Motor Vehicle

Course Overview

Auto-care Technician Apprentices will learn to carry out various services and repairs to cars, car-derived vans and light goods vehicles. An Auto-care Technician will develop a unique combination of technical, retail and customer service skills, using various tools, measuring and diagnostic equipment to identify & repair simple system faults. As well as demonstrating expertise not only in the technical elements of the role and having a good grasp of the practical and theoretical aspects of the vehicle systems that are serviced, apprentices will also develop excellent telephone and customer handling (including how to handle difficult customers and deal with customer disappointment) and effective sales skills, as well as strong problem solving and self-organisation skills. Learning how to work as part of a team but also operate independently, understand how their workplace operates from a commercial perspective and how their actions contribute to business results and develop a high workmanship standard.

Please Note: This Standard does not on its own qualify apprentices to work on air-conditioning systems. Workplaces that require apprentices to work on air-conditioning systems must also provide the F-Gas qualification.

Entry Requirements

Ideally, you will have achieved a minimum of grade C or 4 (equivalent to Level 2) in maths and English. However, if you haven’t, then support will be provided to achieve this during your Apprenticeship as this is a mandatory element to complete the programme. Ideally, learners should hold 4 GCSEs at grade (3-9), including English and Maths and be employed for thirty hours a week or more.

Topics covered

Knowledge

• Tyre legislation and technical information, including EU Tyre labelling, Tyre Pressure Monitoring systems, sidewall markings, and homologated fitments relating to cars, car-derived vans and light goods vehicles.
• Fundamentals of specific vehicle systems include steering & suspension, braking systems, battery & charging systems, exhaust and Air-Conditioning systems.
• Vehicle 4-wheel geometry principles.
• Basic consumer legislation relevant to the occupation.
• Appropriate Health & Safety legislation and requirements for the workplace.
• Hybrid/Electric Vehicle system and safe working procedures.
• Data protection requirements to protect customer and payment information.
• General sales principles, including identifying customer & vehicle needs, presenting solutions, closing the sale and dealing with buying resistance.
• How the business works and how you contribute to the overall results, demonstrating commercial awareness.
• How to carry out vehicle safety inspections and routine maintenance using manufacturer's specifications or approved schedules, vehicle-specific data and meeting legal requirements.
• The importance of following workplace procedures and the consequences of not doing so.

Skills developed

• Contribute to maintaining a healthy and safe workplace, including maintaining key equipment and carrying out general housekeeping.
• Carry out stock procedures, including dealing with routine stock deliveries, placing stock into storage, carrying out stock rotation duties and ordering parts for customers following company procedures.
• Carry out vehicle safety inspections and routine maintenance in line with manufacturer specifications or approved schedules, and company procedures and complete approved documentation.
• Make recommendations to customers based on the results of inspections, ensuring that sales recommendations are accurate and fully costed, are ethical and in the best interests of the customer at all times, using transparent language and avoiding jargon.
• Carry out replacement/repair and balancing of a range of light vehicle tyres, including ultra-low profile, directional, asymmetric and run-flat tyres fitted to various wheel sizes and types.
• Carry out the replacement of components on a specific range of vehicle systems, including Steering & Suspension, Braking systems, Battery & Charging systems, exhaust systems and Air-Conditioning systems.
• Carry out 4-wheel Geometry operations, including adjustments on various vehicles with different suspension and steering systems.
• Use a range of specialist tools & equipment, mechanical & electrical measuring tools and diagnostic equipment to support fault identification and repair.
• Identify & procure the correct parts to meet specific customer requirements.
• Access vehicle technical data to inform inspections and judge wear and serviceability.
• Deal with and resolve low-level customer complaints.
• Communicate effectively with customers, suppliers and colleagues
• Use specific company IT systems within the workplace, including Point-of-sale systems and hand-held devices.

Delivery

Day release, 1 day per week on college.

Assessment

Learners will be assessed throughout the programme, and then an End Point Assessment (EPA) by an independent organisation consisting of a knowledge test, practical observations, and a professional review supported by a portfolio.

Start Date

September 2023.

Duration

30 months (this does not include the EPA period).

Employer Fees

Levy: £12000.

Non-levy: £600 if the apprentice is aged 19+.

Employer Incentive

Employers will receive £1000 when they employ an apprentice aged 16-18.

Course Overview

Bicycle Mechanic Apprentices will develop skills in customer service and how to work in a physically demanding environment that involves using various tools and chemicals, like cleaning products and greasing agents. Developing an ability to work in a manner that ensures the health and safety of self and others is a priority. The broad purpose of the programme is to develop skills in building, repairing and servicing all kinds of bicycles – for example, road, mountain, hybrid, recumbent, disabled adapted, electric and other human-powered road and off-road vehicles. This can be in bicycle shops, dedicated workshops, in the field for bicycle racing teams or independently as mobile mechanics and other areas where bicycles play a prominent part.

Entry Requirements

Ideally, you will have achieved a minimum of grade C or 4 (equivalent to Level 2) in maths and English. However, if you haven’t, then support will be provided to achieve this during your Apprenticeship as this is a mandatory element to complete the programme.

Training

• Build a bicycle from scratch to a customer’s/client’s specifications.
• Identify problems with a bicycle and discuss solutions with the customer/client.
• Estimate the cost of repairs and give quotes, advising on economic viability.
• Carry out a bicycle service and safety checks
• Carry out repairs and replace parts, such as changing brake cables and chains.
• Clean, degrease and lubricate bicycle parts.
• Give advice to customers/clients, including selling bikes, parts and accessories.
• Take bookings for repairs and process paperwork via paper or computerised systems.
• Support retail/contractual processes and warranty claims.
• Maintain and adhere to the industry standards and/or best practices for quality control over their work and take an active role in general workshop quality control.
• Maintain bicycle mechanic tools and equipment; and workshop tidiness.

Delivery

Various delivery models are available. Information is given on the application.

Assessment

Learners will be assessed throughout the programme, then an End Point Assessment (EPA) by an independent organisation consisting of a practical demonstration, an interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence, and a multiple-choice test.

Start Date

Throughout the year.

Duration

18 months (this does not include the End Point Assessment period).

Employer Fees

Levy: £7000.

Non-levy: £350 if the apprentice is aged 19+.

Employer Incentive

Employers will receive £1000 when they employ an apprentice aged 16-18.

Course Overview

Through this apprenticeship learner’s will have the opportunity to build on either prior qualifications or significant industry experience to investigate faults, carry out diagnostics and complete maintenance and repair activities. Following on from this apprenticeship learner’s may progress to work as an MOT tester.

Entry Requirements

Ideally, learners should hold 5 GCSEs at grade (4-9) including English and Maths and be employed for thirty hours a week or more.

Topics Covered

The fundamentals of vehicle technologies, the types and characteristics of vehicles, diagnostic principles and emerging automotive technologies. Carry out foundation tasks, contribute to the maintenance of a safe and efficient workshop, access specific information, use diagnostic, mechanical and electrical equipment, remove and repair components and carry out diagnostics and investigations of faults. Effective communication, effective teamwork, continual learning and commercial awareness.

Delivery

Day release

Assessment

Learners are assessed through a workplace portfolio, knowledge test, skills test and behaviour test.

Start Date

Throughout the year

Duration

36 Months