Automotive Mechanic Apprenticeship in California
Automotive mechanics diagnose and repair cars, SUVs, and light trucks — engines, brakes, transmissions, electrical systems, and the computer controls that tie it all together. Work happens in dealership service bays, independent repair shops, or fleet maintenance garages.
Automotive Mechanic Apprenticeship in California: Quick Facts
What apprenticeship means here
A registered automotive mechanic apprenticeship in California combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 4.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.
California pay vs. national
Median automotive mechanic wages in California are $63,370/year, +28% above the national median of $49,670. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.
Where to find programs
California has 20 registered apprenticeship sponsors for automotive mechanic listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.
Job-market outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.2% job growth for automotive mechanics nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 70,000 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — California-specific outlook can vary from national figures.
California Wage Spread
Annual wages for Automotive Mechanics in California across all experience levels.
Current Automotive Mechanic Apprenticeship Openings in California
No automotive mechanic apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for California. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.
Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.
Automotive Mechanic Apprenticeship Sponsors in California
20 automotive mechanic-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for California. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current automotive mechanic apprenticeship openings.
| Organization | City |
|---|---|
| CARDINALE WAY HYUNDAI/CARDINALE WAY VOLKSWAGEN | Corona |
| Fontana Nissan | Fontana |
| Tesla Motors, Inc. | Fremont |
| Tesla, Inc. | Fremont |
| KIA AMERICA, INC. | Irvine |
| Rivian Service Center | Lake Forest |
| Vehicles for Change - San Diego Inc | National City |
| COLLISION CAREER INSTITUTE (CCI) | Newport Beach |
| Fiat Chrysler Automobiles LLC | Ontario |
| Quality Auto Service | Pomona |
| Jaguar Land Rover Riverside | Riverside |
| California New Car Dealers Association Foundation | Sacramento |
| San Francisco Toyota | San Francisco |
| CITY OF SAN JOSE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT REPAIR TRADES APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEE | San Jose |
| SANTA CLARA COUNTY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR TRADES J.A. & E.A.C. | San Jose |
| Stevens Creek Lincoln | San Jose |
| Price Ford of Simi Valley | Simi Valley |
| SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AUTOMOTIVE TRADES J.A.C. | Stockton |
| San Joaquin Valley Automotive Trades JAC | Stockton |
| Audi Temecula | Temecula |
Filter by occupation code 49-3023 and state CA for the most relevant results.
Automotive Mechanic Apprenticeship in California
California has 20 registered sponsors our directory identifies as Automotive Mechanic-adjacent — a functional apprenticeship pipeline concentrated in metro areas. Union locals and joint apprenticeship committees account for most placements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prefer Trade School Instead?
Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Automotive Mechanics also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.