Expert: Brad Sears - 8/30/2010

Question
I am very interested in going on to school to learn about automotive fabrication.  I want to work on older or custom cars.  Would you suggest a Bachelor's degree from some place like Kettering University (was known as General Motors Institute) or to just start some place like UTI and go on into work?  I guess what I am asking is how would you start?

Answer
This is a question that I have fielded thousands of times over the years and each time the answer was never the same. The answer lies in your long term goals in life. A school like Wyo Tech or Nashville Collage of Diesel and Auto tech or UTI will give you a good hands on basic "how to handle a torch or a paint gun" and get you started in the "hands on" building from the ground up but mostly working for some one else and using some one elses blue prints. The Kettering route will give you the options of most of the basic shop practices but will add the engineering and business side leading to stepping further up the ladder in the industry. The choice is yours based on what you want to do 10 years down the road not tomorrow. My grandson Matt is in the same quandary as you are. He has chosen the route of getting a degree in business and he gets the hands on working weekends with me. But that is his advantage. Take your time and weight all options. Good Luck.