Becoming a Certified Tech

Quoted message said:

My question, for Sheldon, Andrew, Peter, and anyone else who manages a
service department: Would the Barnett's certification make me more
employable, or less so (due to being "over-qualified", as in "we think
you'd
want too much money"😉. Would I be better off just taking courses in the
areas where I'm lacking (wheel building and suspension), and adding that
to
my shop resume (which already includes a season as an assembler in a
L.B.S.)?

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff: Barnett's certification isn't a bad thing per se, and does let people
know you understand a few (relevant) things. But it's something you have to
be a bit careful with, as Barnett's is a tool, not the means to an end. Some
people come away from Barnett's believing they know everything and that
they're above the level of great mechanics who have worked for years but
lack "certification." This isn't a knock against Barnett's, by the way, this
is more of a personality issue. If you were to apply at Chain Reaction and
told us that you'd been to Barnett's and learned that working with bicycles
is something you really enjoy doing, that would come across far better than
telling us you'd been to Barnett's and know everything there is about
working on bikes and, oh by the way, the manner in which that guy is truing
a wheel is all wrong ("that guy" being, perhaps, the best wheel builder in
the area).

Of course, the truth is that even experienced mechanics might learn a thing
or two by going to school now and then, so Barnett's probably does know how
to do a few things better than what is commonly done. But, as with most
things, it's not what you say, it's how you say it.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

(original post snipped)

Quoted message said:

Jeff: Barnett's certification isn't a bad thing per se, and does let

people

Quoted message said:

know you understand a few (relevant) things. But it's something you have

to

Quoted message said:

be a bit careful with, as Barnett's is a tool, not the means to an end.

Some

Quoted message said:

people come away from Barnett's believing they know everything and that
they're above the level of great mechanics who have worked for years but
lack "certification." This isn't a knock against Barnett's, by the way,

this

Quoted message said:

is more of a personality issue. If you were to apply at Chain Reaction and
told us that you'd been to Barnett's and learned that working with

bicycles

Quoted message said:

is something you really enjoy doing, that would come across far better

than

Quoted message said:

telling us you'd been to Barnett's and know everything there is about
working on bikes and, oh by the way, the manner in which that guy is

truing

Quoted message said:

a wheel is all wrong ("that guy" being, perhaps, the best wheel builder in
the area).

Of course, the truth is that even experienced mechanics might learn a

thing

Quoted message said:

or two by going to school now and then, so Barnett's probably does know

how

Quoted message said:

to do a few things better than what is commonly done. But, as with most
things, it's not what you say, it's how you say it.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

Thanks for the feedback, Mike. Yes, I understand about "certifications".
I've already had the experience (when I was much younger) of coming out of a
2-year degree program, thinking I was just the best electronics tech ever,
only to learn that there were other, perhaps more important things a person
could bring to a job. I approach this issue (of becoming a professional
mechanic) with many lessons learned from my first career, and with the
attitude you mentioned, of one who loves working on bikes. As I mentioned
in my original post, I was fortunate enough to work in a L.B.S. for a
season, and would love to do so again, only as a more knowledgeable and
competent mechanic.

This would be my second, or "retirement" career, something I really enjoy
doing, something that I'm pretty good at already, something that feeds my
soul. I've been fascinated with bikes ever since I was a kid, and it's
amazing how that fascination never fades.

Thanks again,

Jeff

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 01:54:16 -0700, "Wile E. Coyote" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

(original post snipped)

Quoted message said:

Jeff: Barnett's certification isn't a bad thing per se, and does let

people

Quoted message said:

know you understand a few (relevant) things. But it's something you have

to

Quoted message said:

be a bit careful with, as Barnett's is a tool, not the means to an end.

Some

Quoted message said:

people come away from Barnett's believing they know everything and that
they're above the level of great mechanics who have worked for years but
lack "certification." This isn't a knock against Barnett's, by the way,

this

Quoted message said:

is more of a personality issue. If you were to apply at Chain Reaction and
told us that you'd been to Barnett's and learned that working with

bicycles

Quoted message said:

is something you really enjoy doing, that would come across far better

than

Quoted message said:

telling us you'd been to Barnett's and know everything there is about
working on bikes and, oh by the way, the manner in which that guy is

truing

Quoted message said:

a wheel is all wrong ("that guy" being, perhaps, the best wheel builder in
the area).

Of course, the truth is that even experienced mechanics might learn a

thing

Quoted message said:

or two by going to school now and then, so Barnett's probably does know

how

Quoted message said:

to do a few things better than what is commonly done. But, as with most
things, it's not what you say, it's how you say it.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

Thanks for the feedback, Mike. Yes, I understand about "certifications".
I've already had the experience (when I was much younger) of coming out of a
2-year degree program, thinking I was just the best electronics tech ever,
only to learn that there were other, perhaps more important things a person
could bring to a job.

As a working bench tech I gotta say that the difference between school and
practice in electronics is probably greater than any other trade I've seen. At
the shop I'm at the big question for a new applicant is not "what education do
you have" it's "so how much trouble did you get in for taking stuff apart when
you were a kid?" Or, "so how long you been messing with this stuff?"

Quoted message said:

I approach this issue (of becoming a professional
mechanic) with many lessons learned from my first career, and with the
attitude you mentioned, of one who loves working on bikes. As I mentioned
in my original post, I was fortunate enough to work in a L.B.S. for a
season, and would love to do so again, only as a more knowledgeable and
competent mechanic.

Ooh, and even get paid decently for it, now.

Quoted message said:

This would be my second, or "retirement" career, something I really enjoy
doing, something that I'm pretty good at already, something that feeds my
soul. I've been fascinated with bikes ever since I was a kid, and it's
amazing how that fascination never fades.

That's how I got into doing electronics.

Ron