Whats your idea of a perfect job? When were all young, we are often told to shoot for our dreams, whether thats becoming a pro footballer, a professional musician in a band or orchestra, or, in the case of this particular post, a rally car driver.
The reality, of course, is that few people manage to make it that far to live out their dreams. It could be down to a lack of opportunity, some bad luck, and not enough confidence. Responsibilities come into play, too, and when you have mouths to feed you cant really risk earning no money trying to forge a career racing cars, not to mention the danger you put yourself in.
There are, though, plenty of career opportunities in the world of autos. And while it might not be your dream job, at least you are working in an industry you love with great passion. Here are some ideas for all you car lovers out there that are worth considering.
Have design skills?
Do you have an artistic flair with an eye for detail? Why not sort yourself out a career in design in the auto industry? If you can picture yourself creating the blueprints for the worlds future cars, theres plenty of opportunities out there for almost every car manufacturer on the planet. You will need excellent technical drawing skills, of course, but you will also need an understanding of basic physics. You might end up sketching up designs for the new Ferrari, or working for a high-quality parts manufacturer – there is a lot of choices out there, so why not give it a go?
Know your way around an engine?
Are you exceptional at math, science, and engineering? If so, why not put them together with your love of cars and go for an engineering position. You will be taking designs and turning them into a reality, whether its creating the next multi-million dollar supercar or a mainstream vehicle you might see on the roads dozens of times a day. Who knows, maybe you could end up creating the patent and engine parts for the worlds first carbon-free car?
Accounting and finance?
If you are fantastic with figures and are prepared to get your accounting certification, there are loads of opportunities in the auto industry. You could end up as a finance director for a rally car team, or end up running the books for parts companies such as partsengine. You might even end up in a business development role that gives you the chance of costing and running entirely new projects from the ground up.
Could sell ice to the Inuit?
If you are a marketing or PR ace with a love of cars, then scoring a job in the auto industry could turn out to be your dream role. No, you wont be handling or getting involved with the building or racing of the cars, but the number of amazing industry events and campaigns you will be part of will astonish you. Top marketers and PR execs for the worlds coolest auto brands and racing events travel the world to work with their passion, and theres no reason you cant do the same if you put in the hard work.