Experience working on motor vehicles in the Armed Forces or as a hobby is valuable. Completion of high school is also an advantage in obtaining an entry job. Courses in automotive repair, electronics, physics, chemistry, and mathematics can help a person better understand how an automobile or motorcycle operates. Mechanics usually buy their handtools, and beginners are expected to accumulate tools as they gain experience. Many experienced mechanics have thousands of dollars invested in tools.
Employers furnish power tools, engine analyzers, and other test equipment.
Employers increasingly send experienced automotive and motorcycle mechanics to factory training centers to learn to repair new models or to receive special training in electronic fuel injection or air-conditioning repair. Motor vehicle dealers may also send promising beginners to factory-sponsored mechanic training programs. Factory representatives come to many shops to conduct short training sessions. Mechanics also must read service and repair manuals to keep abreast of new technology. Voluntary certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is widely recognized as a standard of achievement for automobile mechanics.