Mechatronics Maintenance Apprentice – Automotive Manufacturing

Step into a Day on the Floor

You clock in, gear up with PPE, and pull your first work orders from the CMMS. A quick toolbox talk sets priorities: a conveyor PM, a robotic weld cell inspection, and a press line restart to protect the production schedule. With a journeyman by your side, you rotate from mechanical alignment to electrical diagnostics, steadily building the skills that lead to journeyman certification.

What You’ll Tackle

• Preventive and corrective care: Support scheduled PMs on CNC machines, robotic welding cells, conveyors, stamping presses, and assembly equipment. Help restore operation quickly to minimize downtime and keep lines moving.
• Hands-on troubleshooting: Under direct supervision, diagnose and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic issues. Inspect and replace wear items—bearings, belts, seals, filters, and lubrication fittings—to improve reliability.
• Electrical and controls exposure: Assist with 120V/240V/480V systems, VFDs, and control panels. Work with PLCs (Allen‑Bradley, Siemens) to identify faults and make minor program tweaks. Read and apply electrical schematics, ladder logic, and wiring diagrams.
• Mechanical systems work: Use hand and power tools to align, install, and remove components. Help maintain hydraulic and pneumatic circuits—pressure testing, hose swaps, and valve adjustments—and pitch in on rigging and millwright tasks.
• Safety and documentation: Capture accurate work orders and logs in the CMMS. Rigorously follow LOTO, confined space, and hot work procedures. Join safety inspections, toolbox talks, and training. Keep a 5S-standard workspace.
  
  

Your Development Path

• Structured apprenticeship with one day per week of classroom instruction and progressive, competency-based evaluations.
• Cross-disciplinary rotations—electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic—guided by master and journeyman technicians.
• Continuous feedback loops to sharpen technical judgment and problem-solving.
  
  

What You Bring

• High school diploma or GED.
• Enrollment in, or eligibility for, a registered apprenticeship (JATC, UAW-affiliated, or equivalent).
• Foundational knowledge of electrical, mechanical, or related trades and ability to read basic blueprints, schematics, or technical drawings.
• Mechanical aptitude with strong analytical and troubleshooting instincts.
• Willingness to work rotating shifts, plus weekends and overtime, as production requires.
• Pre-employment requirement: Must pass a pre-employment physical, drug screen, and background check.
  
  

Physical Realities of the Role

• Lift and carry up to 50 lbs independently; team lift above that threshold.
• Spend long periods standing and moving; frequent bending, kneeling, crouching, and reaching.
• Perform tasks in confined spaces, at heights, and in high-noise areas.
• Wear required PPE at all times: safety glasses, steel-toed boots, gloves, and hearing protection.
  
  

Tools, Tech, and Know-How You’ll Apply

• Electrical Troubleshooting; Equipment Diagnostics & Troubleshooting; Lockout/Tagout (LOTO); Equipment Installation & Wiring; Equipment Repair & Maintenance; Automotive Manufacturing Systems; Machine Safety Inspections.
• Specialized process familiarity: headliner manufacturing, polybond, thermobond, waterjets.
• Machines & technologies: Programmable Logic Controller (PLC); Conveyor Systems.
  
  

This is your launchpad to a skilled trades career—learn by doing, grow with mentorship, and help keep an automotive operation running at its best.