Career and specialisms in auto repair
From roadside assistance and recovery to heavy vehicles, rescue and own business
As a car mechanic you get a trade where no two days are the same, where you work independently and help people every day. There will be cars on the roads for many years to come and thus also a need for someone who can help when they break down. The trade has several directions and possibilities.
§Where can you work?
You can work for roadside assistance and recovery companies, for highway assistance companies and rescue corps, and for companies that combine roadside assistance with workshop operation. The work is often in shifts, because cars break down around the clock and year-round, and you can find work across the country.
§Road assistance and minor repairs
Shape color art
§Recovery and special tasks
Recovery is a discipline in itself: getting vehicles out of ditches, out of difficult positions and transported safely. Some specialize in heavy vehicle recovery — trucks and buses — which requires more powerful equipment and great experience. Others work with recovery at traffic accidents in cooperation with police and rescue services, where the situation is complex and pressured.
- 01Daily roadside assistance and minor repairs.
- 02Passenger car recovery from ditches and difficult positions.
- 03Heavy vehicle recovery of trucks and buses.
- 04Recovery at traffic accidents together with police and rescue services.
| Direction | What it entails |
|---|---|
| Road assistance | First aid, wheel change, minor repairs on site. |
| Passenger car recovery | Recovery and transport of ordinary cars. |
| Heavy vehicle recovery | Trucks and buses; more powerful equipment. |
| Electric car handling. | Safe recovery and transport of electric and hybrid vehicles. |
§Connection to the automotive industry
Auto Assistance borders on the rest of the automotive industry. Many auto assistants have or gain mechanical knowledge, and some also work in workshops. If you understand car technology well, you can solve more tasks and advise customers better. The trade can also be a gateway to working more broadly with vehicles.
§The way forward
With experience you can become the one who performs the difficult rescues you can become self-employed with your own workshop or you can further develop in a specific area such as classic boat building or racing sails. The trades reward patience and pride: those who keep refining their craft keep having something to offer.
§A trade for the self-employed
Auto Assistance suits you if you are technical, can keep your head cool under pressure, can work independently and like helping people. You meet people on one of their worse days and make it better. If you choose the trade, you choose work with responsibility, variety and the clear satisfaction of getting someone safely on their way.
“The best thing about the trade is the relief you see in the customer when help finally comes — and you know it was you.”