I am retiring by year end and will be looking for ways to keep busy. Been thinking about taking a mechanical type course, motorcycle specific.
Free motorcycle repair course
- Thread starter Scuba Steve
- Start date
ifiddles
Well-known member
doing a search on Google using 'Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair' came up with courses at:
Centennial College Centennial College - Motorcycle and Powersports Product Repair Techniques
Conestoga College Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair
Canadore College Motive Power Fundamentals - Motorcycle and Sport Vehicle Repair - Canadore College
Congratulations on your imminent retirement!
Thank you for taking the time to search for that.doing a search on Google using 'Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair' came up with courses at:
Centennial College Centennial College - Motorcycle and Powersports Product Repair Techniques
Conestoga College Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair
Canadore College Motive Power Fundamentals - Motorcycle and Sport Vehicle Repair - Canadore College
Congratulations on your imminent retirement!
Relax
Well-known member
doing a search on Google using 'Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair' came up with courses at:
Centennial College Centennial College - Motorcycle and Powersports Product Repair Techniques
Conestoga College Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair
Canadore College Motive Power Fundamentals - Motorcycle and Sport Vehicle Repair - Canadore College
Congratulations on your imminent retirement!
Formal mechanics training requirements has always confused me, from what you need to take to get your foot in the door to what you need to take ongoing. For example, why does Conestoga have both the 1-year program posted above and the 1-month program posted by the OP?
The one month program sounds like a trial for high school kids to see if that may be their path. You come out with more knowledge but far from competent but it cost you zero dollars. The one year program costs $4000 and you get a certificate (may help to get your foot in at an apprentice path shop). There is a good chance many of us already know most of what that course teaches. As with the shorter course, it spends lots of time on personal prep (reading/writing/math/career launch).
Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair | Courses
Courses info for the 1-year Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair Ontario College Certificate program at Conestoga College
www.conestogac.on.ca
Mhy needs to find a program that focuses on the shop. Math touchup if required as related to diagnostics/repair but not as a standalone class. I don't know if that type of course exists anymore. The three listed seem to be similar early career programs. From course listings, Canadore may be slightly more focused on technical aspects but I doubt it is much different.
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Call it a a love-hate thing. Agreed definitely very easy to work on, but in 3 years and over 25k I have had to:
- find and fix a melted headlight ground wire (due to bad design)
- diagnose an intermittent EXUP check engine light, which turned out to be a bad pot in the motor assembly (tossed it all and installed an eliminator)
- replace a slipping wet clutch?! (I suspect it was just old worn springs, but since I was in there, yada yada)
- figure out how to re&re and static balance a single sided wheel (with some creative help from the home depot plumbing aisle)
- learn desmo belts and service for 2 valve
- learn to live with the service reminder light for now, since you can't easily reset it yourself
Still love the thing though. Maybe I'm a masochist after all.
The one month program sounds like a trial for high school kids to see if that may be their path. You come put with more knowledge but far from competent but it cost you zero dollars. The one tear program costs $4000 and you get a certificate (may help to get your foot in at an apprentice path shop). There is a good chance many of us already know most of what that course teaches. As with the shorter course, it spends lots of time on personal prep (reading/writing/math/career launch).
Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair | Courses
Courses info for the 1-year Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair Ontario College Certificate program at Conestoga College
Mhy needs to find a program that focuses on the shop. Math touchup if required as related to diagnostics/repair but not as a standalone class. I don't know if that type of course exists anymore.
It's been a while, but have times changed that much? Used to be you worked as a grease monkey in your teens, proved you could show up every day and not destroy whatever you touched, then get hired on as a full ride apprentice.
High schools still have auto shops, at least around me they do.
I have no idea if employers value these certificate programs or not. I am jaded about "higher education" here and I suspect many of these programs are like police foundations designed to extract some money and waste a few years of your life while providing minimal benefit to anybody other than an easily stroked ego that can brag about their accomplishment.
I'll see if I can find time before they close to get up there with the kids. Possibly this Sunday.This place is a must see, especially if you have kids.
ifiddles
Well-known member
Because the one month program in the original post is a 'tasting' to get high schoolers interested in the trades...it's not a full blown course from what I can tell...the trades are suffering and this is one way of getting kids interested in them...
Trades will continue to suffer until the emphasis is taken off University as the be-all and end all and you're an idiot if you don't go.
Sent from the future
Relax
Well-known member
The one month program sounds like a trial for high school kids to see if that may be their path. You come out with more knowledge but far from competent but it cost you zero dollars. The one year program costs $4000 and you get a certificate (may help to get your foot in at an apprentice path shop). There is a good chance many of us already know most of what that course teaches. As with the shorter course, it spends lots of time on personal prep (reading/writing/math/career launch).
Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair | Courses
Courses info for the 1-year Motive Power Techniques - Motorcycle and Power Sport Vehicles Repair Ontario College Certificate program at Conestoga College
Mhy needs to find a program that focuses on the shop. Math touchup if required as related to diagnostics/repair but not as a standalone class. I don't know if that type of course exists anymore. The three listed seem to be similar early career programs. From course listings, Canadore may be slightly more focused on technical aspects but I doubt it is much different.
The description of the 1-month course says:
"Graduates may choose to pursue further education or employment and an apprenticeship as a motorcycle technician or in another motive trade."
Sounds like it's good enough for apprenticeship, which is all anyone really needs. I'd love to become certified/licensed to open my own part-time shop when I retire from my day job, but don't have the time to go to full time school for a year and then apprentice for who knows how long. But taking a month off work is doable. If that legally lets me apprentice, then I'd hire a mechanic to work in my shop and apprentice under them.
You need zero post-secondary education to get an apprenticeship. You need a willing employer to take you on. I have no idea on the logistics of a random certified mechanic taking on an apprentice (similar to safeties, it is the shop or employee that has the authorization?).
Afaik, all apprenticeship programs alternate between field and school sessions. I don't know a way to avoid sitting in school full-time and still get the paper at the end.
TK4
Well-known member
Find an employer, put in the apprenticeship hours and go to school for your trade as required. Write the test at the end, pass and you're done. In some instances you can be grandfathered in and just write the test, like if you have previous experience in another country BUT you've got to jump through some hoops. I was allowed to write the motorcycle mechanics test, passed and got my ticket based on years in the business even though I had no intention of ever being a journeyman. It helped me get a different job that I was better suited for. The only regret is that I didn't keep my dues paid up. When I went to renew after many (ahem) years they told me I'd have to back pay and it just wasn't worth it.
That issue isn't the only one that is reducing interest in tradesman careers.
We needed some brick work done, rebuild a chimney and some repointing. Our house is 160 years old, so it has clay brick and lime-based mortar.
Through recommendations we found a brick mason who knew his craft and was really, really good. He graduated from Centennial (I think), did his apprenticeship and opened his own company in his early 30's with 4 permanent full-rime employees.
After 2 or 3 years, he closed up shop and got a job as a fireman, despite the fact he was earning (and charging) serious money and had a waiting list. He said the level of bureaucracy was too frustrating and he just had enough. Constant paperwork, nonsensical/over the top regulations surrounding safety compliance just drove him out.
In my opinion, too much of the regulation that governs work, particularly physical or trades work is written by people who have never performed such labor and likely never worked beyond government in the first place.
I once was threatened by WSIB with a $500 fine for late filing of an injury report. I contacted the (empty headed) bureaucrat who signed the letter and objected, noting that we had not had a workplace injury since the late eighties and had no history of late payments. Further the employee was paid for the day (he needed 2 stiches) and returned to unmodified work the next day. If took a supervisor to waive the fine and he made it clear that this was a "big deal" and a "one off".
Are you sure about that?
I think you need a GED at least.
As to "grandfathering": a friend was a "Master" motorcycle mechanic, was the head mechanic (and got paid to be head mechanic) at a local well known dealership, had 20 years at the job... but never got a license.
He had to get at least two KNOWN shops to sign off on his experience (which was a real problem as most of the last 20 years he worked for the local chapter of the HA's), THEN do two years under a licensed mechanic (that as it worked out, the licensed mechanic he worked with, is one that he trained)) and had do two years of "school", to get his license. There was nothing "simple" about the whole procedure, AND he had some of the best known shops in Toronto doing everything they could to get him licensed. Start to finish the process took about 4 years... he could have just done an apprenticeship, and get paid half of what he was getting paid
The day he got his license, he quit.
Maybe my answer was poorly worded. Afaik, you need high school or equivalent to get into an apprenticeship program but you do not need a college certificate to gain entry. To graduate with a ticket, you normally require a number of sessions at a college. I would call that in-class but some of it is practical but done at the school instead of a worksite.
I agree. Mostly a game for over-seers to justify their existence and schools to generate revenue. I've worked with many excellent tradesmen over the years. Some of the best did not have papers (and one was technically very gifted but could not read).
The stigma of "oh you went into the trades" is slowly disappearing , but its very slow. My high school had a tech wing , which was considered where the dumdums went , welding , auto, electrical . My original job was autobody , 5yr apprenticeship and grade 10 was the requirement . Basic math , english or common sense was not required . But 25K in tools was.
My two nephews , one is an IT guy at a tech startup 70k ish , same age nephew a plumber , 80K ish as the plumber , probably another 20k cash jobs . One worries the tech startup will choke, the other knows he will NEVER be out of a job.
My two nephews , one is an IT guy at a tech startup 70k ish , same age nephew a plumber , 80K ish as the plumber , probably another 20k cash jobs . One worries the tech startup will choke, the other knows he will NEVER be out of a job.
