> wrote:
> I am going to be graduating from high school this year and would
>like to go to school for auto mechanics. My father wants me to go to
>college, so I have found a way of satisfying both. Our local community
>college, BCC, offers an associates degree in auto mechanics in
>combination with a tech school called BCTI
>(http://www.bcit.cc/bcit/site/default.asp). Any comments on this
>school? Any comments on this path? I'm looking for the best school
>I can go to, that provides the best prospects upon graduation.

I don't know it. But I'm going to tell you... if you can cut the math
and physics, you should look higher and go to an engineering school. There
is a serious, serious shortage of people out there who have both good
engineering skills and also know how to actually work on equipment.

> My only other option would be going in the service and learn there,
>have actual hands on experience, but my father doesn't think that's
>such a great idea either. He was in the Navy for 10 years and said it
>may take a while before you are actually trusted enough to work on
>equipment.

I suspect that the military today is a lot different than the way it was
when he and I had experience with it. I know for sure that there is a lot
less emphasis on training folks in actual theory and a lot more emphasis on
parts swapping. When I was a kid, the military electronics training was
second to none and was almost a guarantee of a job when you got out. These
days they teach very little actual theory because electronics repair consists
of swapping out modules at the depot and sending the bad ones to the
manufacturer.

>P.S. What is the salary range for starting out and after a few years
>experience. My father thinks that becoming an engineer and designing
>the engines would be a better path, but I really don't want to design
>them, I want to work on them. Thanks.

Having an engineering degree is not a bad thing in any way, and it sure
doesn't keep you from working on them. Hell, my local independant BMW
mechanic has an ME degree from Clarkson. I suspect you _need_ one these
days to understand what's going on with some of the control systems...
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."