Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers

Overview

Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers inspect, diagnose, repair and service mechanical, electrical and electronic systems and components of cars, buses, and light and commercial transport trucks. They are employed by motor vehicle dealers, garages, truck and trailer dealerships, fleet maintenance companies, and service stations, automotive specialty shops, transportation companies and retail establishments which have automotive service shops. This unit group also includes mechanical repairers who perform major repairs and replacement of mechanical units on newly assembled motor vehicles. They are employed by motor vehicle manufacturing companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Also known as:

after sales service technician - motor vehicles
alignment and brakes technician
apprentice motor vehicle mechanic
automatic transmission mechanic - motor vehicle
automatic transmission technician - motor vehicles

Median salary

The median salary for this job across Ontario is $62,400

Average hourly wage

Low $18.75

Medium $30.00

High $43.27

Low
The low wage, in most cases, corresponds to the 10th percentile. For example, if the low wage is $12.00/hour, this means that 10% of the workers in the occupation earn $12.00/hour or less.

Medium
The median wage is the indicator of the prevailing wage for each occupation. The median wage is the middle point of the wage distribution, when wages are arranged in numerical order.

High
The high wage, in most cases, corresponds to the 90th percentile. For example, if the high wage is $40.00/hour, this means that 90% of the workers in the occupation earn $40.00/hour or less.

Education and training pathways

To be qualified for this job, completion of secondary school or a vocational program is usually required. Trade certification for automotive service technicians is compulsory in Ontario.

Secondary school or equivalency

An Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalency or some high school is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Students can also get hands-on experience in the trades while in secondary school. If you haven’t completed the required credits, you can earn them through Adult learning programs.

College or university programs

If you’re interested in the trades, a college program is a great place to start working toward your career. Some trades-related college certificate and diploma programs provide graduates who become apprentices with the opportunity to receive automatic exemption from in-class training requirements.

Educational pathways are provided for informational purposes only. Links are included for programs at publicly assisted postsecondary institutions. They may not be inclusive of all relevant programs available in Ontario.

View college programs

Apprenticeships and experience

Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience and industry courses in automotive technology is required to be eligible for trade certification.

View apprenticeships

Other education or certifications

Required registration

Certification from Skilled Trades Ontario may be required. Certificate from the Technical Standards and Safety Authority is required for recreational vehicles technicians.

Red seal endorsement

Consider earning a Red Seal endorsement for your trade certificate by successfully completing the interprovincial Red Seal examination. This endorsement indicates to employers that you have demonstrated the knowledge required to meet national trade standard and allows you to work in your trade in other provinces and territories without more tests and paperwork.

Micro-credentials

Consider obtaining micro-credentials to gain skills and knowledge relevant to your career. Micro-credentials are rapid training programs that can help you get the skills that employers need.

View micro-credentials

Relevant organizations

Career data by region

See median salary and historical job postings of this career profile based on Economic Region.

Totals for economic regions may be less than total online job postings for the province due to exclusion of postings without reliable information.

Economic Region	Median salary ($)	Historical job postings
Ottawa	62,400	263
Kingston-Pembroke	60,300	100
Muskoka-Kawarthas	62,400	120
Toronto	62,400	1,302
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie	62,400	548
Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula	62,400	310
London	62,400	208
Windsor-Sarnia	56,200	139
Stratford-Bruce Peninsula	61,400	68
Northeast	68,600	373
Northwest	62,400	165

Find a job

We can help you build your skills, find a job and plan your career.

Search and apply for jobs on the Job Bank

About the data

Information on this page is sourced from the National Occupational Classification (NOC), which is Canada’s national system for describing occupations.

NOC Code: NOC 72410

View full job profile

Ontario’s labour market information website is developed for use as a resource to help people explore career options. The job outlooks for each occupation use projections of future job openings and should be interpreted with caution. Shifts in the rate of economic growth, technological developments, business restructuring, or changes in government policies can all affect the future growth prospects or skill requirements of the labour market.

Job outlooks have been developed for Ontario as a whole, and may not reflect the situation in each local labour market. The number and type of employers, the occupational make-up of the workforce, and other local economic conditions all contribute to the employment prospects for an occupation in a given community.

The accuracy of the information presented for in-demand skills and knowledge and other sections based on job posting data depends, in part, on whether jobs are categorized into the correct occupational groups. In some cases, job postings may be incorrectly attributed to an occupational grouping and the data should be interpreted with caution

Please contact us if you have questions about the information contained on this site

Help us improve this tool

Take a short survey about My Career Journey.