[neil madsen]

I applied for a job today and I got it.Its at Central Alberta Collision Repair.There going to start me out as the shop ***** for now but after 6-12 months they said they would apprentice me as a auto body technition.

 

[slider in wa]

Good for you Neil!!!!! Yea!!!! Way to go!!!
It is allways cool when you are doing something ya want to be doing.
Slider in Wa.

 

[BstMech]

Right on! My only advice is, this sounds like a "high volume shop" you'll probably work your *** off until you learn, then it will be second nature for you. A good body man can get work anywhere and make good $$$ while they're at it. Just remember when anything goes wrong, it will be your fault, but don't take it to heart, it's all in a days work. If you enjoy what you're doing, it will come naturally. Good luck

 

[4 Jaw Chuck]

Always wear a supplied air respirator, you only have one set of lungs.

Congrats!

 

[38 special]

Good Luck to yuh, Neil! Hope it all works out well for yuh!

 

[neil madsen]

Thanks guys

 

[Weimer]

At first you will probably feel like you are getting in the way, but just remember that they were 'the new guy' at one time too.
Learn all you can, then someday you may be the teacher, and you can give the new guy crap.
BTW Good Luck on the new job!
Later,
WEIMER

 

[jwcnj45]

Having been in the auto body field for many years my best advice to you is to learn what you can at this shop and then move on to the next. Many places won't advance you very far in the job since alot of places ,especially high volume shops,only want helpers since they don't have to pay them high wages. I have seen this many times over the years. So learn what you can and move on to the next place, chances are you will learn a bit more and get a better pay also.

 

[neil madsen]

I will keep that in mind.Thanks for the advice

 

[neil madsen]

Does anyone els have an opinion about auto body or any other experiences that I should know about that will help me out???

 

[Will's41]

I too have been in the autobody field for some time. Truer words were never spoken by jwcnj45. Don't stay at a production shop, learn the basics and move on to a small local shop with a good rep. Don't be afraid to go for it. That's what seperates the good body men from the wanabes. Good Luck!

 

[neil madsen]

ya,I would like to get my auto body ticket through this shop I have just started at.Stay there for a couple of years to get some experience and then I would like to move to a shop that does more of the hotrods and customs.
Does anybody know where the higher paying shops are.Here in Alberta after you have you ticked the avrage pay is $25/hr. Would I be better to find a place in the states where its warm all year round? Just trying to get some Ideas

 

[HotRodMan]

One other thing you might want to be aware of is some of the deceptive practices body shops will use to pay you less than they should. Many shops pay on a comission basis. My body shop instructor told me he worked at a shop that would say charge the customer $1200 for a job. The owner of the business would write up another work order for say $700.00 and pay you your comission based on the $700.00 rather than the true $1200.00 the customer was charged. This went on for a long time, and the only reason he was caught was when a friend of the guy doing the body work brought his car by the shop for service. They met for a beer later on, starting discussing prices and discovered the two work order rip off. Just something to be aware of.

 

[[email protected]]

Go for it and determine to be the absolute best body man there is. Always strive for perfection. I had an oldere friend who was a REAL body man. His graduation from apprentice to journeyman was to raise the smashed lid and unwrinke all the sheet metal on a '53 Chevy pick up using no lead and no bondo. Just sheet metal work.

 

[neil madsen]

Some day I will be able to do that.