The Ultimate Guide to a Career in Powersports

This one is for the thrill-seekers. The powersports enthusiasts. The ones that want to work with their hands and like fast engines. If you thought “that’s me” to any of the above, then a career in powersports might be just the thing for you!

In this guide, we’ll give you all the need-to-knows on how to find a job in the powersports industry.

The Faster the Better

Powersports vehicles differ from standard vehicles, such as automobiles or boats. One of the biggest characteristics of powersports vehicles is that they’re typically used recreationally or for racing. What that means is that they’re built for FUN!

Some well-known powersports vehicles are: multi-utility vehicles (side-by-sides), ATVs, motorcycles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, jet skis and sport, speed and fishing boats – to name a few.

Another notable characteristic of powersports vehicles is the engine. There’s a creativity to the use and build of the engine on these machines, making it essential to educate yourself on the dynamic capabilities and functions of these vehicles.

So where do you start?

The First Step: Training

A great option is powersports technician training. Lucky for you, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) have two programs that can prepare you for a career in powersports.¹

As MMI instructor Fabian Jackson points out, “Powersports is not just about motorcycles,” and neither is our training. There's a variety of different products that the powersports industry provides and there’s certainly no shortage of opportunities in this sector.

Whether you’re interested in motorcycles and dirt bikes or you’d rather be out on the water working on personal watercrafts and sporting boats, or maybe you want to work on it all – MMI’s got you covered!

What You’ll Learn

We offer a 48-week motorcycle technician training program and a 51-week marine technician training program, both equipped to train you to pursue a career in powersports.⁷ These programs will give you hands-on opportunities to gain skills needed to inspect, service, troubleshoot and repair powersports technology whether that vehicle rides on water or land.¹⁸

Due to ongoing technological advances in the powersports industry, the systems that operate these vehicles have become increasingly complex. It’s no longer efficient to simply replace defective parts. That’s why instructors focus on helping students to comprehend and master technological development with both a theoretical approach and hands-on experience for each system. This strategy gives students the fundamentals of each component to practical applications, technical aspects, up-to-date service procedures and the latest technologies.

Our passionate instructors have years of real-world experience and some even attended MMI as a student themselves.

"Passing on knowledge in any aspect is great," says Fabian. "There's no point in holding all that information and valued experience to yourself. Pass it on so this can continue."

Powersports Industry Jobs

So picture this, you’ve just graduated from your powersports technician training in one of our programs. Now what kinds of powersports jobs does your experience align with?

If you find that your passion resides with those vehicles that help you enjoy the great outdoors, you can become a powersports technician. Or maybe you discovered a new love for motorcycles. You can become a motorcycle technician. Or perhaps you just can’t get enough of the water; become a marine technician.

Whether you decide you want to keep the need for speed or become specialized in a specific industry, there’s a variety of environments where you can work. Some of them include:

• Marinas
• Docks
• Boat dealerships
• Brand-specific dealerships
• Independent repair shops
• Custom bike shops
• Cruise lines
• Outdoor department stores
• Police departments

But the opportunities don’t stop there! With more experience comes more opportunities. If you’re eager to continue your education, you can choose to enroll in either of the 60-week programs in which you can earn an associate of occupational studies (AOS) degree or an occupational associate degree (OAD). There’s also the option to add on more OEM classes to your program after graduation!

Take Your Passion and Turn it Into Power

If you’re ready to pursue a career doing something that thrills you, take the first step and sign up for one of our training programs: Motorcycle Technician training or Marine Technician training. Learn on brands that are known for adventure like Harley-Davidson^®, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Kawasaki and more!

“Everyone has to start somewhere, and you don’t get to the highest level if you don’t take the first step,” says Jimmy McMillian, MMI Instructor.

Take your passion and turn it into your power.