When I did my certification, I did it based on experience. I'd been working as a mechanic's assistant for years. I put together documentation for a year, and then studied for a year (I'm into overkill), and took the writtens, then another year and took the practical at a community college. During the practical, the examiner lead me around a parts room for the college and asked me to identify certain parts. They were foriegn to me; things I hadn't been working with. He said don't worry, you're not expected to have seen or to know everything.
I told him my main interest in obtaining the A&P was to obtain a flying job I was after, which required a mechanic certificate. I told him I didn't think I'd be turning wrenches. I did the usual things on the practical test, riveting, researching an AD, safety wiring, balancing a propeller, performing an inspection, etc...about eight hours counting the oral. And I went my way.
I interviewed for a pilot position, and as part of the interview, got a tour of the facilities. It ended in the maintenance department, where I was impressed with the large airplane in the very large hangar...so this is what I'll be flying...
I was deposited in the office for the Director of Maintenance, where I found myself in the middle of another interview. Turns out I was interviewing for the new parts pilot positon...the guy who flies all the mechanics all over creation and then stays with them and works on the airplane...and when he gets home, goes to work in the hangar. This was to be an interim position until my ground school was complete and I was online in the big airplane. Foot in the door sort of thing.
My first day in he shop, I was handed a roll of fuel line, some aeroquip fittings, and pointed toward a large airplane outside the door. "Fabricate all new fuel lines for that aircraft, have them pressure tested, and install them."
Okay. Never done that before. Not a problem. XXX will show you what to do. XXX started by guiding me through the first fitting. After that, I was on my own. The learnin curve went up from there, and a year later I was an inspector in that repair station, having installed, fixed, repaired, inspected, rebuilt, overhauled, and fabricated just about one of everything on the property...and we had an entire small air force on the property.
I didn't think I'd be doing much more than an occasional safety wire job, possibly a tire change here or there. Turns out I was wrong. It worked out, because that experience saved my life more than once. I'm here typing this because I learned more about what made airplanes tick, and what it takes to keep them flying, than I'd ever bargained for. Where and how that training and experience will benifit you, you may never know...but any training you get will be to your benifit. I gaurantee you that.
What I said before, I didn't say to discourage you. Only to tell you to take it seriously. Changing oil is a simple thing. It can result in some serious problems if done wrong...but learning to do it right is a simple thing. The overall scope of learning maintenance is enormous.
My next job after the above described one was as Director of Maintenance in a corporate flight department. It was my first jet job, and I got that job because I could turn wrenches. Again, you never now where your experience will take you. I don't think the time spent will be wasted. It doesn't condemn you to turning wrences for he rest of your life, but it does open up opportunities if you want it to.
