Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 1 ∣ Career Opportunities 5 Additional Automotive Service Careers In addition to diagnosing and fixing vehicles as an automotive technician or repairing wrecked and damaged vehicles as a collision repair technician, there are other job oppor- tunities within the automotive service industry. Some of the following jobs still involve servicing vehicles, but others reduce or eliminate the physical work characteristic of the industry. If you like cars and trucks, but are unsure if you want a career just repairing them, one of these jobs may be right for you. Parts Person An often-overlooked area of the automotive service business is the vital process of sup- plying parts to those performing repairs. There are many types of parts outlets, includ- ing dealership parts departments, independent parts stores, parts departments in retail stores, and combination parts and service outlets. All these parts outlets meet the needs of technicians and shops, as well as those of the do-it-yourselfer. Common parts are kept in stock and located quickly when needed. Due to the variety of vehicles available, as well as the complexity of the modern vehicle, if specialized parts are requested, a source must be found, and the parts must be delivered as soon as possible. A parts person is trained in the methods of keeping the parts moving through the auto repair system until they reach the ultimate endpoint, the vehicle. Parts are carefully checked into the parts department and stored so they can be quickly accessed again, Figure 1-5. When a specific part is needed, it is located and brought or delivered to the person requesting it. If more of the same parts are needed, they must be ordered. Due to the vari- ety of vehicles available, as well as the complexity of the modern vehicle, parts for all types of vehicles are not kept in stock. If the part is not in stock, it must be spe- cial ordered. Although much of the receiving, cataloging, and dispersing of parts is tracked and managed via com- puter software in today’s parts outlets, the vast number of different parts needed for modern vehicles keeps the job challenging. The job of a parts person appeals to many people. This job does not pay as much as some other areas of automotive service, but rates are comparable with other jobs with the same skill level. If this type of work appeals to you, it may be a good job choice. Shop Foreman After gaining on-the-job experience, an auto technician may be promoted to shop foreman by shop management. Shop foremen supervise technicians and their work conditions to ensure that work is completed correctly and on time. They also oversee daily shop activi- ties and may be asked to assist when service-related problems arise. Using the knowledge he or she gained from technician work, the shop foreman is often asked to assist in the diag- nostic or troubleshooting step in vehicle service instead of completing the actual repair. The average foreman spends part of the day dealing with technical problems and part of the day addressing employee problems. The advantages of a salary increase and less physically demanding work that come with moving from completing service on the shop floor to a management role is attractive to an experienced service technician. Large auto service shops like those found at new-vehicle dealerships may have multiple shop foremen. Service Manager A service manager oversees the entire auto service department and performs duties similar to those performed by managers in many other professions. They perform many administrative duties, such as setting work schedules, ordering supplies, preparing bills, Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com Figure 1-5. This parts person is following a repair order on his tablet to find and deliver the necessary parts for a technician’s planned vehicle repair.