How did you get your training?

**602rwtq** · 01-07-2012, 09:19 PM

It seems there`s 4 ways of "going pro":

1. Attend a school (RightLook, TotalPros, Detail King, Detailing Success, etc.).

2. Self-taught: trial and error, research online, etc.

3. Work at a car dealership.

4. Work at a detail shop.

Where did the pros here get their training?

**C. Charles Hahn** · 01-07-2012, 09:26 PM

For the most part, this forum was my training ground.

**Dan** · 01-07-2012, 10:43 PM

This is a good idea, but another category would be helpful.

5. I learned from Jeff Suggs youtube videos.

I would vote if that option was available.

**MirrorDetailing** · 01-07-2012, 10:43 PM

2 ---> 3 ----> 5. 5 being, once I knew the basics, I figured out from what I already knew and what I learned what was really hack level, what was quality and what I needed to get better at.

**Bigpoppa3346** · 01-07-2012, 10:52 PM

Self taught with the help of the forum. Youtube videos were useful too, especially when it came to learning how to polish.

**hacadacalopolis** · 01-08-2012, 12:57 AM

This forum has got to be hands down for products and write ups on them. I have learned so much from that.

I have had some collision certificate training/more so refinishing, and keep in touch with instructors, however the guide is only within yourself. So that being said I am and will always be learning.

I try to understand some chemical reactions, types of automobile finishes, and material makeup

**Envious Eric** · 01-08-2012, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by dan

this is a good idea, but another category would be helpful.

5. I learned from jeff suggs youtube videos.

I would vote if that option was available.

bwahahaahaha!!!!!!

**Richard Grasa** · 01-08-2012, 12:55 PM

21 years ago when I was 16 I had a project truck and did my first paint job on it. It came out ok but had some orange peel so I decided to teach myself how to wetsand and compound. Then after that I had many other projects and friend`s projects and did more wetsanding/compounding and got pretty good at it. Played around with this type of work and some light detailing till about 6 years ago when I found this website and then seriously got into it and then decided to open a mobile business 5 years ago, and now have a shop.

Playing around on my own stuff with that old rotary and 3M compound taught me all the things NOT to do, I burned through the paint on more than one occasion and got real good at it with all the mistakes I made. But at least it was my own stuff and doing as a hobby, I just got more and more into it until I decided to finally go pro.

**safetyman2010** · 01-08-2012, 01:13 PM

Originally started with what my Dad taught me and grabbed a book to read up - that was pretty much all there was back then. As the internet came around I used it to continue to learn and improve. Attended several training courses such as Prep-execellence with Ketch in Cincinnati, the ICA convention in Vegas/San Antonio several times etc and some additional training in Michigan and Alberta for additional skills. You NEVER stop learning!

**togwt** · 01-08-2012, 01:34 PM

[You NEVER stop learning!] Car dealership, but then they had detailer`s that were real tradesmen (not the hacks that are employed at some)

Knowledge unshared is Experience wasted...

**Scottwax** · 01-08-2012, 02:33 PM

Mostly self-taught, now I use Autopia to stay ahead of the curve.

Read a few books on detailing but they were all really basic and hopelessly outdated.

**602rwtq** · 01-08-2012, 04:37 PM

Interesting. I expected at least half of the pros to have learned in a detail shop, but apparently the material online is so good these days that you can jump in, self-taught.

Just 10 years ago you bought a buffer, compound, and polish from a local store read the manual, then proceeded to obliterate your car`s paint.

With sites like autopia and online video, you can polish like a pro in an afternoon.

**602rwtq** · 01-10-2012, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by 602rwtq

Interesting. I expected at least half of the pros to have learned in a detail shop, but apparently the material online is so good these days that you can jump in, self-taught.

Just 10 years ago you bought a buffer, compound, and polish from a local store read the manual, then proceeded to obliterate your car`s paint.

With sites like autopia and online video, you can polish like a pro in an afternoon.

Okay, I ran this poll across 4 different detailing forums. The results:

The full article on car detailing training.

**David Fermani** · 01-10-2012, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by ShineShop

and some additional training in Michigan and Alberta for additional skills.

Where at in Michigan??

I would have loved to take one of Ketch`s classes! You`re lucky.

**David Fermani** · 01-10-2012, 08:50 PM

*Started as a new car porter at a Pontiac Dealer

*Worked as a painter`s help

*Worked at a volume detail shop for a couple years, then managed it and purchased it

*I`ve taken atleast a dozen Auto Magic classes

*I-CAR Platinum certifed

*Autopia honed the "OCD" skillset

I really think that anyone that does this work (especially high end detailers) would benefit greatly from working in a fast paced high volume environment. It will teach you many ins and outs that cannot be self-taught w/o many years of experience. Even though you`re main focus isn`t over the top micro-detailing, it can teach you very valueable workflows that could help in any environment. It can give you a whole new idea of what clean is.

It would be interesting to put some of the high end detailers we have online into a high volume environment to see how they would acclimate. I`m sure it would be an equally eventful experience for a high volume person in the opposite situation as well.