Wouldn’t it be great to work in an industry that you have a real passion for? If motorcycles are your thing then this is the place for you! Find out about what working with these incredible machines are like and how you can join them.
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A Motorcycle Service Technician would maintain and repair all types and sizes of motorbike, in a motorcycle dealership. They are trained in all areas of motorcycle mechanics and electronics, from engine and exhaust systems to security features.
Duties will commonly include:
You will need to be qualified to Level 2 in Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair at this stage of your career. There are a range of qualifications in motorcycle maintenance and repair covering the underpinning knowledge you will need to get started and the hands-on skills required to carry out the job.
As a Motorcycle Service Technician you will need to demonstrate excellent practical skills, good communication skills and an ability to follow written and verbal instructions. You would also be required to work with supervision and work quickly with attention to detail.
Qualifications
IMI Level 3 Diploma in Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair Competence
IMI Level 2 Diploma in Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair Principles (VRQ)
Apprenticeship Standard:
IMI Accreditation:
Motorcycle Service Technicians work on average 40 hours a week, from Monday to Saturday.
As a trainee Service Technician you may expect to earn from £7,000 to £13,000 depending on your age and stage of training however once you are qualified you may expect to earn between £22,000 and £26,000.
Once qualified as a Motorcycle Service Technician you can progress your career undertaking more technical training and qualifying as a Motorcycle Diagnostic Technician and eventually Motorcycle Master Technician. From Motorcycle Diagnostic Technician level you could also consider a career as a Workshop Controller or a Motorcycle MOT Examiner earning approximately £27,000.
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.
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 with earnings of up to ££35,000.
Parts Sales Representatives are responsible for promoting, selling and delivering automotive parts and accessories to individual and motor trade customers.
Duties may vary from employer to employer but will typically include:
Parts Sales Representatives can come into this job as an apprentice or from a sales background or a Parts Advisor role.
You would need to have some general technical knowledge in order to carry out the role efficiently, be self-motivated and able to work on your own initiative as well as being part of a team. You would also be required to demonstrate excellent communication skills, strong organisational skills and an ability to build and maintain relationships.
If the role also includes physically delivering parts an employer would require you to hold a full, clean driving licence.
Full-time hours are typically around 40 hours a week for Parts Sales Representatives. This could include some weekend and evening work which may be on a rota system with other team members. You may also be able to find part-time work in this area. Work environments will differ depending on your employer so you may be based within a shop, parts distributor warehouse or within a dealership.
Fully trained operatives may earn between £10,000 and £15,000 a year and senior operatives may earn £20,000 or more.
A Parts Sales Representative could progress to a Parts Manager role earning up to £35,000.
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 on average £33,000.
Motorcycle MOT examiners are responsible for testing and servicing all types and sizes of motorcycles to ensure they are safe to be driven on the roads. They carry out the role of a Diagnostic Technician as well as being responsible for testing the safety of the bikes brought to them.
Duties will include:
Motorcycle MOT Technicians would normally progress into this role from that of a Motorcycle Diagnostic Technician and you would need to have completed your Level 3 training in Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair. You will also need to have at least 4 years’ experience repairing motorcycles.
As a Motorcycle MOT Technician you would have to be confident working with diagnostic equipment and you would need to demonstrate excellent practical skills, good communication skills, have an ability to follow written and verbal instructions and to create written service reports. In addition it is required that you are a good problem solver, can keep calm under pressure, be able to stay focussed and work without supervision. Finally, you would be able to work quickly with attention to detail and have a reasonable level of fitness and normal colour vision.
A full driving licence in the class(es) of vehicle(s) you wish to test is required with no unspent convictions for criminal offences. There is a minimum age requirement of 20 years old and you would have to be sponsored by your testing station in order to sit the qualifications in MOT testing.
To maintain their professional status MOT Testers are required to undertake a minimum of 3 hours of annual training to remain up to date with best practice standards and complete an MOT annual assessment based on the DVSA specification.
Most Motorcycle MOT Technicians work 40 hours a week from Monday to Saturday and you may find yourself working for a dealership or independent garage.
Salaries may range from £22,000 to £27,000 depending on your level of knowledge and experience.
Depending on your key strengths you can progress from this role to become a Motorcycle Master Technician, a Workshop Controller or an Automotive Trainer earning up to £35,000.
Workshop Controllers or Workshop Supervisors are responsible for looking after a team of technicians and provide sufficient guidance to enable them to carry out good levels of repair on motor vehicles.
Duties may vary between employers but will typically include:
Workshop controllers usually progress into this role after experience as a Diagnostic or Master Technician and would normally progress onto this level an existing employer. You should certainly 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 have completed some management training at this level.
As a Workshop Controller you would be required to demonstrate excellent leadership and people skills including the ability to motivate, coach and develop staff and build and maintain good customer service at all times. You would also require good organisational and communication skills and a confidence using IT software.
Most Workshop Controllers work 40 hours a week from Monday to Saturday and you will carry out the majority of your work in a workshop environment.
Once qualified, a Workshop Controller can expect to earn up to £30,000.
With experience you could progress your career to an Aftersales Manager role earning around £33,000.
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.
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 up to£33,000.
