What is Automotive?
The automotive industry entails a wide range of companies or organizations in activities involving the manufacture, design, development and marketing of automobiles, including cars, buses, vans, trucks and motorcycles. Over the years, technological advancement aided the automotive industry to evolve considerably in producing vehicles with advanced features and safety technologies. Automobiles are now safer and comfortable on the road with technologies such as autonomous driving, parking assist, anti-roll bars and 360-degree cameras. Graduates pursuing their career in this industry will need to be updated to the latest technologies due to the industry’s rapid growth in tech.
Video credit: Tafe SA
Career Options in the Automotive Industry in Australia
Automotive engineers collaborate with other engineers in developing and implementing new technologies in a vehicle to enhance customers’ driving experience. They also design and test every component in a vehicle such as brake systems, security features and fuel technologies before sending out to dealerships.
General responsibilities include:
- Develop design specifications.
- Research and production of new vehicles or systems.
- Utilize computerized models to determine vehicle performance.
- Inspect product failures.
- Prepare budgets for current or new vehicle development.
- Create prototypes for new vehicle products.
Career opportunities with a degree in automotive include:
Automotive Technician
Automotive technicians assist automotive engineers by testing vehicle subsystems, inspecting automobiles and designing prototypes. They also test automobile parts and collect data for modifications.
Automotive Design Engineer
These professionals work on designing and improving the functional parts and components of an automobile. It is important to have deep knowledge of the aesthetic qualities as well as materials used to design the vehicles in order to increase the efficiency of the vehicles.
Automobile Designer
Automobile designers are responsible for creating and designing new vehicles. They come up with the ideas and researches to produce new automobiles with the latest technologies and safety systems that enhance consumers’ driving experience.
Automotive Courses in Australia
Students require a bachelor’s degree in engineering to be an automotive engineer. Students usually may directly enroll in the programme upon completing their pre-university studies. However, there are alternate ways for students with insufficient credits to pursue their studies in this field.
There are two study routes to become an automotive engineer.
- Bachelor Degree
- Cert III + IV + Diploma
Route 1: Automotive Degree in Australia
A bachelor degree typically takes three or four years of studies to complete. This degree will provide a core understanding of the design and development process of complex automotive technology and systems that underpin the automobile industry. Students will also gain hands-on experience by enrolling in work placements in the final year.
Academic Requirement for Automotive Degree in Australia
STPM | Min. average CGPA of 2.33 |
A-Levels | Min. grade of CCC |
UEC | Min. grade of B4 |
ATAR | Min. score of 80 points or higher |
International Baccalaureate (IB) | Min. score of 25 points |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
English Requirements for Automotive Degree in Australia
IELTS | An overall score of 6.5 with 6.0 in each sub-bands |
TOEFL | An overall score of 79: Reading:13, Listening:12, Speaking:18 and Writing:21 |
PTE | Min. score of 58 with 50 in each sub-bands |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Top Universities to Study Automotive Degree in Australia
RMIT University
Image credit: RMIT University
|
Program |
Bachelor of Engineering (Automotive Engineering) (Honours) |
|
Intake (2021) |
February & July |
|
Duration |
4 years (Full time) |
|
Indicative Annual Fees (2021) |
AUD $39,360 |
Edith Cowan University
Image credit: Edith Cowan University
|
Program |
Bachelor of Technology (Motorsports) |
|
Intake (2021) |
February & July |
|
Duration |
3 years (Full time) |
|
Indicative Annual Fees (2021) |
AUD $31,500 |
Route 2: Cert III + IV + Diploma of Automative
For students who don’t meet the direct entry requirement for a bachelor’s degree may enroll in an alternative entry pathway. Programs such as Certificate III & IV and diploma are available for them. These programs cover the knowledge necessary to perform advanced diagnostic repairs on light vehicles. Upon completing a diploma, students will be eligible to enter year 2 bachelor’s degree via credit transfer.
Academic Entry Requirement for Automotive Courses in Australia
Cert III Level Automotive Courses
STPM/A-Levels | Minimum 2 passes in subjects |
UEC | 2Bs and 2Cs in five subjects |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Cert IV & Diploma in Automotive Courses
SPM | Minimum 2 passes |
IGCSE/ O-Level | Minimum 4 passes |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
English Requirement for Automotive Courses in Australia
IELTS | An overall score of 5.5 with no band score less than 5. |
English 1119 | Grade ‘C6 (C)’ or a minimum B in Malaysian SPM English |
PTE | Minimum Level 43 |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Top Institutes to Study Automotive Cert III, IV & Diploma in Australia
TAFE South Australia (SA)
Image credit: TAFE South Australia
|
Program |
Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology |
Certificate IV in Automotive Mechanical Diagnosis |
Diploma of Automotive Technology |
|
Intake (2021) |
January, April & July |
January & July |
January & July |
|
Duration |
52 weeks |
26 weeks |
26 weeks |
|
Indicative Fees (2021) |
AUD $16,500 |
AUD $8,750 |
AUD $8,700 |
TAFE Western Australia (WA)
Image credit: TAFE Western Australia
|
Program |
Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology |
Certificate IV in Automotive Mechanical Diagnosis |
Diploma of Automotive Technology |
|
Intake (2021) |
February |
February & July |
February & July |
|
Duration |
1 year |
1 year |
1 semester |
|
Indicative Fees per semester (2021) |
AUD $12,398 |
AUD $10,460 |
AUD $10,156 |
Note: The programs listed are provided as a general guide only. Please contact Excel Education for further advice & assessment.
Migration Opportunity for Automotive Graduates in Australia
Students may apply for a temporary graduate visa upon completing at least two years of study in Australia. The visa is valid from 18 months to 3 years, depending on the qualification and study location. There’s high demand in Australia for Automotive graduates, which means students will have a higher chance of getting permanent residency under a Skilled Nominated Visa in Australia.
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Sasvin Ravi
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