car audio schools?
09-03-2003, 10:45 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Im looking into getting into the installation business and ive been asking around. Some people suggest i find a school to go to but i cant seem to find any around this area. I have come across some but they are all in the US and far away from where i live.
Anyone know of any around BC?
Also, ive had a few people say i should ask around and some shops and see if i can get a job as an apprentice and learn that way.
what do you people suggest i do?
Anyone know of any around BC?
Also, ive had a few people say i should ask around and some shops and see if i can get a job as an apprentice and learn that way.
what do you people suggest i do?
09-04-2003, 12:02 AM
#2
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you have a few choices. depending on how much you already know and depending of what kind of student you are.
in canada there is only one school. mobile dynamics, www.mobiledynamics.com
if you have absolutely have no knowledge what so ever , MD will teach you basic fundamentals in electricity, acoustics, security, caraudio, etc. just enough so that it is easy to get a career going. But you will not come out of there being an install guru. You will still need to learn that at a shop. Hands on experience will get you to guru status. Guys install for years and never get certified, so it is possible to become a profficient installer and never goto school. But it is tough to find a shop that will take you under their wing. it's all up to you. if your somewhat knowledgable and you do well on your own(as far as studying) you can goto the mecp website, and order the study guide and learn it on your own. www.mecp.com. there are more than one way to become certified, but personally i feel that Mobile Dynamics is the way to go. If you just want to install , try to find your self a shop that will take you in and apprentice you. There are not too many shops that will or that are good at teaching. good luck , try the websites and reaserch before you decide.
in canada there is only one school. mobile dynamics, www.mobiledynamics.com
if you have absolutely have no knowledge what so ever , MD will teach you basic fundamentals in electricity, acoustics, security, caraudio, etc. just enough so that it is easy to get a career going. But you will not come out of there being an install guru. You will still need to learn that at a shop. Hands on experience will get you to guru status. Guys install for years and never get certified, so it is possible to become a profficient installer and never goto school. But it is tough to find a shop that will take you under their wing. it's all up to you. if your somewhat knowledgable and you do well on your own(as far as studying) you can goto the mecp website, and order the study guide and learn it on your own. www.mecp.com. there are more than one way to become certified, but personally i feel that Mobile Dynamics is the way to go. If you just want to install , try to find your self a shop that will take you in and apprentice you. There are not too many shops that will or that are good at teaching. good luck , try the websites and reaserch before you decide.
09-04-2003, 01:19 AM
#3
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I kinda figured that mobile dynamics was the only school in canada which is kinda dissapointing concidereing i live so far away from toronto. Do you think i twould be worth it to go out to toronto to take the course? why or why not.
I looked around the mecp site and i will probably buy the study guide off there anyway, but i dont know how much that will really help me, though it will give me knowledge which i dont have currently. What i really need most is hands on experience, but i have no clue where im going to get it from. Do you know of any shops around BC that will take you in as apprentices? and would it only be persoal shops or would bigger stores do it aswell? such as a&b sound and future shop for example.
thanks alot for your replys.
I looked around the mecp site and i will probably buy the study guide off there anyway, but i dont know how much that will really help me, though it will give me knowledge which i dont have currently. What i really need most is hands on experience, but i have no clue where im going to get it from. Do you know of any shops around BC that will take you in as apprentices? and would it only be persoal shops or would bigger stores do it aswell? such as a&b sound and future shop for example.
thanks alot for your replys.
09-04-2003, 06:26 AM
#4
There used to be another car audio school at a place in Vancouver at Kingsway and Boundary. Started with an H......can't remember it right now. I believe they folded though.
My first thought was that a 'big box' store like FS, A&B or something like that would probably take in a noob but on second thought, that may not be necessarily true. After knowing some of the installers and install managers that work at FS, they aren't noobs and don't necessarily feel that their shops are training schools. So, I would try applying at whatever shop. But the best thing you can do is practice on your own car. Reinstall your alarm a few times, or get different gear and use your car as a training tool. Make fiberglass enclosures and amp racks, try rewiring it, do friends and family cars for free. Anything to get more experience.
My first thought was that a 'big box' store like FS, A&B or something like that would probably take in a noob but on second thought, that may not be necessarily true. After knowing some of the installers and install managers that work at FS, they aren't noobs and don't necessarily feel that their shops are training schools. So, I would try applying at whatever shop. But the best thing you can do is practice on your own car. Reinstall your alarm a few times, or get different gear and use your car as a training tool. Make fiberglass enclosures and amp racks, try rewiring it, do friends and family cars for free. Anything to get more experience.
09-04-2003, 06:54 AM
#5
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hybrid used to be on kingsway. they did not go belly up, the moved to where more money is, the states. i spoke to students from there and they said it wasn't too bad, but very expensive. mobile dymanics is worth it. i went to it from here. i would go in march, during audiothunder week. the students get to help out with the show and get to see some of the loudest cars in canada. i was fortunate to meet alma gates and wayne harris at the same show.
as far as getting a shop to hire you. it all depends on how much you already know and who you know. i have friends that are staring from scraatch at shops, and i have friends that have moved in from the sales floor into the install bay. i couldn't get a job before i went to school. i had my tools and everything. i applied at almost every shop in town. it was hard to convince head installers or shop owners that you will not wreck a $30 000 car. or just imagine a $200 000 porsche or a $350 000 ferrari(i say ferrari cause my interview with ralph's radio consisted of helping the head installer work on a ferrari) I spent days riding with installer on mobile units , months doing interviews. nothing. But once i went to school, i had a job already waiting for me once i got back home. i started work 2 weeks from when i got back. now that was just me. i've also seen guys a shop who know absolutely nothing doing their apprenticships at the very same shops i applied at.
what i would do if i were you is offer your self to do ride alongs with installer, or even offer to help out on weekends just so that they can get a feel for you. you may be the brightest person in the world, nut they won't know it until the spend a day with you. you might be a complete dumbass who knocks everything over. who knows. but it's all about your attitude and willingness to apply yourself. Phone mobile dyanmics and speak to the instructors, they're all previous shop owners, see what they say they look for in an employee, phone around and speak to head installer, don't apply, just do research and get names, so when your ready to apply you have their full names and positions. your resume and cover letter will look pimp. good luck an i hope you find answers to all your question.
as far as getting a shop to hire you. it all depends on how much you already know and who you know. i have friends that are staring from scraatch at shops, and i have friends that have moved in from the sales floor into the install bay. i couldn't get a job before i went to school. i had my tools and everything. i applied at almost every shop in town. it was hard to convince head installers or shop owners that you will not wreck a $30 000 car. or just imagine a $200 000 porsche or a $350 000 ferrari(i say ferrari cause my interview with ralph's radio consisted of helping the head installer work on a ferrari) I spent days riding with installer on mobile units , months doing interviews. nothing. But once i went to school, i had a job already waiting for me once i got back home. i started work 2 weeks from when i got back. now that was just me. i've also seen guys a shop who know absolutely nothing doing their apprenticships at the very same shops i applied at.
what i would do if i were you is offer your self to do ride alongs with installer, or even offer to help out on weekends just so that they can get a feel for you. you may be the brightest person in the world, nut they won't know it until the spend a day with you. you might be a complete dumbass who knocks everything over. who knows. but it's all about your attitude and willingness to apply yourself. Phone mobile dyanmics and speak to the instructors, they're all previous shop owners, see what they say they look for in an employee, phone around and speak to head installer, don't apply, just do research and get names, so when your ready to apply you have their full names and positions. your resume and cover letter will look pimp. good luck an i hope you find answers to all your question.
09-04-2003, 12:46 PM
#7
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That gives me alot to think about now. Im going to start phoning up places today and see what i can find out.
I was curious. if i got the study guides for mecp and learned it all, took the basic installer test and got certified that way, would it help me out for getting a job? im guessing it will but even with that i wont have the hands on expereince. I do like the idea of going on ride alongs with installers, which i will probably ask about if i cant get a job.
I do know the head manager that works at a&b in the car audio out here, i think im going to talk to him about it and maybe he could give me some imput as well.
also, with the mobile dynamics. it does seem like a good thing to go take. out of curiousity, how much did the whole trip out there and back cost you? including the tuition and food, etc.
I was curious. if i got the study guides for mecp and learned it all, took the basic installer test and got certified that way, would it help me out for getting a job? im guessing it will but even with that i wont have the hands on expereince. I do like the idea of going on ride alongs with installers, which i will probably ask about if i cant get a job.
I do know the head manager that works at a&b in the car audio out here, i think im going to talk to him about it and maybe he could give me some imput as well.
also, with the mobile dynamics. it does seem like a good thing to go take. out of curiousity, how much did the whole trip out there and back cost you? including the tuition and food, etc.
09-04-2003, 12:53 PM
#8
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Join Date: Apr 2003
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i was on ei and i had it all paid for. but i believe it's a heafty sum. i think the bill for me was about 8000 with the tuition and food and hotel. i only took the car audio, now they offer media dynamics too,(home). phone theme, ask for tammy and get your self a info package tammy@mobiledynamics.com tell her patrick from trends sent ya. she's very knowledgable and can answer all your questions. she's heavy into car audio.
09-04-2003, 01:38 PM
#9
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For what it is IMO the most valuable thing you will get at MD is MECP certification, and that you can get on your own.
If you have an idea of what you are doing already then just get the MECP guide and get certified. It seems to be what most employers want to see.
If you have no clue and no time to learn on your own then you may have no choice but to spend the money on MD.
I am probably skewed though in that I never took 'car audio' classes other than manufacturer trainings nor am I certified through MECP. I took the hard way and learned through experience. That takes some time though
IF you DO know your way around a car already then try out FS or A&B and see if you can't get on. Couldn't hurt and you'd be making money instead of spending it..
If you have an idea of what you are doing already then just get the MECP guide and get certified. It seems to be what most employers want to see.
If you have no clue and no time to learn on your own then you may have no choice but to spend the money on MD.
I am probably skewed though in that I never took 'car audio' classes other than manufacturer trainings nor am I certified through MECP. I took the hard way and learned through experience. That takes some time though
IF you DO know your way around a car already then try out FS or A&B and see if you can't get on. Couldn't hurt and you'd be making money instead of spending it..
09-04-2003, 01:46 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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i already ordered a brochure off the mobile dynamics site but i will email tammy and ask her some questsions.
$8000 is quite a bit of money but i guess its worth it.
I was looking on the toronto campus site as apose to the pheonix one. the toronto doesnt have class scedules for next year, they just stop at november of this year. on the pheonix site they keep showing all the way though till next april.
as you said before about going in march. would it be worth it to wait till than and go because the audiothunder week does sound like alot of fun but on the other hand its 6 months away.
$8000 is quite a bit of money but i guess its worth it.
I was looking on the toronto campus site as apose to the pheonix one. the toronto doesnt have class scedules for next year, they just stop at november of this year. on the pheonix site they keep showing all the way though till next april.
as you said before about going in march. would it be worth it to wait till than and go because the audiothunder week does sound like alot of fun but on the other hand its 6 months away.
