Career

This biggest criteria to get into most shops is ASE certification, you don't need college for that but it might help. ASE certification does take into account on the job learning and work experience. Find the type of shop you would like to work at and ask the manager or technicians there for career advice. College may not be required to go into that field, but I suppose it can't hurt especially if you want to get into a dealership or management position in a bigger chain. Just have to way the cost of college education versus on-the-job learning to get your certificates.

Let me amend my reply above; ASE is entirely voluntary, it's just one of the bigger programs out there. If you wanted to work at Ford, Chevrolet or whomever, you may want to look into their own certification programs. Course then you lock yourself into one specific maker.

And I will follow the above with start out with a tech/vocational school and/or class in high school if your still in school go to or transfer over to a high school with a mechanic vocation class and also use your off time to work at the highest grade mechanic shop that will hire you even if its changing oil and brakes and then after tech school (2yrs most times) go to a higher end or dealership shop and get yourself hired and they will send you off to their training school for the Brand they sell at their expense just choose which brand interest you or if hard to locate that first big job take any that hires you and learn that brand, most technology mirrors each other in other brands of auto's and because after you get past those first few years at a big shop you can go where ever you like and as technology advances they will send you back to learn it. They do or did expect when I was doing this myself to buy most or all of my personal tools. So you need that first job at a basic shop to help with buying those tools. They need you & will teach you but you need basic information that covers most any old or new auto & know your way around a auto first, remember that and the will to learn as you obviously have will go a long ways to getting you into a field with few around to take your job from you.

As advise goes to you life has a way of getting goals confused and put off or delayed. Marriage, kids, friends, partying or house/rent/car payments/bills ect. Focus on your dream if its a shop to work on you own cars or others or whatever it is and even if its unknown now at this time shoot for the moon and then set aside time and money and any effort you can everyday you can toward this and locate that shop or land to build it on or with or any other dreams because getting started after the fact may be too far along to reach or will leave you less better off to get there. One big goal reached by too many to list small mini goals achieved as you go forward. One step at a time. Others may not see it until your already there. Get used to falling down now so you learn how to keep getting up. That is what I give. Do not worry for today or tomorrow. Not suppose to worry. Keep doing.

Body work often time deals with all aspects of auto mechanics so both mechanic and body work skills are valued. Most auto's damaged still need a techs ability to diagnose issues. I like painting but still trace down shorts and rebuild parts and engines and change out radiators and alternators and put on new brakes and suspension, fuel pumps and anything else that needs done as now I work on my own deals. I may buy 5-6 vehicles just to build one and sell all the other unused parts to not just get back my money but to make money. I have even changed my mind and took them all apart and sold them in small lots. So know how even computer skills benefits you.