Can you make money as a car seat tech?

[DevaMajka]

There's a car seat tech course I'd love to attend, but I can't justify the cost. Unless...it's possible to earn money being a car seat tech. I'm not talking loads of money, but could I at least recoup my cost?

[SynEpona]

I have no idea if you can make money doing it, I don't think you can (unless it adds something to a job ie: gets you a raise when you work in a store that sells car seats ...).

However, when I was going to take the course last year, I could take it for free if I would volunteer to help at 12 clinics that the local St John Ambulance branch would be running, one a month for a year, then they would give me my certificate. I also had the option to purchase the course pro-rated -- so if after 6mth I couldn't do the volunteer time any more, I could pay 50% of the fee & they'd give me the certificate -- basically they'd let me take the course, then hold my paperwork hostage till I either did the volunteer hours or paid the balance :)

Unfortunately, the course ended up being the same 2 days we were moving, and I had to miss it. Now, in our new town, the SJA branch doesn't offer the same opportunity, and when I finally got some one to reply to my emails, the only courses offered this spring were scheduled for days I was working, and when I would have been 22wks pregnant -- not a comfy time to be climbing around in cars trying to put in car seats! I will try again next year :)

[chickabiddy]

Generally, no.  You can set up a business doing checks, but very few techs make more than a bit of pocket money that way.   Most of us do not get paid for our time at clinics:  the exception is police officers and the like who are earning their regular salary because the carseat clinic is part of their duties.

[DevaMajka]

bummer. I'll have to wait until we're in a better financial position then.

[Rachel727]

If you have a Safe Kids close to you you should check with them and see if they will pay in exchange for you volunteering at some checks.  Our Safe kids doesn't have any set amount (like the 12 listed above) and they want volunteers so there is a good chance they will pay.  I am in the process of recertifying and my Sake Kids is paying all those costs- and honestly with my schedule right now I don't volunteer that often.

I also have been able  to teach a car seat class to expecting parents at the hospital I work at as part of the prenatal education classes they offer.  It's only 1x a month so not a lot of money, but it is something.  But yeah generally unless you work for Safe Kids or a police or firestation involved you probably won't make money off of it.