The field I plan on going into for a career is Small engine Mechanics. Small Engine Mechanics can work on Boats, Lawn mowers, Atv's and all sorts of outdoor equipment. Mechanics usually specialize in the service and repair of one type of equipment, but they are able to branch off and work on more. Mechanics work on the actual motor most of the time but might work on the electrical aspects of the equipment. During routine equipment maintenance, mechanics follow a checklist that goes over the parts of the machine. They often focus on one type of equipment because the person they are working for may be a dealer for only a few makes and models of the machine.

The mark of a skilled mechanic is the ability to diagnose mechanical fuel and electrical problems and to make repairs in a minimal amount of time in order to return the machine back to the customer. When a piece of equipment breaks down, mechanics use various techniques to diagnose the source and the extent of the problem. In larger repair shops, Mechanics may use special computerized diagnostic testing equipment as a premliminary tool in analyzing equipment. After pinpointing the problem, the Mechanic makes the needed adjustments, repairs or replacements to the machine to get it back to running condtions. Some jobs require minor adjustments, repairs, or the replacement of one item, the mechanic does all of the repairing and replacing. Starting out as a trainee you do a lot of work like dissasembling and reassembling motors for practice and to help out the expert mechanic. Being a Small engine mechanic can be rough at times also, sometimes the mechanic has to repair the whole unit instead of just replacing a small part of the machine. Most of the time, Mechanics work on more than one machine in a day, they may work on a machine and switch back and forth getting other projects done.

Mechanics work in all types of Buildings and different climates all around the world. Some of the Working conditions are listed below. Being a mechanic you may see fourty hours a week and a daytime shift schedule depending on where you live and what kind of company you work for. During winter months or any type of bad climate a mechanic can get less than fourty hours a week. When the demand is strong, a mechanic can easily work up to fourty hours or more than fourty five hours a week. A lot of the time a mechanic has to work overtime to get a project done in a certain time frame to keep the customer happy. Small Engine Mechanics usually work in repair shops that are well lighted and ventillated. In a Typical shop, Mechanics shops are often noisy because of all of the engine testing and might have a certain kind of smell to it, because of all of the fumes from chemicals and such. Employees may sometimes work on equipment oustide of the shop depending on what type of job the mechanic is performing on the machine. Because of the climate, mechanics may switch occupations or types of equipment. As a mechanic, you may run into some difficult tasks just like any other job, But it may be hard to get to a certain part of the machine that needs fixed, Depending on the make and the problem. Working as a mechanic, part of your job may be traveling around the world fixing equipment or staying in one shop depending on what company you're with. Motorcycle mechanics may be hired to travel with their race teams to keep the team riders in tip-top shape for the races.

To become a Mechanic, there are different things you can do. For Trainee jobes, employers hire people with the mechanical aptitude who are knowledgeable about the fundamentals of small two or four stroke engines. Most Employers prefer a trainee who has been through some kind of formal training programs for small engine mechanics. Some Managers would even let a High school diploma pass for a job to become a mechanic. Employers can often send mechanics to special courses conducted by the manufacturers of the product that that certain dealer has. Many of the Skilled mechanics today learned their skills by doing hands-on work. Some of them may have had been doing their own engine work on their equipment for a hobby and just wanted to go further into the career. Others may have learned their skill through a vocational school or a high school class. Trainees often learn routine service tasks under the guidance of experienced mechanics by replacing ignition points and spark plugs or by taking apart, assembling and testing new equipment. As trainees gain experience, trainees may progress to more difficult tasks like engine overhauls. Experienced mechanics with leadership ability may advance to shop advisor or run their own business.

A Mechanic would be useless without his tools. Mechanics use everyday tools that you find around in anyone's home. But there are some tools that a mechanic uses that are very high tech and you may only find in big shops. Most of the tools a mechanic uses can be found in a local hardware shop. Every day something new is becoming digital and electrical with the engines, so mechanics have to go through lots of changes. Many years ago all of the mechanics work was all done through just the engine and there was no computers connected to the problem. Today Mechanics have computers to diagnose the problems and sometimes use the computers to fix the problems.

There are many types of Makes and models of engines for different equipment. Mechanics who work on small engines can work on either a two stroke or a four stroke model engine. There are Chain driven and self driven small engines also. Mechanics may have a customer come in with a Chainsaw or even come in with a boat or all terrain vehichle depending on what kind of shop they are in. Today engines have a lot more electrical components on them so mechanics have to know more about Computerized diagnostic tools than they used to.

Mechanics usually start off working at a local auto shop. Depending on the demand for mechanics, They are usually hired in bigger cities to help out dealerships. Most of the Small engine mechanics go for jobs to work on motorboats. Most of the small engine mechanics work for retailers and other stores of that nature to help service machines and to have the right equipment to work on them.There are scholarships for people who want to learn about small engines. There is a Jeremy McGrath scholarship for any mechanic who wants to learn about motorcycle engines and the determination of helping him out in the race season for the National Motocross series.