Denver: What does it take to be a Ferrari Tech?

I can't provide any insight myself, but if I were you I'd send emails to Dave Helms at Scuderia Rampante (Dave was the head service honcho at FoD), and Bill Evenden at Maranello Motorworks. Bill was a service tech at FoD for many years. I'd also send your question to the service manager at FoD or the general manager.

 

I can tell you from 10+ of dealing with FoD, they are a top-notch organization, Jamie Park is as good as they come. I wish him goof luck with his journey!!

 

Just some insight from a 13-year Advanced-level Master Tech here: I'm not entirely certain what you're talking about with ASE schooling, but in my experience getting in as an apprentice in ANY shop will teach so much more than any schooling will. I did no official schooling at all, got an apprenticeship in various shops from a Toyota Dealership to a more all-makes dealership and moved my way up from there. I've been in the Independent shop arena for about 8 years. I took ASE tests two at a time (A1 through A8, total of 8) for master, and then 3 separate tests (L1, L3, and L4) for Advance-level. While I have no idea what it takes to be a tech specifically at Ferrari, I do know that they have very little staff so getting a foot in the door is going to be fairly difficult. I don't know where specifically you or the young man are located, but I would be more than happy to sit down with him over a coffee or lunch to answer as many questions as I can if you/he is more near the Denver area. Shoot me a PM if it'll help.

 

The unfortunate thing is the definition of apprentice across brands varies significantly, but you would actually be really surprised at how structured the Toyota program is, called T-Ten. It's a two year ordeal and they basically start with the more "difficult" electrical side of everything and then continue teaching other areas from there. It was 3 months in Farmington, New Mexico, then 3 months back at the dealership, rinse and repeat for 2 years. At the end of it the graduates would get 50% off anything purchased from both of the larger tool brands Matco and Snap-On.

But the bad habits you mentioned are prevalent literally everywhere unfortunately. It really comes down to how driven the person is, as to if they can put aside the ease in which the already established not awesome techs can drag down newcomers. It's really not an awesome career *to get started in*, there's a lot of terrible techs out there so ya gotta persevere hard. But once established as a good tech with experience, some places will pay EXTREMELY well.

 

Not 100% on topic, but I recently had a conversation with a prominent, independent engine builder. He said he's been working with younger people interested in the industry but is having difficulty getting them to commit to the training-up process. While I can't comment on his process, he learned from one of the top engine building shops and is well-known in the Ferrari, historic and vintage communities. For some reason, kids aren't getting that these communities have LOTS of disposable income, and there will always be work for them. With the passing of Wallace, Obry and Hadjuk, at least some of the knowledge is gone, which isn't ideal. Who's next on that list? It's not a "dying" art, yet, maybe, but there will always be a need for talented people to come into the field. And, there are, indeed, other avenues in the trade that provide stability in addition to being a dealer employee. That said, dealers don't always have the best reputations for servicing older cars, and, unless techs can plug a computer in, they may not be skilled at the diagnosis aspect of their craft.

Personal example: the last timing belt service on my Stradale was with Dave Helms. Not FoD. Nothing necessarily wrong with FoD (they've worked on it before), but Dave & Co. probably know more about 360s at this point than FoD's techs.

CW

 

Agree 1000%

 

Dave Helms is the man.

 

I've learned over the last 40 years that letters, phone calls, and then e-mails - are too easy to 'blow off',
or get a canned response if lucky.
I'd find a way to 'look good', and then stop in these places - and the first thing you ask is 'Do you have a few minutes?'

And also realize that, if lucky, you may start by washing cars, because I'd bet you are
not the only person that wants to be an F-car mechanic.

Just being realistic, I know a couple guys that wanted to be diesel semi mechanics,
and they started out in the 'wash' area, albeit this was a few years ago.
Now they make $110,000.00+ working on Kenworths and Peterbilts...

 

Yes! I think it's been nearing 20 years and still working flawlessly over several cars, but that single issue isn't the basis of my endorsement. I have met and talked with the man in person and seen the inner workings of his shop. He has tools and depth of knowledge I have not seen in other shops even FNA shops lack his tooling. He understands how cars work and solves problems. As an honest guy I suspect he would at least point a budding mechanic in the right direction even if he could provide no direct aid. Yeah I'm a fan of Dave, a good human being who overlanded in his FJ to help his neighbors get supplies and medicine when his community was cutoff in one of their natural disasters some 10 years back.

 

Dave has told me several times he prefers to find and train young people with good work ethic and mechanical skills rather than hire Ferrari techs. He said he's had better success that way lately as many experienced techs come with baggage and/or won't pass a drug test. I have also heard a lot of stories of techs not showing up for their interviews, or accepting a position, completing all the paperwork, and then not showing up for their first day of work? Seems to be a pretty rough market for employers right now in this business.

It's also hard hiring techs on a national level into Colorado as the cost of living here is high.

I am not saying any of that is right or wrong, by the way.

 

That problem is e everywhere. Take a young guy with no creds and he is happy to get through the door. They know they don't know anything and are easy to train. Experienced people always think they know better than their boss. The worst thing any employee could say to you is, at "Bob's auto repair we did it this way." Well you either got fired from bobs or bobs went out of business that's why you are here!