Garage Services

Garages and car dealerships now are very different places from the garages of the twentieth century:

• they are clean and safe, if a bit draughty in cold weather
• they offer good long term career prospects
• new technologies, to reduce carbon emissions, means more electric and low carbon vehicles.

The Scottish automotive industry currently employs over 40,000 people, accounting for nearly 2% of the Scottish workforce. 84% of the motor sector workforce is male, and 10% of workers are part time (compared to the 26% Scottish average). Despite the economic downturn, the vehicle maintenance and repair, and body repair, side of the industry has not been affected to the same extent as other industries; with car numbers still increasing and with more people deciding to hold on to their old cars, they should continue to see an increase in business.

If you are going to do well in this work, you must be interested in the technical side of cars, motorcycles, vans, trucks and buses. You should be good with your hands, and not mind getting them dirty. (You should not be allergic to oil or paint). You also need to get on well with your customers, so you must be:

• polite and friendly
• willing to listen to customers describe the faults in their vehicles.

You can enter a modern apprenticeship at 16 or 17 with subjects at Standard grade or National 4 or 5 in Maths, English and a science or technological subject. You usually need to sit an aptitude test. You then work and do off the job training for a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) at Level 2 or 3. This could be in Light Vehicle, Heavy Vehicle, Motorcycle, Auto Electrics, Body Repair, Vehicle Refinishing, Fast Fit, Vehicle Parts Distribution or Vehicle Sales. In 2012, the UK automotive industry took on 10,500 apprentices. You can also take a full time college course leading to a National Certificate (NC) or SVQ, but you must do an apprenticeship to get the full qualification. As vehicles become more complicated, many technicians take further, specialised courses afterwards. You might then move into a supervisory job. Almost all garage managers have come up from the shop floor. Taking a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Automotive Engineering or Management might help. The jobs and courses in this area are divided into 3 sectors:

• Vehicle body repair
• Vehicle maintenance and repair
• Related services.

Sources

Retail Motor Industry Careers Adviser IAG Fact Sheet 2012

Careers in the Retail Motor Industry (IMI) (www.theimi.org.uk/careers)

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