Brake Technicians and Wheel Alignment Technicians Obtain Training in One Program

Brake technicians and wheel alignment technicians find work with: vehicle and parts manufacturers, dealers, garage retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets and through self-employment. Today's sophisticated vehicles require specialists to maintain and repair their complex systems, and ensure that the braking system and steering wheels in vehicles meet appropriate safety standards. Therefore, among the responsibilities of brake and alignment technicians are providing service that includes operating equipment such as grinders, brake lathes and bleeders, hoists, alignment machines, strut compressors, air guns, bearing packers, and installing brakes, shocks, struts and front end parts. They are also required to test drive customer vehicles.

As a student in the Alignment and Brake Technician apprenticeship at Centennial College — through courses such as Work Practices, Suspension & Steering Systems; Tires, Wheels, Hubs & Alignment, and Brakes Systems, and on-the-job training — you will gain in-depth knowledge of wheel and steering systems and their relation to vehicle control and stability. The program also covers service and repair for all types of braking systems.

But what makes this brake technician and alignment technician program unique? Well, it is divided into three training periods of 1,800 hours with an employer and two eight-week college sessions. During the in-school sessions students work out of the largest training centre in the province, Ashtonbee Campus. This facility includes the latest technology and real cars that have been donated to the College. Helping students to become qualified professionals are professors who possess up-to-date experience and knowledge of the industry. The in-school portion of the Alignment and Brake Technician program is geared to on-the-job learning to ensure that students are well trained enter the field upon completion. In addition, during their time studying to be a brake technician and wheel alignment technician, students may be eligible to qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance.

Meanwhile, the time that is spent with an employer allows students the opportunity to apply what they have learned while working alongside seasoned professionals in a real-life setting. This setting also exposes students to situations with which they may have deal upon graduation — including difficult customers, customers whose first language is not English, and an array of other scenarios.

To apply, students must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. They must also be employed as an apprenticeship. Lastly, students cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. To learn more about the application process, check out the Alignment Technician admission requirements page.

Enter the Automotive Sector as an Alignment Technician Quickly with Centennial College

The job of a wheel alignment and brake technician is one of the most important in the automotive industry. This person is responsible for ensuring your safety if you brake hard to avoid a squirrel running across the street, sharply turn the wheel to miss a pothole or just have to drive in rainy or snow weather conditions. Because we don’t often think of these safety issues, wheel alignment technicians and brake technicians do so for us with their experience and education.

The education of an alignment technician begins by attending a post-secondary institution that offers an apprenticeship. One such program is Centennial College’s Alignment and Brake Technician Level 1 Apprenticeship, which is completed by participating in 3 training periods of 1,800 hours with an employer and 2 eight-week college sessions. The amount of time students spend in the program is designed to provide them with in-depth knowledge of the wheel and steering and braking systems in relation to vehicle control and stability. Also covered is the repair of a variety of braking systems. These in-school sessions of the brake technicians and alignment technician training are conducted by some of the province’s most well trained professors, who guide students through demonstrations and their own personal experiences. In addition, students study out of Ashtonbee Campus, which houses the biggest automotive training centre in the country. This ensures that students are studying with state-of-the-art equipment. While students are performing their in-school duties, they may be eligible to qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance.

Meanwhile, during the alignment technician sessions with employers, students gain real-world experience that they can then feature proudly on their resumes. The employer sessions also give students a chance to learn hands-on customer service so that they are confident in all areas of the field upon graduation.

In order to apply to the Alignment and Brake Technician program, students must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. They must also be employed as an apprentice. Lastly, students cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. To learn more about the application process, check out the Alignment and Brake Technician admission requirements page.

Upon graduation, Alignment and Brake Technicians find work with vehicle and parts manufacturers, dealers, garage retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets, and through self-employment. They have the very important jobs of ensuring that the braking system and steering wheels in vehicles meet the appropriate safety standards for a car to hit the road. They are also responsible for understanding the sophisticated and complex systems of newer models. Specifics tasks of these wheel alignment technicians and brake technicians include providing service that includes operating equipment such as grinders, brake lathes and bleeders, hoists, alignment machines, strut compressors, air guns, bearing packers, and installing brakes, shocks, struts and front end parts. They are also required to test drive customer vehicles.

As an Alignment and Brake Technician You Play a Role in the Safety of Drivers

When we get in our car to drive to the grocery store, pick up a loved one from the airport, drive our kids to school or head out for a night on the town, the last thing most of us think about is whether our brakes and steering wheel are working. The only time when these thoughts do cross our minds is in extreme weather conditions such as rain or snow. However, there is someone who constantly thinks about whether our brakes and steering are in top-notch shape. That person is the experienced Alignment and Brake Technician at our dealership or local mechanic shop.

However, before this person can get into the field and specialize as an alignment technician, brake technician or wheel alignment technician, he or she must obtain an automotive education. At Centennial College, students can take the Alignment and Brake Technician apprenticeship, during which they gain in-depth knowledge of the wheel and steering systems and their relation to vehicle control and stability. To apply, students must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. They must also be employed as an apprenticeship. Lastly, students cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. To learn more about the application process, check out the Alignment Technician admission requirements page.

Aside from the relation of the wheel and steering to vehicle control, students also learn service and repair for a variety of braking systems. The program is broken down into three training periods of 1,800 hours with an employer and two eight-week college sessions. The in-school portion of the Alignment and Brake Technician program is geared to on-the-job learning to ensure that students are well trained to get their dream job upon completion. Helping students to become qualified professionals are professors who possess up-to-date experience and knowledge of the industry. In addition, during their time studying to be an alignment technician, brake technician and wheel alignment technician, students may be eligible to qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance.

Alignment and Brake Technicians find work with: vehicle and parts manufacturers, dealers, garage retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets and through self-employment. In their role, they are responsible for making sure that the braking system and steering wheels in vehicles meet appropriate safety standards. Specifics tasks of these alignment technicians include: providing service that includes operating equipment such as grinders, brake lathes and bleeders, hoists, alignment machines, strut compressors, air guns, bearing packers, and installing brakes, shocks, struts and front end parts. They are also required to test drive customer vehicles.

Ensure the Safety of Drivers as an Alignment and Brake Technician

It’s a rainy day — the kind during which the rain goes from a fine mist to a downpour in a matter of seconds. Huge puddles form on the ground and the roads are slick. But you have errands to run, so there’s no choice but to hop in your car and head out. All you’re focused on is finishing what needs to be done and coming home to your warm fireplace. The last thing on your mind is the braking or steering systems in your car. That’s because you know the experienced Brake Technician at your dealership or local mechanic shop have ensured the brakes and steering wheel are in tiptop condition for this or any type of weather.

Alignment and Brake Technicians have the very important jobs of making sure that the braking system and steering wheels in vehicles meet the safety standards for a car to hit the road. And with vehicles becoming more sophisticated and complex, these professionals also have to be able to maintain and repair intricate systems of newer models. Specifics tasks of these technicians include: service which includes operating equipment such as grinders, brake lathes and bleeders, hoists, alignment machines, strut compressors, air guns, bearing packers, and installing brakes, shocks, struts and front end parts. They are also required to test drive customer vehicles. Alignment and Brake Technicians find work with: and parts manufacturers, dealers, garage retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets and through self-employment.

Centennial College ’s Alignment and Brake Technician apprenticeship allows students to gain in-depth knowledge of the wheel and steering systems and their relation to vehicle control and stability. Also covered in this program are service and repair for a variety of types of braking systems. Taking three training periods of 1,800 hours with an employer and two eight-week college sessions completes the apprenticeship. During your time studying to be an Alignment and Brake Tech you may be eligible to qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance. This is especially helpful to those who have families to support. The in-school portion of the program is geared to on-the-job learning to ensure that you are well trained to get your dream job upon completion. Also helping you to obtain that perfect job are Centennial College’s professors, who have extensive and up-to-date experience in the industry. Lastly, the facilities in which you will study are state-of-the-art and house Ontario’s largest transportation training centre.

There are some perquisites to keep in mind when applying for the program. First, students must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. They must also be employed as an apprenticeship. Lastly, students cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. To learn more about the application process, check out the Alignment Technician and Wheel Alignment Technician requirements page.