mechanic Career Path | See the Career Paths People Really Take

business owner

airframe and powerplant mechanic

service technician

maintenance mechanic

machine operator

mechanic

hvac technician

heating air conditioning mechanic

An airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic is a specialized type of aircraft mechanic who inspects, maintains, services and repairs the airframes (structural components) and powerplants (engines and associated systems) of an aircraft. An A&P Mechanic must have a thorough knowledge of aviation mechanics as it relates to the safe operation of all types of aircraft. They are often responsible for performing inspections on newly acquired or repaired parts before installation to ensure that they meet safety standards. Additionally, they may be called upon to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems in order to identify any necessary repairs or maintenance tasks which need to be performed in order to keep the aircraft operating safely.

The Business Owner operates their own companies. Their role is creating a business plan, arranging finances, hiring staff, reviewing sales, and developing marketing strategies.  Their responsibilities are overseeing daily activities, identifying business opportunities, establishing prices of goods and services, maintaining a clean and orderly store, resolving customer complaints, and compiling and maintaining records and bookkeeping.

Do you like working with your hands and pushing yourself? Check out what it's like to be a Painter and Independent Contractor. See what it takes to be your own boss, and if this role suits your lifestyle and skill set.

<h2 dir="ltr">What I do:</h2>
<p dir="ltr">I'm an independent contractor and I work in construction. I do both residential and commercial painting and that leads into both interior and exterior repaints and new construction. I don't have any employees, it's just me sometimes I sub out work.&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Career Skills:</h2>
<p dir="ltr">You have to be healthy, you know, there's a lot of times when you're up on a ladder, you push yourself to your limits a lot, you can work out that there's a lot of roof work sometimes. That having a willingness to learn new things is huge if you're not learning something new every day, you're doing it wrong.&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Job Challenges:&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">You really do push yourself to the limits a lot but I really like that challenge personally. That's one aspect that I really enjoy about my job is that I'm working with my hands and I'm physically pushing myself every day.&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Work Life Balance:</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Sometimes my work to life balance is pretty sporadic. Most of the time there's not much life balance if you would. When you are working alone and you're on a kind of a larger project it comes time to get that done and you're going to work the weekends, you're going to work late, when you're outside, you're in the sun all day, you're going to come home tired and you're not going to want to do anything, at least for me that's that's the case.&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Tips for Starting Your Own Business:</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Be determined, have goals and plans and work towards them every single day. Find good construction companies to get in with and they're gonna help you throughout your entire career.</p>

A Heating Air Conditioning Mechanic is responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing heating and cooling systems in homes and businesses. They typically inspect the system to diagnose any problems, then make repairs or adjustments as needed. They may also be involved in preventative maintenance services to ensure efficient operation of the equipment. Depending on the job setting, they may need to install new equipment from scratch or replace old parts with newer ones. In some cases, they may also provide advice about energy-saving options that can help reduce utility bills for their customers.

A HVAC Technician is responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems in residential and commercial properties. They must be able to diagnose problems accurately and determine the best course of action to repair or replace any faulty components. Additionally, they may need to inspect ductwork for leaks or blockages that could affect air quality or energy efficiency. In some cases, HVAC Technicians may also need to install new systems from scratch according to building specifications.

The Machine Operator works with heavy tools as well as computer-operated or mechanical equipment.  Their role is to assist with fixing and maintaining equipment by performing periodic tests and repairs, and operate the equipment to help in plant processes.  Their responsibilities are making sure machine parts meet specifications, calibrating machines to ensure tasks are completed correctly, reading blueprints, and following company safety rules and regulations.

The Maintenance Mechanic is a technician who installs, repairs and maintains machines or equipments.  Their role is to perform tests on equipment and document their maintenance work.  Their responsibilities are to install, assemble and use a variety of hand tools, repair faulty machine parts, perform emergency repairs, perform maintenance on all mechanical equipment, update maintenance documentation, train new maintenance mechanics,  repair devices, install complex mechanical systems, ensure compliance with safety procedures, and verify that all machines are functioning correctly.

A mechanic repairs and maintains machinery, motors or engines and commonly work in garages and service centers on cars and trucks. A mechanic is responsible for inspecting and repairing vehicles, conducting regular maintenance on machinery, assembling mechanical components, monitoring part inventory, and performing vehicle assessments. They are also responsible for ensuring the functionality and reliability of machines for use in their craft. They perform various other duties including diagnosing mechanical problems, performming brake repair, and doing fluid level checks among many other tasks need to repair and maintain machinery.

The Service Technician maintains technical and mechanical skills in order to provide support to customers during site visits.  Their role is servicing heavy equipment like farm or factory machines, diesel engines, and computer networks, servicing home based equipment like security systems, appliances, computer equipment, televisions, and heating and ventilation units, and fixing defective or broken products by ordering replacements for faulty or worn out parts.  Their responsibilities are promoting the company's services, using diagnostic tools to identify issues and evaluating the available information, installing and testing products, equipment and machinery, and providing instructions to customers on the proper usage of their product.

Mechanic Career Path