well, i might as well add my 2 cents. get into an apprenticeship program. its required in most, if not all, provinces because of legal liability and is part of having minimum qualification standards in the trades. and yes, get your RED SEAL( interprovincial standard ) on the successful completion of your apprenticeship. however, be aware that a first-year apprentice only earns a portion( percentage) of the average journeyman (licensed) rate in the shop, and successful completion of each apprenticeship year moves you farther up the scale. you should have a better chance finding an entry-level position than an 20yr old, especially if you read, write, dress what i would consider appropriate(not sloppy and with no tongue, nose, eyebrow or other facial hardware), show up for an interview early, and are reasonably articulate and enthusiastic. an apprentice mechanic only needs basic tools to start with and adds more as required. do not spend a lot on tools or tool boxes until you know if you are going to stick with it. as an apprentice, there will be days you absolutely hate it and will want to quit, even after you are a journeyman. be able to take criticism and the odd ass-chewing by grumpy old guys like me for doing stupid stuff if you are so inclined. us grumpy old guys survived this long, but some guys didn't. eventually after enough years, you may get to be a foreman and the physical work gets easier but the responsibility increases. its not for everybody or anybody, but it can be a very rewarding career if you are enthusiastic and work hard and try not to get involved with internal shop politics