Just think … everything you own has once been on a Truck … find out about the different job roles working with these incredible machines that weigh well over 7 tonnes!
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Heavy vehicle service technicians service and repair large vehicles such as lorries and trucks. Technicians are trained in all areas of heavy vehicle mechanics and electronics, from engine and exhaust systems to air conditioning and security features.
As a heavy vehicle service technician you will need to demonstrate Excellent practical skills, The ability to work quickly with attention to detail, The ability to work without supervision, Good communication skills, The ability to follow written and verbal instructions and a reasonable level of fitness and normal colour vision.
You will need to be trained in heavy vehicle maintenance and repair level 2 at this stage of your career.
Qualifications:
Apprenticeship Standard
IMI Accreditation
Most service technicians work 40 hours a week, from Monday to Saturday. This may include some shift and overtime work. Some tasks may be physically demanding although you will use lifting equipment to move heavy parts.
As a trainee service technician you may expect to earn between £7,000 – £13,000 depending on your age and stage of training. Once you are qualified you may expect to earn between £22,000 – £26,000 As you gain more experience and complete further training you can expect this salary to rise. There may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer. You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Heavy Vehicle Diagnostic Technician, Refrigeration Technician earning between £26,000 and £33,000.
Lift truck technicians are responsible for maintaining and repairing vehicles used to lift, stack or move large heavy objects. You would be Servicing vehicles to prevent problems occurring, Diagnosing and repairing faults, Replacing, maintaining or modifying mechanical, hydraulic and electrical equipment and Installing lift truck attachments and accessories.
As a lift truck technician you will need to demonstrate: Good practical and problem solving skills, The ability to keep up to date with developments in engine and electrical technologies, The ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, Strong communication skills and Good customer service skills.
You will need to be trained in lift truck maintenance and repair level 2 at this stage of your career.
Qualifications
Lift truck technicians normally work 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday. Some employe1rs may operate an on call service for emergencies on a rota system so weekend and evening work may be a possibility. You would be based in a garage or workshop, and out on the road when required.
Trainee technicians can expect to earn between £7,000-£11,000 per year, Newly qualified technicians can expect to earn between £14,500-£17,000 per year, Experienced technicians may expect between £17,500-£21,000 and Senior technicians can expect up to £25,000
There may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer. You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Heavy Vehicle Diagnostic Technician, Refrigeration Technician in senior positions could between £26,000 to £44,000.
Refrigeration technicians are responsible for maintaining and repairing air conditioning components and systems in vehicles. You would be Fitting refrigeration or air conditioning units, Maintaining and servicing systems, Inspecting and testing systems and Diagnosing faults with systems.
Demand is high for technicians with experience of working on air conditioning components and systems. Refrigeration technicians need to be qualified in air conditioning and climate control to level 3 in order to keep up to date with new EU regulations.
IMI Level 3 Award in Automotive Refrigerant Handling (EC842-2006) (VRQ) (theimi.org.uk)
IMI Level 3 Award in Cargo Refrigerant Handling (EC842-2006) (VRQ) (theimi.org.uk)
Refrigeration technicians normally work 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday. Employers may operate an on-call service for emergencies on a rota system so some weekend and evening work may be necessary. You would be based in a garage or workshop and may be out on the road if required.
Qualified technicians can expect to earn between £14,500-£17,000 per year, Experienced technicians may expect between £17,500-£21,000, Senior technicians can expect up to £25,000 and there may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer. You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Workshop Controller, Heavy Vehicle Diagnostic Technician, Automotive Trainer earning up to £44,000.
Tyre Technicians replace tyres when they are worn, damaged or faulty.
Tyre replacement work involves:
There are no set academic qualifications to enter this profession though a genuine interest in motor vehicles is desirable. However for apprenticeship / traineeship programmes you may need a minimum number of GCSEs to include English and Maths.
You will then need a good working knowledge of tyre fitting to enable you to carry out your work for which there are specialist qualifications.
Qualifications:
IMI Accreditation:
As a Tyre Technician you would normally work 5 or 6 days per week, usually to include some evenings or weekends which are worked out on a rota system.
You could be workshop based but will also be out on the road travelling from one customer to the next. You can expect to be hands-on and this is a physical job using specialist equipment to aid the process.
As a trainee Tyre Technician you can expect to earn between £7,000 and £9,000 per year however once qualified you may earn between £11,500 and £14,500. An experienced Tyre Technician may earn around £20,000.
You could progress into a senior/supervisory position or as a Fast Fit Centre Manager with an average salary of £25,000.
Trailer technicians are responsible for maintaining, servicing and repairing truck trailers which are used to carry goods from one place to the next. You would be Repairing trailers and tankers, Servicing hydraulic systems, Diagnosing faults, Maintaining suspension and braking systems and Repairing and replacing axles, hubs, tyres and wheels.
As a trailer technician you will need to demonstrate: Good practical and problem solving skills, The ability to keep up to date with developments in engine and electrical technologies, The ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team, Strong communication skills and a Good physical fitness.
Trailer technicians specialise in a particular area of vehicle maintenance and repair, so need to be trained in lift truck maintenance and repair level 2 in order to carry out this role.
Qualifications:
Apprenticeship framework
IMI Accreditation:
Trailer technicians normally work 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday. Some employers may operate an on-call service for emergencies on a rota system so weekend and evening work may be a possibility. You would be based in a garage or workshop, and out on the road when required.
Trainee technicians can expect to earn between £7,000-£11,000 per year, Newly qualified technicians can expect to earn between £14,500-£17,000 per year, Experienced technicians may expect between £17,500-£21,000 and Senior technicians can expect up to £25,000
There may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer. You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Heavy Vehicle Diagnostic Technician, Refrigeration Technician earning around £38,000.
Workshop controllers or workshop supervisors are responsible for looking after a team of technicians and providing sufficient guidance to enable them to carry out good levels of repair on motor vehicles. You would be Responsibility for the efficient running of the workshop, Delegating workloads to the rest of the team, Advising customers on minor technical problems, Building good customer relationships, Maintaining high levels of customer service including dealing with customer complaints, Gaining authorisation from customers to carry out additional work, Ensuring good housekeeping and security in the workshop and Managing workshop productivity.
As a workshop controller you will need to demonstrate: The ability to build and maintain good customer service, Excellent leadership and people skills, Good organisational skills, The ability to motivate staff, Good communication skills, Confidence in using IT software, A professional appearance, The ability to coach and develop team members and Good customer orientation.
You will need a strong knowledge of automotive technology and possess good management and leadership skills. This role is ideal for someone who has been working within the industry in a workshop or service environment.
You should be qualified to a level 3 in a technical field and some employers may also desire a level 3 qualification in business and administration or some sort of management training at this level.
IMI Level 4 Certificate in Automotive Management (VRQ) (theimi.org.uk)
Most technicians work 40 hours a week from Monday to Saturday. This may include some shift and overtime work. You will carry out the majority of your work in a workshop environment. Some tasks may be physically demanding although you will use lifting equipment to move heavy parts.
Once qualified, a workshop controller can expect to earn in the region of between £18,000-£30,000 There may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer. You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Automotive Trainer or senior position such as Training Manager earning up to £33,000.
Warranty Administrators are responsible for taking the lead on all warranty related issues between dealerships and their customers and manufacturers.
Duties of a Warranty Administrator may include:
Warranty Administrators will need to have knowledge of activities, methods, procedures and policies of the service and parts department. Therefore some employers may desire a qualification in business and administration for the automotive industry although there are no formal qualifications required for entry to this role.
As a Warranty Administrator you will need to demonstrate a professional appearance, good organisational skills, good communication skills and an ability to work as a team.
You will normally work around 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday and you will be office based within a garage or dealership.
A Warranty Administrator can expect to earn between £13,000 and £18,000 per year and there may be opportunities for shift and overtime pay depending on your employer.
You could progress your career within a dealership to a Senior Warranty Administrator or an Aftersales Manager earning anywhere between £26,000 and £33,000.
A Customer Service Advisor deals directly with customers, scheduling service work to their vehicles and informing them of any additional repairs required. They will handle administrative and customer relations aspects of service department operations.
Their duties may vary slightly from employer to employer depending on the size of the company, but they commonly include:
Employers will look for good GCSEs/Standard Grades in English, Maths and ICT and may also prefer a qualification in customer service.
As a Customer Service Advisor you will need to demonstrate a professional manner, good organisational skills and the ability to gather technical information and relay it in a way that customers will understand.
Customer Service Advisors normally work between 35 and 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday but depending on your employer this could include some Saturday work.
You will be office based and may be placed at the front of the business where you will conduct some of your work face to face and over the phone, communicating with customers and updating them on the progress of their vehicles.
Your salary could range from £12,000 to £25,000 depending on experience, however there may also be opportunities for shift or overtime pay depending on your employer.
You could progress your career to become and Customer Service or Aftersales Manager or work within any customer service department earning between £26,000 and £33,000.
Sales Executives are responsible for selling new and used vehicles from cars and motorcycles to vans and commercials trucks. In larger organisations you will work as part of a team or specialise in one aspect of selling however in smaller organisations you may be responsible for all aspects of vehicle sales.
Duties may vary depending on the type and size of the organisation, but they will commonly include:
Sales Executives do not need any formal qualifications although many employers will expect GCSE/Standard Grades (A-C) in Maths and English. More importantly you would need to have a genuine interest in the vehicles you are selling, a confident and outgoing personality and a smart appearance with a polite and professional approach.
IMI Level 2 Diploma in Vehicle Sales Competence (theimi.org.uk)
IMI Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Sales Principles (VRQ) (theimi.org.uk)
It is also vital to have excellent communication and listening skills in order to be an effective negotiator and be able to explain technical information to the general public.
You would need to have the ability to build and maintain good customer relations, have confidence using IT software and a high level of numeracy. In addition you would need to demonstrate good organisational skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure. You would need to be a good team player and also be able to work without supervision.
Sales Executives usually work around 40 hours per week, which will include some weekend and evening work to cover the busiest trading times. It is also possible to find part time Sales Executive positions. The working environments may vary depending on the employer and the vehicles you are selling but you would normally be based in a showroom or an office. Many Sales Executives also have the opportunity to venture out to the forecourt to show customers around and accompany them on test drives.
A starting salary for new entrants may be between £9,000 and £15,000. Basic earnings for experienced sales people may start at £15,000, but with commission, bonuses and other benefits the final salary would be much higher. Successful Sales Executives would earn upwards of £35,000, possibly £50,000 or more and receive a company car.
A Sales Executive would typically progress their career to a Sales Manager role earning over £35,000.
General Managers or Dealer Principals are responsible for ensuring the efficient running of the whole organisation. They may be involved with planning, and motivating and co-ordinating the company’s management through leadership.
You will be Completing evaluation performance reviews and developing short and long term goals with each department manager, developing and maintaining business plans annually to enhance the company’s performance, creating and maintaining good working relationships with lending institutes and manufacturer personnel.
You would also be expected to oversee advertising programmes and merchandising strategies for the dealership, focus on customer complaints that department managers are unable to rectify and taking the necessary action to resolve these complaints, maintaining an enthusiastic outlook to build positive employee attitudes and morale within the dealership.
In addition you would be coordinating regular meetings with the managers of each department to ensure their profitability and efficiency and effectively communicating with the office manager on a weekly basis to review forecasts and consistency in performance.
Some previous experience in vehicle sales would be advantageous and a good starting point for this career.
If you have been working in the industry you may be able to progress to the level of general manager/dealer principal with sufficient training and/or a qualification in Automotive Management. Employers may also expect you to be qualified in management at a strategic level.
Most office based staff, including Dealer Principals, work on average 37-40 hours per week, usually Monday to Friday but, depending on your employer, this could include some Saturday work. You will be mainly office based and will be expected to attend regular meetings with team members and external customers in the UK and abroad.
Salary is £40,000 – £100,000+
You may also be eligible for holiday entitlement, company pension and private healthcare schemes.
Automotive Trainers are responsible for training and teaching students or adult learners both the theory and practical knowledge that they need in order to pass certain qualifications or to do their jobs effectively.
Duties include:
As an Automotive Trainer you will need excellent communication skills to be able to teach students / learners complex theories in ways to suit a variety of learning styles as wel as excellent maths, English and ICT grades to enable you to meet the standards required of a teacher / trainer.
Most Automotive Trainers progress into the role after they have gained experience (minimum 3 years) within the industry. Many colleges and training providers will train you once you are employed however you should always check this when applying as there are timescales to achieve certain qualifications when working in publicly funded training environments.
Automotive Trainers usually work 37.5 hours a week from Monday to Friday. If you were to work for a college you will have the school holidays off however this does not apply to working for a private training provider.
You will be based in a college or training centre and may work alongside local employers and automotive businesses. If, as part of your role, you are also an assessor you may have to do workplace visits to carry out assessments.
As a new Automotive Trainer you can expect to earn between £18,000 and £25,000 and with more experience up to £35,000 per year.
With experience you could progress to become a Training Manager or a college’s Head of Department leading other Automotive Trainers with and average salary of £38,000.
