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Alternative Fuels Vehicle Technician

Also Called: AFV Technician

Job Description: Alternative Fuels is a hot new field, because the United States and other countries realize that they need to decrease their dependence on foreign oil. Therefore manufacturers are devoting great time and funds to the research and development of automobiles that run off alternative fuels. The AFV technician must be highly educated about power sources such as electric fuel cells, solar power, propane, and even the dehydrogenization of water. This particular field of automotive technology allows you to work with cutting-edge hybrid vehicles while working to reduce pollution and promote a healthier environment. More information concerning alternative fuels can be obtained from this site:
http://www.afdc.doe.gov/altfuels.html

Working Conditions: The working conditions will probably remain relatively similar to a normal automotive technician, which means 40 hour work weeks at a repair shop. Some of the tools required, however, will be different so the technician can attend to the intricacies of various non-petroleum-fueled power plants. The field is in such rapid development that no one knows exactly what alternative fuel will come to dominate the industry, but no one denies that alternative fuels represent the wave of the future.

Education and Training Requirements: In many areas of automotive technology, formal education is not absolutely required, although it is highly recommended. If you want to get into alternative fuels, however, postsecondary formal training is a must. Since the number of trade schools and colleges that offer AFV programs is relatively low, a student may choose to become certified as an automotive technician and take any alternative fuel courses available. After graduation, the technician may find a shorter length, advanced program that specializes in AFV. The rapid progress characterizing the field ensures that the number of AFV programs will continue to increase exponentially in the next few decades.

Salary Range: 
Entry Level Pay: $25,000-35,000
Mid-Range Pay: $35,000-45,000
Experienced Pay: $45,000-55,000
Top Level Pay (Master Mechanic): $60,000-100,000

Job Outlook: Good to Excellent. Through the year 2010, employment in the automotive repair field is expected to increase about 10-20%, which is about as fast as the average.

Motor Trend Magazine offered this auspicious prediction about the future of the industry: 

“Within the next decade or two, there's a good chance you'll be driving a vehicle powered by an advanced powerplant that's far removed from the familiar internal combustion engine now residing beneath your hood. Government regulation, environmental pressures, and market competition have spurred accelerated research and development into alternative fuels and the vehicles that run on them, creating a new twist in the motor vehicle's evolution.”

Training in alternative fuels can give you a head start on the next big leap in the automotive world.

Our featured schools do not specifically offer programs in alternative fuel technology, but you can find out more about a path to a related career by consulting programs listed below.

Category: 
Careers