My Career: You’ve got to have passion and drive

Alice Handke, Motor Technician with Blackwater Motor Group
Alice Handke
27
Conna, Co. Cork
Motor Technician/ Mechanic.
After obtaining a Leaving Certificate and spending a few years working in a non relevant field, I went through a 4 year apprenticeship program.
My hobbies naturally involve cars but I also greatly enjoy various aspects of home improvement and DIY.
Character building, intense and physically femanding.
Humble, headstrong, kind and goal driven.
You need a patient and humble personality. You must be willing to work hard and never stop learning.
6.5 years.
In order to get to qualify as a technician I went around various garages across cork looking for an apprenticeship opportunity, after finding it with my current employer (Blackwater Motors), I have served out my four years of the apprenticeship and have a Craft Certificate.
To work as a qualified technician you need to successfully complete the apprenticeship program which includes on and off the job phases and examinations.
I start work at 8 am. After this it is very difficult to specify the exact series of events of any particular day.
It varied from day to day dependant on the type of work which is it through the workshop. On a daily basis you would carry out schedule servicing, vehicle repairs (mechanical, electrical etc.) geometry setting as well as vehicle fault diagnostics.
I work a 39 hour week What do you wear to work? I wear PPE at all time which is made up of overalls and safety boots.
Male dominated.
Absolutely not.
I
Yes, it is stressful. You are working in a busy, fast paced environment where each job carries responsibility where the majority of the time the work quality mirrors customer safety. Out of 10 it’s about a 6.I work in a garage full of technicians there is about 17 of us all together.
I don’t know the answer to this. I would like to say at the stated retirement age but who knows.
the best bit of my job is well I am doing what I like Worst bits: the worst aspect is definitely the physical demand on your body.
I wouldn’t discourage anyone from doing the job but the advice I would give it that you need to feel passion for the subject. It’s a tough job both mentally and physically and if the passion isn’t there it will become a chore. But if you have the drive and passion just prepare to work hard and be humble everyday is going to be a school day, the learning never stops.