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Any journeyman mechanics here?

Any journeyman mechanics here?

Old May 10th 2019, 6:24 pm
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Default Any journeyman mechanics here?

As above anyone on here a journeyman mechanic? if so can you recommend any books/media for studying for the exams?

I've got my application to sit the exam authorised - having sat some practice tests I'm not doing too bad considering It's 9 years since i last sat a trade exam, but some of the things on practice papers are stuff you generally don't learn or use in the trade in the UK, as a result I'm struggling with a couple of elements(and also need to brush up on some other areas).

Alternatively any other ways of learning, or tips for the exams?

Thanks in advance
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Old May 11th 2019, 4:13 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Which exam are you sitting? My husband is sitting the "heavy duty Equipment technician" exam, he is a truck Mechanic, in a couple of weeks. He got a book from Blackwells. https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pr.../9781337567589
​​Which he says has been useful. He also emailed the company he is sitting the exam with and they sent him some information and links regarding study material.

Hope this helps
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Old May 11th 2019, 5:59 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by Setayharas
Which exam are you sitting? My husband is sitting the "heavy duty Equipment technician" exam, he is a truck Mechanic, in a couple of weeks. He got a book from Blackwells. https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pr.../9781337567589
​​Which he says has been useful. He also emailed the company he is sitting the exam with and they sent him some information and links regarding study material.

Hope this helps
Thanks I'm sitting the automotive service technician exam, although if I'm successful in getting PR I will likely end up doing Heavy equipment tech via apprentice.

Ill take a look at the contents of the book, and best of luck to your husband for his exam.
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Old May 15th 2019, 7:19 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

hi
a might be useful link
cheers
jerry

Red Seal Sample Examination Questions / Red Seal
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Old May 15th 2019, 4:52 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by jerry brewer
hi
a might be useful link
cheers
jerry

Red Seal Sample Examination Questions / Red Seal
aye - Ive been through that a number of times, I've also downloaded some practice exams online, have tried a number of them and I'm typically achieving 80%, but given that its multiple choice, id like to be consistently hitting the 95%+

especially as the question sets could now have changed/exam nerves etc.

The current technique is doing a practice exam, putting a mark near questions i don't have 100% confidence in, then going through and reading around the subjects i either got wrong, or wasn't 100% confident on. But feel like i am purely learning the knowledge required for that test, rather than learning the entire subject for anything that could come up on any test.

Thanks for the pointer though, if got me to try that exam again, and make a stupid mistake, so at least i won't make that come exam time
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Old May 16th 2019, 3:15 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by Stumpylegs
As above anyone on here a journeyman mechanic? if so can you recommend any books/media for studying for the exams?

I've got my application to sit the exam authorised - having sat some practice tests I'm not doing too bad considering It's 9 years since i last sat a trade exam, but some of the things on practice papers are stuff you generally don't learn or use in the trade in the UK, as a result I'm struggling with a couple of elements(and also need to brush up on some other areas).

Alternatively any other ways of learning, or tips for the exams?

Thanks in advance
what are you struggling with? I did find the same issues of having to learn different terminology when I sat my 310t
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Old May 16th 2019, 6:04 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Try reading through the exams for the apprentices etc., from other Provinces perhaps.. they may offer more information.

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trad...les/009/exams/
has link to answer key that might be of help: https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trad...009/Resources/
https://www.itabc.ca/program/automot...st-1-2-3-and-4
https://www.collegeoftrades.ca/train...e-power-sector
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Old May 16th 2019, 8:26 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by andyjolly


what are you struggling with? I did find the same issues of having to learn different terminology when I sat my 310t
Some of its terminology although i am getting my head round most of that. Where i am getting most concerned is with stuff we don't really do over here, therefore i have no knowledge of it as well as some stupid questions - but off the back of that want to learn the correct answer as per the syllabus.

One common question (which i now know the answer to) is " Excessive tire squeal occurs when turning at moderate speeds. All alignment adjustments are within specifications. What is the cause?" - the answer is underinflated tyres. For me in the real world if you got a problem such as excessive tyre squeal, you'd check the tyre condition and pressures first prior to alignment, and i don't personally view under inflation as any more likely to cause squeal than over inflation (as squeal normally just denotes a lack of grip). But i guess that somewhere in a text book they talk about how to diagnose tyre faults and thats a symptom and cause.

I was hoping that when sitting the exam there was a book/couple of books that was used to teach the syllabus (as the syllabus and the exam doesn't necessarily make you a good or a bad tradesperson, its just what you need to get certified, same as in the uk) and by learning whats written in the book, even if its got no relevance to the real world - if you retain all the info in the book, you in theory can answer every question correctly.

So for example the exam asks a number of questions on safe workshop procedures, WHMIS, possible compensation etc i could go and read a load of literature on OH&S (its my job in the uk) but i strongly suspect the entirety of safety related questions will be contained in a section of a book somewhere. it would mean not only would i be focusing on the exam syllabus (and more importantly specific content) i would be learning it the way its taught.

Likewise i need to brush up on my automatic transmission knowledge, but even when i was taught it at college it was one of those " this is what the book says, in the real world it doesn't work like this" so would like to know what they actually teach people.

Originally Posted by Siouxie
Try reading through the exams for the apprentices etc., from other Provinces perhaps.. they may offer more information.

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trad...les/009/exams/
has link to answer key that might be of help: https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trad...009/Resources/
https://www.itabc.ca/program/automot...st-1-2-3-and-4
https://www.collegeoftrades.ca/train...e-power-sector
That college of trades link is might helpful - and gives me loads of task specific stuff to look through

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Old May 16th 2019, 1:45 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by Stumpylegs
Some of its terminology although i am getting my head round most of that. Where i am getting most concerned is with stuff we don't really do over here, therefore i have no knowledge of it as well as some stupid questions - but off the back of that want to learn the correct answer as per the syllabus.

One common question (which i now know the answer to) is " Excessive tire squeal occurs when turning at moderate speeds. All alignment adjustments are within specifications. What is the cause?" - the answer is underinflated tyres. For me in the real world if you got a problem such as excessive tyre squeal, you'd check the tyre condition and pressures first prior to alignment, and i don't personally view under inflation as any more likely to cause squeal than over inflation (as squeal normally just denotes a lack of grip). But i guess that somewhere in a text book they talk about how to diagnose tyre faults and thats a symptom and cause.

I was hoping that when sitting the exam there was a book/couple of books that was used to teach the syllabus (as the syllabus and the exam doesn't necessarily make you a good or a bad tradesperson, its just what you need to get certified, same as in the uk) and by learning whats written in the book, even if its got no relevance to the real world - if you retain all the info in the book, you in theory can answer every question correctly.

So for example the exam asks a number of questions on safe workshop procedures, WHMIS, possible compensation etc i could go and read a load of literature on OH&S (its my job in the uk) but i strongly suspect the entirety of safety related questions will be contained in a section of a book somewhere. it would mean not only would i be focusing on the exam syllabus (and more importantly specific content) i would be learning it the way its taught.

Likewise i need to brush up on my automatic transmission knowledge, but even when i was taught it at college it was one of those " this is what the book says, in the real world it doesn't work like this" so would like to know what they actually teach people.


That college of trades link is might helpful - and gives me loads of task specific stuff to look through
They are all links to the Provincial Licensing bodies - Ontario College of Trades, Alberta Tradesecrets, British Columbia ITA I think all of them may have task specific stuff to look through if you have a dig

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trad...009/Resources/
review the national standards for a Automotive Service Technician (see National Occupational Analysis – Automotive Service Technician)
review glossary of terms (see Automotive Service Technician Glossary of Terms)
review the AST IP Practice examination and answer key

And you can order and download all the modules that you need: https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ilm/home.asp and https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ILMOrder/order.asp
and https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ILMO...ll.asp#english (you need Internet Explorer to use it)

Last edited by Siouxie; May 16th 2019 at 1:52 pm.
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Old May 16th 2019, 8:44 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

The individual modules from the trade secret website is exactly what i'm after, as I see it its basically the syllabus that is taught in a classroom as part of the apprenticeship. But it seems that there is no way of obtaining it outside of Canada(As you can't download them, only order them to print and post out to Canada) - the idea being that this teaches you the knowledge to pass the exam as well as do the job.

Likewise there doesn't seem to be a book you can get hold of that will get the same info in it, in the uk light and heavy vehicle technology is basically the book the entire BTEC exam series is based off.

Apart from purchasing sets of exam papers online the only viable learning alternative i can find is to purchase a course from https://www.autotrainingcentre.com/ but to register for the online course is $1000, and the college has some very suspect reviews on google.
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Old May 16th 2019, 11:01 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

https://mytrainingbc.ca/youthexploreskills/

I'm still looking for you - bear with me
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Old May 16th 2019, 11:31 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by Siouxie
https://mytrainingbc.ca/youthexploreskills/

I'm still looking for you - bear with me
Thanks - your assistance has been nothing short of legendary, whilst some of the links i have found myself scouring google, some of the others i haven't been able to find for love nor money online ( i've got so far down google search results for "automotive service technician exam preparation" "automotive service technician course information " etc its got to some very obscure links).
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Old May 17th 2019, 12:18 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

My husband borrowed books from his new work colleagues once he started working. Couldn't find books anywhere. This was 14 years ago.
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Old May 20th 2019, 9:20 pm
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Originally Posted by Piff Poff
My husband borrowed books from his new work colleagues once he started working. Couldn't find books anywhere. This was 14 years ago.
Thanks - not much has changed looking at it. The 1 problem i have is I'm not currently in the country, i've had my uk quals assessed and am eligible to challenge the exam to get a CofQ to hopefully get me PR so i can work in the country, if not then immigration will be really awkward (Although there is a possibility of getting into SK via PNP and then working).

Exam is middle of next month, the way i see it is i've got a few weeks of studying key areas (petrol engine diagnostics, workshop safety and automatic transmissions) having sat practice tests that what I'm behind on, although the exams available online don't necessarily mirror whats up to date today (looking at exam weighting there is a handful of questions on hybrids etc, which i am more familiar with) but likewise whether the current exam uses the same sort of examples of "scan tool data" as some of the tests online, as typically thats 15 year old technology.

I've bit the bullet and paid $999 to the autotrainingcentre - if their content is relevant its a win - but its a drop in the ocean compared to having to resit 3 months from now. so if its a loss I'll be annoyed, but at least i'll have done everything in my power to pass.
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Old May 28th 2019, 1:42 am
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Default Re: Any journeyman mechanics here?

Have you already got a work permit? I'm assuming you will take the test in Alberta.
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