hey, I'm wondering how old you have to be to become a begginer MECP(Mobile Electronics Certified Professional, for those of you that didn't know). I'd like to maybe start doin some instal jobs for people at my school. or post an ad on craigslist or somthing, and being certified would help a ton.

 

I don't see why they'd have a minimum age. I didn't take mine until I was 18 though. Aren't the tests relatively expensive? And do you get a book with it? Mine was all paid for by Best Buy, but if I failed it, I had to pay for it out of pocket, which I remember not wanting to do haha.

 

I started installing when i was 15, MECP is expensive and not worth it to me, go get a job at a shop, thats how your really gonna learn something, i doubt mecp is gonna show your real world stuff like an install for a hu on a 88-98 chevy silverado, or something time consuming like that, they prob gonna show you a few fancy installations and basic wiring and maybe some glass work, i know some guys that have that certification that sadly don't know ****, its nice to say you have it, but it doesn't mean you know what your doing, and a shop ( at least here in my town) is not gonna pay you anymore for having it.

 

Great first step. The industry is going back toward emphasis on the certifications.

 

There are no age requirements.

There are three levels. Basic, which is super easy and anyone could pass by reading the book for a week.

Advanced, which is quite a bit harder. You have to memorize some equations etc. But still easy and anyone off the street could buy the book and pass it.

Master requires 3 years professional working experience. Not "I did my own car three years ago". It's hard enough that you pretty much have to be a true installer to pass it.

It's really not that expensive. The books are about $50 and the tests are about $50.

 

sweet, thats what i needed to know. And for Advanced it said on the MECP website that you need 1 year experience working Professionally in the field. Which isn't auto work labeled as "dangerous work" for minors? if thats true then id have to be at least 19 before i could get my advanced

 

Sorry, but unless things have changed, MECP is a JOKE. I worked for 12 years professionally in 2 different large car audio shops. One shop I worked at, one of the other install bay managers hired this MECP "advanced" certified installer. Well, after the second day, it was pretty obvious that this guy had not done much install work. He drilled through a brake line on one car, could not figure out how to wire a relay on another, and took HOURS to do a deck and 4 on a simple car that should have taken 30 minutes. Well, come to find out, he had some car audio shop say that he had worked there for the 1 year so he could complete his advanced test. He was seriously the WORST installer that was in the facility at that time. We had 12 installers.

To me, EXPERIENCE is a better job qualifier than some piece of paper. Take pictures of your work, etc. If you want to get some decent experience for free on how things need to be done, become a USAC judge for a year. You'll get to see tons of pictures on how people executed installations correctly, you'll learn what is expected to score well, and what to do for "above and beyond" installation and security measures.

Good luck whatever you do.



Ryan

 

The MECP isnt really for experience or to get a better job. its pretty much just too look beter while im young and trying to find jobs. Cuz MECP certified is better then No qualification what so ever. the MECP is to get my foot in the door. once im in thats when the hands on experience with better installers comes in.

 

Mecp is nice on a resume, but realistically doesn't mean ****.

That being said, I am mecp advanced, and plan on getting my master.

 

MECP shows that you worked for something. However, after the one bad experience with the MECP Advanced guy we had hired on, I made a test that Brian and I gave every applicant after that. The test had things from the most basic (wiring speakers in series and parallel) to still fairly simple (color codes for a 1990 GM vehicle) to slightly advanced (remote start and alarm installation procedures), to medium (wiring a relay, wiring a latching relay set, etc) to moderate (custom installation and abilities), etc. It covered a pretty broad spectrum of installation procedures. With the test, we were able to get an idea of their abilities, real world experience (if you've done car audio at all, you know GM color code and how to wire a relay), weak points, etc. Some people that can haul on a deck and 4 can not install an alarm to save their life. Some people that can do an alarm don't like to do the "easy stuff" like installing a head unit; they'd rather stand on their head all day. Besides knowing what we'd be having them do, we also could tell if they actually knew how to install or if they were just talking.

Yes, MECP is good to have for some jobs to get your foot in the door (Best Buy used to only hire MECP certified installers; not sure if that's still true) but most installation bays would rather hire someone with experience. I was never MECP certified and I never will be. I have been a USAC judge since 1992. I was hired at my first job when a shop in Kansas City "tracked me down" in Nebraska. He called around trying to find me and finally got a hold of a local gas station that knew me. He left his number and things progressed from there. I guess that he had seen multiple installations I did while I was going to school at DeVry and liked what he saw. My second car audio job was gotten by taking in a large photo album of many of my installs. They looked through it, asked a few questions, and asked when I could start.

Regardless of what you do, if you are already familiar with installation, I'd try to get a job at a smaller, slower paced shop. Get your feet wet there and get in the groove so you are proficient at what you do. Figure out what you can and can not do. Either learn what you can't do (alarms, remote starts, custom install) or be honest when you are in the interview that you don't wish to do X. Being up front really helps. nothing worse than handing a guy a work order for something and then have him give you "the stare". When that happens, you can tell they are lost.

Good luck!

 

It would be a mistake to judge an applicant on certification alone. And that's true of many types of certifications.

Use the MECP to help get the interview. Use experience and knowledge to land the job.

But if you're looking for a job at a chain store; then most likely you're being hired by a manager that doesn't know anything about mobile electronics. That person is more likely to be impressed by your MECP and positive attitude than anything you have to say about install.

 

I still think OP should take the test. All of you said it yourselves, it looks good on a resume, which is what he's going for. He wants to be able to say "MECP Certified" after his name when finding side jobs. The people that respond to those craigslist ads and get their stuff installed by friends at school are cheap asses that don't know **** about car audio, and want all of their equipment installed in the shortest amount of time for the cheapest price possible. So if there's someone on Craigslist, that's MECP certified, for cheap, then they'll be sold instantly.

But you're all right. I'm MECP basic, and don't know as much as I should. Granted I hated my job installing and had no motivation to study.

 

I think you should find a "mentor" that will teach you things you need to know, it won't hurt to have the MECP but it truly is Bull **** to be frank about it. When i was 14 i met one of the head engineers at Phoenix Gold that designed for them from the 80's till late 90's, he taught me for about 2 years and by the time i went to get a job at a shop at 16, they asked me a lot of questions about voice coil configurations and by that time, it was very simple questions. Though the first audio shop i worked at taught me a lot of experience, because there are certain things about certain cars you are only going to learn by hands on experience. It was enough to make a name for myself, and when i turned 19 i started working at a really big audio shop around here, started competing in Usaci and got a few state records, then went to school for an electronics engineering degree and at this point i would love to continue to do car audio, but sadly it just doesn't pay enough anywhere, so i just do it on the side for people on the weekends for fun.
If you find a mentor that will be patient and teach you things you need to know, or have questions about, you will get a BIG hand up in the car audio game and advance faster.

 

There is no age limit that I know of.
Take the test, it can't hurt.
I do not know of any shop that would hire you just because you have MECP, I would not, anybody can pass a test, experiance is what will get you a job, MECP may help you get your foot in the door. 94