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From Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA)
About the Automotive Aftermarket IndustryThe motor vehicle aftermarket is the industry that maintains, repairs and accessorizes vehicles after they are sold to their owners by a car or truck dealer. Sometimes known as the "invisible industry", the aftermarket is everything that happens to a vehicle after it leaves the new vehicle dealership. The industry encompasses all products and services purchased for cars and trucks after the original sale including:
Today's U. S. motor vehicle aftermarket is a significant sector of the U. S. economy employing approximately 4.5 million people at over 500,000 business locations and generating sales in excess of $306 billion annually. The U.S. aftermarket industry is a part of a growing global industry. In 2007, global vehicle registrations reached over 885 million. The top three countries are the United States (246 million vehicles), Japan (76 million vehicles) and Germany (50 million vehicles).
Career opportunities in the automotive aftermarket industry are varied and plentiful, available in all areas of the United States - urban, suburban, rural, North, South, East, and West, in all industry channels and segments, and for many occupations. The aftermarket offers a challenging stable career, job security, job portability, a clear career path and good earning potential. Segments and Occupations in the Aftermarket IndustryPeople who enter the aftermarket industry can expect steady work, even during downturns in the economy since car owners will always need maintenance and repair of their vehicles, which will affect the entire industry. There are unlimited opportunities in the aftermarket, from working toward owning your own business to obtaining key and leadership positions in distribution and manufacturing.
Once you begin to understand what the automotive aftermarket can offer someone with your specific talent and training, you can begin charting your course for more responsible positions, better pay and more challenging work. Importance of an Aftermarket CareerYou can be proud of a career in the aftermarket because the aftermarket keeps America moving, whether for work or pleasure. Consider what your life would be without access to a car or truck. Green Before Green Was CoolThe core purpose of aftermarket businesses is to provide the parts, products and services to keep America's vehicles operating properly, efficiently, safely and clean. Whether it is a tune up, proper tire inflation, wheel alignment, an oil and filter change, proper recycling of lubricants and chemicals or remanufactured parts, they all contribute to better gas mileage, less energy consumption and cleaner air. Every vehicle owner can make sure their vehicle is as "green" or environmentally friendly as possible. Automotive Service Technicians - Why Consider an Aftermarket CareerOpportunities should be plentiful in vehicle maintenance and repair occupations, especially for employees with formal automotive service technician training. Automotive jobs are usually state-of-the-art, requiring skills in computers, math, science and English. If you take pleasure in or are interested in working with vehicles or enjoy seeing how things function, working with computers, machinery and tools, doing things with your hands and solving problems, a career as a technician could be a wise choice for you. Working closely with other professionals and working with consumers is also a benefit of an aftermarket career. Employment of automotive service technicians is projected to grow faster than average for all occupations. Between 2006 and 2016 employment of auto service technicians is expected to increase 14 percent compared to 10 percent for all occupations. It will add a large number of new jobs, about 110,000 over the decade. Demand for technicians will grow as the number of vehicles in operation increases, reflecting continued growth in the driving age populations and the number of multi-car families. Automotive service technician jobs include working with computers, troubleshooting and fixing problems, working with your hands, thinking creatively to solve complex problems, learning and using new technologies and talking to people. As an indication of the complexity of today's vehicles, today's Cadillac operates on more computers than the Apollo 13 spaceship. How To Get Started in the Aftermarket IndustryAs soon as you realize your interest in the aftermarket as a career, you should take the following steps:
Training and FundingTechnical schools that offer automotive programs such as the Universal Technical Institute, Inc., located in Phoenix, AZ. Another resource is SkillsUSA. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit student organization that serves students enrolled in career and technical education training programs at our nation's public high schools and colleges. SkillsUSA's mission is to empower its members to become world class workers and responsible citizens. SkillsUSA complements technical skills and training with instruction in the employability skills that make a wellrounded worker and citizen. SkillsUSA has approximately 15,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations and serves more than 300,000 members annually. For more information visit www.skillsusa.org. Certified Automotive Training Programs If you are interested in attending a certified automotive training program, visit the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). NATEF evaluates and certifies automotive training programs in the fifty states at the secondary and post-secondary level. The NATEF site has a listing of all NATEF certified schools. Aftermarket Scholarships Scholarships are available for students pursuing careers in the automotive aftermarket. Since the program began in 1996, more than 1,400 scholarships have been awarded. Students who receive a scholarship and begin a career as an automotive aftermarket technician are eligible for a matching grant upon graduation from their program and after completing six months of employment in the aftermarket. Proceeds from the annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium fund the scholarships. For more information, visit www.automotivescholarships.com. States belonging to the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations also have scholarship opportunities. For more information and a list of the state associations, visit www.aftermarket.org/Membership/StateAssociations.aspx. Your local community may also have available scholarships. Check with your school or Chamber of Commerce for more information. Copyright © Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). Check out the information these other sites have to offer!
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