or the effort you put in will pay off.  Bare minimum effort then that's what a person will get.
From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

Penderic

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #35 on: April 12, 2015, 10:00:05 AM »
In college, I had a couple of excellent professors, a few rotten ones,  but I found the social contacts with other students/ faculty that exhibited the qualities I admire in a successful entrepreneur, to be the best reward for going.

You build up your portfolio and contact list while there.  ;-T

Many future jobs can be referrals from former classmates that have been very successful and now have too much work to handle by themselves, need help and remember you from those days.

« Last Edit: April 12, 2015, 10:01:36 AM by Penderic »

Offline mach1mustang351

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #36 on: April 12, 2015, 02:29:26 PM »
I had another thought.  I guess this thread hit close to home for me.  When I was interviewing for jobs after I graduated I ran into trouble in interviews.  I will also say, as a person who conducts interviews and hires for the needs of the store I run I do the same tactics.  It is important when hiring to see potential in a candidate and also the liabilities.  When I had the automotive schooling all employers wanted certifications,  when I had certifications and education they wanted experience.  You need to take away the objections to them hiring you.  In that way, the trade schools, even though they are expensive can take away that education objection.  It is an expensive roll of the dice but employers will, at the very least, look at it as you are willing to invest in yourself. 

Offline Tom

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #37 on: April 12, 2015, 08:03:23 PM »
Important points.  Interviewing, applying for a job, writing a resume and where to look for a job listing or a potential one are job skills that are not taught at school.
From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

Offline PeteS

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #38 on: April 12, 2015, 08:09:35 PM »
Let me suggest he contact the Barber Museum to see if they could use a helper/apprentice.

Pete

Offline rodekyll

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #39 on: April 12, 2015, 09:58:27 PM »
Let me suggest he contact the Barber Museum to see if they could use a helper/apprentice.

Pete

Maybe the Supercuts Museum if the Barber one doesn't need help. It's only a hair different. ;D

Online Kev m

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Re: Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #40 on: April 13, 2015, 06:02:37 AM »
Important points.  Interviewing, applying for a job, writing a resume and where to look for a job listing or a potential one are job skills that are not taught at school.
Not true, it depends on the school... But perhaps it's too often true.
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #41 on: April 13, 2015, 11:22:54 AM »
Important points.  Interviewing, applying for a job, writing a resume and where to look for a job listing or a potential one are job skills that are not taught at school.

That's true.

But I wouldn't expect to learn those things from school.   I'd learn them from a mentor.   Find a happy, successful person who has done well in his own field, and hook up with him/her, and get them to show you how to do those things.

Same as when I went looking for a financial advisor 20 years ago.   I went to the three most successful people I knew, with money to do what they wanted, and asked them about their investment strategy, and their advisor.   Turned out they all used the same guy!    So I went with him and it's been great since .....

Lannis
"Hard pounding, this, gentlemen; let's see who pounds the longest".

Offline Tom

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Re: Re: Motorcycle mechanics school?
« Reply #42 on: April 14, 2015, 07:59:14 PM »
Quote from: Kev m linkT=topic=75720.msg1191611#msg1191611 date=1428922957
Not true, it depends on the school... But perhaps it's too often true.

The school that I was talking about is the secondary public schools.  I'm seeing a lot of people coming into our office that need help in resume writing and job searching utilizing the internet resources that are available.
From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

 

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