Auto Mechanics

"Explains what auto mechanics do; describes their uniforms, tools, and places of work; and indicates the training and education needed for their job." -- T.p. verso.

The history of automobiles is not just the story of invention, manufacturing, and marketing; it is also a story of repair. Auto Mechanics opens the repair shop to historical study—for the first time—by tracing the emergence of a dirty, difficult, and important profession. Kevin L. Borg's study spans a century of automotive technology—from the horseless carriage of the late nineteenth century to the "check engine" light of the late twentieth. Drawing from a diverse body of source material, Borg explores how the mechanic’s occupation formed and evolved within the context of broad American fault lines of class, race, and gender and how vocational education entwined these tensions around the mechanic’s unique expertise. He further shows how aspects of the consumer rights and environmental movements, as well as the design of automotive electronics, reflected and challenged the social identity and expertise of the mechanic. In the history of the American auto mechanic, Borg finds the origins of a persistent anxiety that even today accompanies the prospect of taking one's car in for repair.

Simple text and photographs describe and illustrate the job of auto mechanics.

Many students are coming to realize that traditional four-year colleges do not necessarily lead to gainful employment after graduation and, therefore, do not always make good financial sense. Vocational and technical education, on the other hand, provides practical skills training, real-world experience, professional certification and contacts, and a direct pathway to jobs and careers. Readers are introduced to the exciting and enriching learning opportunities afforded by vo-tech and CTE programs at the high school and postsecondary levels in manufacturing, mechanics, and automotive care. Areas of specialization, certifications, job descriptions, career pathways, resume and interviewing skills, and career-building techniques and strategies are all emphasized.

Investigates automobile repair business to determine if automobile manufacturers create anticompetitive environment causing the inordinately high cost increases for automobile parts and labor to effect repairs.