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What related fields do you think I should consider looking into to be a Auto Mechanic?

Hello, I am 18 years old and I am starting school to work in an auto body shop. I want to learn as much as I can about this job because I want to be able to own my own shop someday.

Thank you comment icon I would find a handful of folks and reach out to them. Find something that is convenient for them and plan on a casual conversation. Find people of different ages, parts of town, and shop size. Their history and opinions will be invaluable as it helps build you a picture of what you want to do and how to do it. Robert Butler

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Jorge’s Answer

You don’t need to take every automotive‑related course to be successful. It helps to first think about what kind of shop you want to own someday.
If you plan to run a shop that focuses strictly on mechanical repair, then concentrating on automotive repair, diagnostics, and electrical systems makes the most sense. If you’re interested in offering body work or collision repair as well, then learning some auto body and paint skills could be useful.

The key is to focus your learning on the services you want your future shop to provide, instead of trying to learn everything at once.
Since you want to own your own shop, business courses are especially important. Classes in business management, accounting, estimating, customer service, and basic finance will help you run the shop successfully—not just fix cars.

Many successful shop owners build their skills over time by learning what they need most, gaining experience in a shop, and adding knowledge as their goals become clearer.
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david’s Answer

My advice is to focus on one major skill area. Body shops will be around forever, so that should be the focus, not auto mechanics, as that changes regularly and standing out from the crowd is impossible. But if you excel at body work, you'll establish yourself for a business. You will also need to take some business courses as a large part of the work is managing the finances and advertising and hiring. Good luck.
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