Hey friends! I was just curious, for those of you in the industry, how do you enter the off-road world as a career?

Long story short, I went to McPherson College's Classic Automotive Restoration program where I earned a Bachelors of Science in just that- restoring classic cars. I worked in the restoration industry for a few years with cars ranging from Porsche 914's to vintage Bronco's and a plethora of Ferrari but off-road was my hobby and clearly my passion. I ended up leaving the industry to start a career in healthcare but am now slowly wanting to go back to restoration/modification as a living BUT I would want it to be on off-road related vehicles and items.

I totally cheesed the whole time I worked on a vintage Porsche 911 used in rally- they had screen door handles screwed into the C pillars so people could help pull them out

Anyways, where would one begin looking for such career?

Do automotive jobs pay enough to support a single person?

Is there still an interest in off-road fabrication that ISNT line production?

Do you need ASE certifications to work in such places? (in the restoration world, we didn't have but one ASE Grandmaster whatever)


Just figured I'd put feelers out there and ask questions before I continue dumping money in education to advance my healthcare career!

I'd start looking in the same place you can find a high paying job lounging on the beach drinking Brand X beer all day.

No, really, I haven't a clue. I think it is one of those things one has to be lucky and find a niche at the right time and place. There are a lot of big dog companies involved in off road products and services already. Probably best to hang out at sanctioned off road events, schmooze with the company employees and hand out business cards.

Sounds like you’re talking doing more the mechanical services vs being another offroad vlogger personality? Just a random thought, search for off road customizers in your area and check them out. A specific angle might be something like 4x4 van conversions, not many folks want to tackle that DIY.

Correct! I saw a position at 4WP that is a lift kit and offroad accessory installer that really peaked my interest. It would be cool to travel and stuff, but the lift and tire installs I love. Same with wiring the radios in, doing lights navigation installs etc

Lol if I wanted to do that, I'll just keep pursuing Radiology I mean, I kinda already do that where I am, but a beach vs this 113 Texas heat would be welcomed lol

It would be neat to work for a big place like Toytec or King, do some marketing and installs, but you're right. Seems like its pretty niche and you have to know someone. A dream job would be working with Sherpa or something doing R&D for new products on new vehicles as I love working with conceptual stuff too.

Sounds like you’re second guessing healthcare in general and radiology specifically. Healthcare is mostly a must have in peoples lives, lift kits is mostly a nice to have. Radiology is needed everywhere, lift kits not so much. In my major metro area of a few million there are maybe 5-6 shops that deal with vehicle customization, as compared to many dozens of locations doing radiology type work. It’s a lot easier to be a radiology guy doing vehicle projects on the side than being a lift tech doing radiology on the side. Do you want access to health benefits and a 401k? Way better access to that in healthcare fields. Do you want to be in your 50’s and needing to be under a car every day? Which path has more options to advance into management? Only you know your passions, and there are more than just these two options in the world. Just giving these two a practical compare/contrast since you brought them up.

Good post friend. One thing that I have kept is a full-time healthcare career PLUS doing the offroad stuff as a hobby. Mabey I just keep wrenching on humans full time and wrench on peoples cars as a hobby? Good insight, I took that to heart.

In whatever you do, do your best to be among the best, it makes it easier for employers/customers to choose you. Nothing wrong with a hobby, but even better to have a side business in it so you can tax write-off your hobby and earn some extra to pay for it all and even pocket a little profit. Work with an accountant to help navigate that well and keep it legit.

Thanks for sharing your perspective! Balancing a full-time career with a passion like off-roading sounds like a fulfilling way to live. And considering turning your hobby into a side business is a smart move. If you're thinking about the business side of things, you might find some helpful tips on managing finances and taxes related to your off-roading endeavors at websites like Veterinary Schools U https://www.veterinaryschoolsu.com/. It's all about finding that balance and making the most of your skills and interests!

Most find that making your hobby, or something to think would be a great job, key word here is think, does not work out well as a profession. Most think that these types of jobs would be great, but truth being they do not offer much in what I would call, long time saving, or planning for the future. Most would pay little in taxes, no social security, pay into Medicare, all things you are going to need on down the line for a happy and successful life in your old age retirement.

The trades are a great place to be right now. Automotive techs are in high demand, and short supply. So that is good if you want to do that kind of work. If you want t be in the off road sector, fine. Get SAE cert, get some experience working on vehicles, especially 4x4's. Then go more specialty if you want. The sky is the limit, but remember its a journey. Never rest on what you have been doing in the past. The book "Who Moved My Cheese" really explains that. You can have a great career if you want to put in the effort.

It seems like you're leaning more towards offering mechanical services rather than becoming another off-road vlogger personality. Just a random thought: you could search for off-road customizers in your area and explore that avenue. A specific niche could be something like 4x4 van conversions, as not many people want to tackle that DIY project.