The Green Pea Dilemma: Why New Auto Techs Feel Stuck and How to Fix It

Congratulations if you're 25 or younger and already hate your job—or worse, yourself—you're not alone! You're part of a growing issue in the auto repair workforce. And no, the issue isn't that your boss is out to get you or that the industry is some rigged game against you. The real problem? A massive expectation gap between young, inexperienced techs and seasoned pros with 20+ years under their belts.

And where does this gap come from? Let's take a wild guess—click-based education. You scroll through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, watching mechanics at mile marker 100 in their careers while still stuck at mile marker 3, wondering why you don't have their paycheck, skills, or shop full of high-end tools. You see the success but not the years of busted knuckles, unpaid overtime, and relentless learning that got them there.

Now, let's hit the brakes for a second and get real. If you're under 25, you likely have no real-world experience beyond your current position. But somehow, you've convinced yourself that your $30,000-$45,000 starting salary is unfair—meanwhile, the shop you're working for takes on the actual risk, investing in you with the hope that you'll grow into a real asset. That's right—they're paying you to learn. And yet, instead of embracing that, you're stuck in a rut, thinking you deserve six figures fresh out of tech school. That's insane, isn't it?

This is a symptom of a much bigger problem: misaligned expectations. You hop online, compare yourself to internet-famous techs, spin a sad story in your head, and suddenly resent your boss. Now they're confused—"Wait, weren't we good? I thought we were treating you fairly?" And just like that, you've created a dysfunctional work environment where everyone's annoyed at everyone, and the only thing getting fixed is your attitude—by getting fired.

Let's do an expectation audit. What does it mean to be 25 and working for a shop that's been around for 30 years? What does it mean to have two years of experience and think you should make veteran-level money? If you believe that 14 months in tech school is your golden ticket to top-tier pay, I hate to break it to you—but you're living in the fantasyland called The Internet.

Too many young techs are out here smacking their lips, acting like their opinions are facts. Reality check: the tongue has no bones and can twist any nonsense it wants without memory. Instead of getting caught up in what you should be earning, take a second to appreciate what it means to be 23-25 years old and make close to $50,000 a year. You'll quickly realize the issue isn't what you're getting paid—the expectation narrative has been shoved down your throat.

This industry isn't out to get you but to improve you. But that only happens if you drop the entitlement, embrace the grind, and recognize that real skill and pay come with time, experience, and sweat equity.

So, Before you get all butthurt about what I just said, understand this isn't me attacking every auto repair technician—it's just the baseline reality of what's happening in the auto repair industry right now. There are incredibly talented technicians making well over $100,000 a year—but here's the kicker: they don't do it alone, and it usually doesn't last.

Why? Because to sustain that level of income, a tech has to work at an insane pace, constantly chasing hours, pushing their body and mind to the limit. And what happens next? Burnout. Resentment. A sudden urge to "be their own boss."

So, they quit, open their own shop… and what do they do? The same thing applies to the techs they hire because they now need employees to crank out work at high speed to keep the business afloat. And just like that, the cycle continues—like the ridiculous contradiction of jumbo shrimp.

So, the takeaway? Work smart. Be patient. Manage your expectations. Skill and success don't come from comparing yourself to internet mechanics—they come from putting in the work, learning from those ahead of you, and playing the long game. Do that, and you won't just make money—you'll build a worthwhile career.