WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE ENTERING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY?
From a young age, I've always liked cars. Anything with an engine; cars, bikes, boats, I always found it interesting. It began with my dad, we’d watch car shows together about building cars, and we ended up getting a Mustang that we rebuilt. When I got to driving age, I saved up some money working at Autozone and then I bought one of my dream cars. Around the time I started building and restoring it, I heard about Matrix from a friend. I decided to go there to build my skill set and get some expert knowledge of the industry. It gave me the chance to work on cars and do something that I love for a living.
HOW DID MATRIX TRADE INSTITUTE AFFECT YOUR CAREER PATH?
The course was really good. They went in-depth with things that people would struggle with, like electrical and HVAC. The harder stuff is what gets you in the field. Compared to doing oil changes and tire rotations, they helped us out with the more complex tasks. They also taught us secondary skills like efficiency and how to budget your time while in the shop. I'm currently working as a Tech 2 at a local shop. I advanced from the basics, now I’m doing diagnostics, fixing electrical, and making some good money. I started at $15 an hour as I was approaching graduation, but they soon advanced me to my current position which bumped me to $22 an hour, just two months after graduation.
HOW DID MIA SHARE HELP YOU ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY?
During my time, they switched over to Mia Share and I was transitioned over to paying my payment plan with them. I was confused at first, but I called in and Mia Share explained how everything worked. It was a smooth transition and it’s been simple ever since. They're flexible if you need to change payment dates and align your tuition with your other dues. It also helps when the place you go to easily handles different situations like tuition reimbursement and makes the process short, it was extremely helpful.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE PURSUING A TRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION?
I would say go to a trade school before just trying to get into the industry. Receiving the education helps you out in the long run when it comes to moving up. Going to school allows you to bypass the mistakes and advance quickly. It helps you get those certifications that you need to help you get a better paycheck. Skipping trade school to just work in the trades would not be something I recommend.