Taking a step to becoming an automobile engineer in Nigeria is like deciding to be the next Millionaire that the world will praise very soon. But automobile engineering does not function as expected in Nigeria. Perhaps you will be the one to solve the age-long problem that the country has been facing for years.
This is an area of engineering that serves as a conglomeration of elements of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronic et cetera.
The government has been working on producing more automobile engineers and establishing many automobile engineering facilities but the actual result has not been realized.
To become an automobile engineer, therefore, specialized training is essential, and this requires hard work, dedication, commitment and focus to achieve your dream.
Don’t Miss: Top 10 Skills in High Demand in Nigeria Currently
Formal Educational Requirements to Become an Automobile Engineer in Nigeria
You can learn how to become an automobile engineering in Nigeria in school. This training is formal. The formal training, in school, requires you to pass at least O’level certificate.
This means getting Senior School Certificate Examination Certificate either through West African Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examination Council (NECO).
The exam is compulsory for those who wish to get formal training. After the O’level certificate, you need to pass Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to get admitted into a high institution either polytechnic or university.
If you are admitted to university or polytechnic, you must belong to the department of automobile engineering, faculty of engineering.
You must have chosen this department while filling your UTME form. But we can assure you that it is a university that you can learn this course for now. Besides, it is not all the universities in Nigeria that teach the course.
Before you proceed in filling your UTME for, you need to find out the universities you can choose where this course is being studied. You will spend years at the university in Nigeria before you can be awarded a degree certificate
Auto Mobile Engineer Job Specifications and Benefits
1. Automobile Engineering Technician: If you study automobile engineering, you have career prospect in automobile engineering, working as a technician.
2. Safety Engineering: This is another career prospect for an automobile engineer. One of the things you will be able to do is to ensure that engineered system provides an acceptable level of safety.
3. Vehicle Dynamic Controller: Many vehicles are equipped with vehicle dynamic control. It is designed to monitor the driving condition. One can function as an operator in this area.
4. Operation Research: This is another area where with a viable career prospect if you study automobile engineering in Nigeria.
Read Also: How to Become an Engineer in Nigeria
Universities that offer Automobile Engineering in Nigeria
I have already informed you that there is limited number of universities in Nigeria that can train you to become an automobile engineer in Nigeria. Some of these universities are:
- Bauchi State University
- Elizade University
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Please endeavor to confirm whether this course is being studied presently in those universities before you process your admission.
Automotive Repair Tools
There are so many tools that automobile engineers use. The following are some of them:
Wheel Balancer:
This is used for equalizing the weight of the combined tire and wheel assembly so that it spins smoothly at high speed.
It is used to ensure that the wheel and the tire are never exactly the same weight. Balancing means putting the wheel or tire assembly on a balancer.
Wheel Aligner:
The function of wheel alignment is to regulate the front-wheel handling while driving. If this is off, the vehicle’s tire is shortened while car and mileage performance decrease too. Others are:
- Vehicle washer
- Auto Wheeler Garage Equipment
- Adjustable jacks
- Screw Jacks
- Hydraulic Bottle Jack
- Cable Jacks
- Fuel Injector Tester etc.
Read Also: How to Start Car Interior Design Business in Nigeria
Knowledge Needed to Become an Automobile Engineer in Nigeria
Industrial Training:
Apart from learning automobile engineering in Nigerian University, you still need to gather some experiences. While you are doing your programme in the school, you will be given a chance to do at least six months Industrial Training (IT) in any company of your choice in the country.
This IT will help you to have practical experience of the training you have gathered while in the classroom.
Internship:
For you to be an expert in this field, it is imperative that you do an internship in any reputable automobile company in the country. If you want to do your internship, you can go to Lagos for your training. Lagos has good firms which handle that.
Cost of Training
The course will consume your time and money. You need to prepare a substantial amount of money to run the training.
If you get your training from a federal school, you will pay less. But if it is a state or private school, the cost of tuition and miscellaneous will be higher.
Automobile engineering requires more commitments, dedication, focus, and perseverance. You must also be academically intelligent. Your reading skills must also be intact.
Marketing yourself as an Automobile Engineer in Nigeria
You must be wondering why someone must advertise himself in this business. Of course, you need to. If you plan to work as an employee in a company, you need to let them know your values.
Telling them your values means that you convince them with what you know. To convince them, you can do some minor work in their workshop.
When you are doing the work, time yourself. Make sure that the assignment you do to convince them is done earlier than expected.
How to Own An Automobile Workshop In Nigeria
You can own your own automobile workshop in Nigeria, if you have enough money, that is, capital. Note that if you want to start this workshop, you need to prepare a business plan and do a good feasibility study.
Ensure that you do not start your business with a loan from a financial institution such as a bank or mortgage. You need to know the number of staff to employ before starting the business.
Read More: 7 Steps to start a mechanic workshop in Nigeria
Summary
Automobile engineering is a profession that is meant for people who are hardworking, steadfast as well as committed.
It requires some huge amount of money to do the training. If you do not have the financial strength, you are advised not to go to the field except you get a scholarship offer to study the course.
The challenge of the profession is not limited to the time of training, you need to be highly committed to surviving in the system.