Few car companies can compete with Toyota for name recognition. In fact, the Japanese manufacturer is actually headquartered in a town that was named after it: Toyota, Aichi. Since Kiichiro Toyoda founded the company in 1937, it has not just created popular vehicles but helped to shape the entire industry all over the globe. Toyota is seen as a trendsetter, but also as a reputable company known for making reliable cars, vans, trucks and SUVs.
If your goal is to land automotive technician jobs, you couldn’t do much better than focusing your attention on learning how to service Toyotas. Just some examples of popular vehicles it manufactures include:
- Camry
- Corolla
- Tundra
- Tacoma
- RAV4
You can’t drive down a mile of highway without seeing at least one of these. Year after year, the Toyota Corolla remains the bestselling car in the entire world and these others aren’t far behind in their respective categories. Therefore, if you want to get work as a mechanic and stay busy, you should get Toyota dealership certified.
Becoming Toyota dealership certified
Toyota has an investment in making sure that the countless people all over the country who drive their vehicles don’t have to travel far when theirs need to be serviced or repaired. That’s why they actively work to make sure that those technicians who want to become Toyota dealership certified have an easy time doing so.
One way Toyota does this is by teaming up with an organization called Universal Technical Institute. The company has been in business for decades and, during this time, more than 200,000 mechanics have benefited from their method of teaching. It’s well known throughout the industry that if you can graduate from UTI with good grades, landing a competitive auto mechanic salary will not be difficult.
TPAT (Toyota Professional Automotive Technician) training is the UTI course that focuses on this specific manufacturer. It is a 12-week course that you can take in Sacramento, CA, Exton, PA, or Lisle, IL. The program uses training taken right from the University of Toyota. As a part of the T-TEN (Toyota Motor Sales, Technician Training and Education Network), it also serves as a great starting point if you ever wish to take your career further in the direction of working on these vehicles.
TPAT credentials
Through TPAT, you will become Toyota Maintenance Certified, but also trained in Toyota Express Maintenance Procedures. At the time of your graduation, you will receive nine Toyota course credits from the University of Toyota.
One really great advantage to focusing on working with Toyota vehicles is that this also encompasses Lexuses. This means your knowledge base will cover even more vehicles. The fact that Lexus is one of the most popular luxury vehicle brands in the world will definitely help your auto mechanic salary too. Upon graduation from TPAT, you’ll even receive five course credits specific to Lexus.
Scion is also a subsidiary of Toyota, so your training will help you work on these vehicles as well. Even though they won’t be manufactured any more after 2016, the company was in business for 13 years; it’s probably a safe assumption that you’ll have the opportunity to work on them in the near future.
All graduates are given an individualized Toyota SPIN training ID. You can use this to track your training history and progress through the dealer network. Potential employers can also use it to verify your certification.
Finally, once you have graduated from TPAT, you can continue your education by working for Toyota Technician Expert status. This is only an option after you’ve completed all on and off campus work and tenure requirements. However, it’s the second tier in the company’s dealer network so the hard work will definitely pay off if you decide to take this route.
The TPAT curriculum
If you’re interested in TPAT, here is what the curriculum looks like:
Section 1. Here you will learn about Toyota’s company culture and the vehicles they manufacture. Electrical diagnostic tools and wiring diagrams will be used to carry out analysis on different types of electric circuit problems.
Section 2. You’ll learn general service procedures for the Toyota Hybrid including safety and repair protocols.
Section 3. You’ll head under the vehicle to learn about power steering issues, how to inspect suspension components, alignment problems and much more.
Section 4. In this last section, instructors will show you how to follow Toyota Express Maintenance procedures. This will include multipoint inspections, vehicle maintenance service and safety checks. ASE certification preparation and training will also be a theme throughout this section.
Toyota remains one of the most popular vehicle manufacturers throughout the world and their emphasis on innovation suggests this isn’t going to change in our lifetime. If you want access to more auto mechanic jobs, becoming Toyota dealership certified will make a huge difference.
If you’re already a certified mechanic and you’re interested in working with YourMechanic, submit an online application for an opportunity to become a mobile mechanic.
