I want to be a Mercury Certified Tech
 

Whats the process and who to talk to? There isnt much online about their school....do you have to be sponsored by a independent dealer or something?

I'm down to my last bill, I'm free to move anywhere, Im single and have no baggage. Looking to change careers after being with BMW for over 7 years and I feel this would be a great change because it deals with a life style I enjoy very much.

Any input would be great!! :drink: Thank you

Question.

Is it safe to assume you are a BMW mechanic?
IF you are then why wouldnt you open your own shop or go to work for an independant?

TONS of BMW need work everywhere and the dealers are EXPENSIVE.

You could do this and go to Merc school when you figure the path

Uncle Dave

thanks UD

no, but i'm certified gear head in my off time. :coolcowboy:


So is it something where i just call up mercury marine to get info on where it is, how to enroll, schedule, etc? Is it something anyone can jump into, or is through a local dealer sponsorship thing?

Thanks!!

Have you contacted any local authorized Merc. dealers/shops in your area? I'd start by a phone call to a local authorized dealer or Merc. itself. See what they say and go forward if it can be worked out. Good luck.

I looked into something like that when I was in your "boat." Look into the Marine Mechanics Institute. They have a reasonable program and can help with financing it and getting the job. They have 3 or 4 locations in the country. BUT, I've never known anyone that went there.

I would also try to volunteer for a race team or ask for a very low paying job at a performance shop or boat builder sweeping floors doing WHATEVER for minimum wage. If they like you I'm sure you'll get paid enough to eat.

MMI buddy

www.uti.edu/Marine

As far as I know you have to work at a Mercury shop and the shop has to send you.

Great advise! Thank you. That's the direction I want to go in. Even if it means sweeping floors for min wage then take it from there. I'll look in to MMI and see if they have merc certs. Money is not a problem for paying for the schooling, I have that covered along with moving expenses. Just trying to find the opportunity and how to get started in a new career.

When I go after something I give it 120% like I did with BMW. It's good but not challenging to me which I don't like. I know I can do more and want to prove it to myself.

Please keep the ideas coming and possible direction I should chase after. Thank you so much!! I love the chase and to catch the dream and concur is the goal!!

Call TNT Marine in Miami

We send our mechanics to merc school in NH twice a year, but they work for us and we are a Platinum Merc dealer

Rock and roll Sean, thanks for the heads up, I'll give them a ring and see if I can send them my resume to check out. My aunt lives in south beach area on Biscayne bay.

Fast fun, so have you ever sent a rookie off to school to move up?

The chase is on!! :drink:

You have to be a full time employee of an authorized dealer. You have to do some E-skills training and pass a general competency test, which is quite in depth. After that you can start attending classes working toward enough points to take the test. It is not a quick or easy process.

Mercury University

Link covers most of what you are looking for and contact info
General
http://wwwarchive.mercurymarine.com/mercury_university2

How to become cert/master
http://wwwarchive.mercurymarine.com/.../certified.pdf

i think there were also some 3-5 day courses offered somewhere but not sure they applied to the merc program specifically. I remember wanting to attend but wasn't able. Anyone remember those? Seems like there was a 3 day course specific to Bravo which I thought would be great to attend

Thanks for the links for the links ^^^^

Rvrcat28, yea thats pretty much what i was thinking, that you had to be an employee at a local dealer in order to get in.

Guess thats what I can keep my eyes open for then!

Appreciate the help all!!

Good luck to you. There is a shortage of those willing to put in the time and effort. The MMI schools are helpful, but if you already have mechanical ability, working at a dealer with experienced people is a practical alternative.

I would not waste your time and money with MMI. I have had 3 graduates from there work for me over the years and not 1 lasted more than 3 days. Not sure what they teach their students, but it sure wasn't what is needed when working on Marine Engines or Outdrives !

I was kinda afraid of that. seems like those kinda places are magnets for people who feel "this will make me understand everything" of course if you dont love what you do,or have the common sense of how things work nothing is going to help...some have the ability and some just dont......

Guess the best thing to do is just look for the right place to start at and take it from there :drink:

I second that...
Jr.

The money that one pays to go to that school compared is alot.. With your previous experience your better off getting a job at a certified marina.... Thats what I did....

You won't get certified out of MMI or any tech school. You'll still have to get hired at a dealer and start the certification process with them. The problem is after you spend all that money for school it's still hard to get hired because you have no experience. The best thing to do is find a job at a Merc dealer doing anything, if you're good they'll send you to school. It's free and it gets you experience.

Exactly, I couldnt say it better myself...
Jr.

:lolhit: might be harder than you think.. and not pay that good.. but your more than welcome to hang upside down and work on mine.. where were you a few months ago..?
MISS YOU

AGREED!!!! Save your $30,000 and get a job at a good repair shop or good marina. I have had 2 techs come to me from MMI and neither one knew there ass from a hole in the ground! Finally I had to tell the second tech to forget EVERYTHING they taught him!!! Now I teach him the right way to diagnose and fix boats. Its amazing the stuff he didnt know!!

Another thing is, when and if you become a tech, a good tech, be prepared to not get rich, work over 40 hours a week, make your girlfriend or wife mad (alot) in the summer time, dont hang on the water if trying to relax (always someone going, hey! Can u help me out or take a look at this a minute??) while your off and trying to enjoy your family, spend hundreds and thousands of $ on tools for every job imaginable, if you own a boat (dont tear it apart, it wont get put back together right away because your to busy working on everybody elses).

This only touches the life of a good tech!! HAHAHA!! BUT, if you absolutely LOVE what you do, its all wourth it! Ive been a Certified Mercruiser Tech for over 22 years and A Master for most of those. I love my job and I love helping my customers and wouldnt trade it for an office job! I make a modest living and dont want to be rich, Im on the water most of the week and Ive built, ridden and have been part of some pretty cool boats!! So I guess now you just need to decide what you really want to do.

Take pride in your work! Do it like you would want to have it done to your boat! Treat customers with respect! Boats are a way for customers to "get away" from there wifes, kids, girl friends, work, lifes frustrations, whatever!! Its a recreational out!! When it dont run, they get pissy! As would you!

Good luck!!

If you are already a solid BMW tech and understand the fundamentals of engines, electrical, etc. then you may be a HUGE asset to a marine shop right now. Yes, working on boats is different but frankly they are MUCH simpler than even a 10 year old BMW. The controls and computer stuff are pretty simplistic compared to cars and more of what you will need to learn is specific R&R info and boat specific parts like outdrives, but many of the basics will transfer over. For that reason I think going to work would be a much better fit than a tech school like MMI and many boat places might be willing to give you a shot.

fixx
 

uti would be the easiest to get into..

btw do you mis this one yet? :drink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VqBAGeercQ

If you can get into a merc certified shop as a general mechanic & when they need warranty work done & everyone else is buried (ALL SUMMER LONG) talk to management about schooling cause most manufacturers wont pay the dealer for the repair unless the tech that did the work was certified in that area. Actually thats how it started for me at Ford. then once your in the system the factory advertises what classes they will be teaching & where. Its worth a shot I made some good money rebuilding all those taurus,sable, windstar trannies Icould drive it in ,code it ,pull it, & with all parts in stock rebuild almost 2 a day & warranty pd 18 hrs each and still go home at 5

PWRBT33 you are very correct if someone even thinks you know about boats around the water your day of relaxation just went out the door

so you were able to book 36 hours a day doing trans overhauls????

WOW!!!Im a GM master tech for 26 years ,,All I do is driveability and Trans repairs/overhauls..I have never booked hours like that..the most your going to get on a trans overhaul is 8 to 10 hours and it will take you as long to do..

I should go get a job at a Ford Dealer..

boatnt, the ford warranty mauals have specific times for labor operations that can often be done at the same time. As far as the transmissions go they were junk to begin with very easy to rebuild & the same thing went wrong with 90% of them. dont get me wrong I had plenty of head scratchers but look but it this way you compile a whole bunch of labor ops for .3 to1.2 hrs plus 7.5 hrs just to r&r a front drive unit you can make as much money with your write up as with your repair & that came straight from the warranty clerk that sent the stuff in to ford. Plus if thats allyou are doing all day you can pick the proper tools in the morning & not even have tolook at your toolbox til the end of the day

Also boatnt company trucks (deisels) can make realgood money cause nobody services them til something breaks. I could make 2.3 hrs ona truck cause they bring it in for a shifting problem. I drive it throw the air filter away do my electronic diagnosis replace filter & out the door thats why they have sensors on the air box but joe laborer isnt going toeven check the oil let alone anything else

Marine Tech schools
 

I would highly recommend WyoTech. Check them out.

YEAUP, just have the beer waiting :drink:


hey, that looks like my brothers classic when we were at LC for the donzi meet and had swap out carbs??? :party-smiley-004:

still looking................

I had lunch with a bunch of High School Buddies yesterday (class of 83) and one of my friends brother Jeff was there, he told me he worked for UTI and was telling me of the different fields they offer and I remembered this thread, I gave him this site so Im sure he will look at this thread he could answer any question you may have, Good luck.

I will throw this out there to you if your thinking of a school or if you just want to learn over a long weekend.
Am-tech holds a long weekend of classes in Jan. at Wyotech in Daytona. If you wanted to get a taste of there class rooms and talk with instructors and students.
I have been going every Jan for the past few years. They have some great classes.

IM RON FROM BAD ATTITUDE BOATS AND I AM LOOKING FOR A TECH. I WAS POSTING SOME STUFF ON CLASSIFED AND SOME HOW RAN INTO YOUR FORUM, LOOKING TO GET INTO BOATING WORLD. YOU SAID NO BAGGAGE AND RELOCATE WE ARE IN PARKER AZ ON THE COLARODO RIVER OR PARKER STRIP JUST BELOW LAKE HAVASU ARIZONA YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE HEAT THO. WE DO BOATS IN THE SUMMER AND OFFROAD BUGGIES IN THE WINTER ALL THO WE ARE STILL VERY BISY ON BOATS AND BACKED UP ON BUGGIES RIGHT NOW YOU CAN CALL IF U LIKE 1-928-669-8870

I just got news of a potential job. Going to follow it up in the am with the ut-most of interest. Thank all of you for the posts and Pm's. Hopefully in the am I will have a chance to offer my abilities and young go get them attitude towards doing what I always wanted to do for a living. Building offshore powerboats and helping a company succeed doing what they do best! Moving from Hawaii to the east coast is a huge deal but if it is chasing a dream of mine.....well here i come! :coolcowboy:

that mean your coming home?

delete- double post...

Hey! That's my old boat! How's it running? Did you buy it? I was on deployment went my dad sold it for me.