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It's a rainy day — the kind during which the rain goes from a fine mist to a downpour in a matter of seconds. Huge puddles form on the ground and the roads are slick. But you have errands to run, so there's no choice but to hop in your car and head out. All you're focused on is finishing what needs to be done and coming home to your warm fireplace. The last thing on your mind is the braking or steering systems in your car. That's because you know the experienced Brake Technician at your dealership or local mechanic shop have ensured the brakes and steering wheel are in tiptop condition for this or any type of weather.

Alignment and Brake Technicians have the very important jobs of making sure that the braking system and steering wheels in vehicles meet the appropriate safety standards for a car to hit the road. And with vehicles becoming more sophisticated and complex, these professionals also have to be able to maintain and repair intricate systems of newer models. Specifics tasks of these technicians include: providing service which includes operating equipment such as grinders, brake lathes and bleeders, hoists, alignment machines, strut compressors, air guns, bearing packers, and installing brakes, shocks, struts and front end parts. They are also required to test drive customer vehicles. Alignment and Brake Technicians find work with: vehicle and parts manufacturers, dealers, garage retailers, governments, corporations with their own fleets and through self-employment.

Centennial College's Wheel Alignment Technician and Brake Technician apprenticeship allows students to gain in-depth knowledge of the wheel and steering systems and their relation to vehicle control and stability. Also covered in this program are service and repair for a variety of types of braking systems. Taking three training periods of 1,800 hours with an employer and two eight-week college sessions completes the apprenticeship. During your time studying to be an Alignment and Brake Tech you may be eligible to qualify for income support through Employment Insurance Canada benefits or training allowance. This is especially helpful to those who have families to support. The in-school portion of the program is geared to on-the-job learning to ensure that you are well trained to get your dream job upon completion. Also helping you to obtain that perfect job are Centennial College's professors, who have extensive and up-to-date experience in the industry. Lastly, the facilities in which you will study are state-of-the-art and house Ontario's largest transportation training centre.

There are some perquisites to keep in mind when applying for the program. First, students must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent. They must also be employed as an apprenticeship. Lastly, students cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. To learn more about the application process, check out the Alignment Technician admission requirements page.