Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship

 Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician

The Automotive Retail Industry provides employment for over half a million employees who work for approximately 70,000 employers. It is a major contributor to the UK economy. In a large dealership the Technician will typically report to the Workshop Controller, who in turn reports to the Aftersales Manager and liaises with the Service Reception. In smaller garages the Technician will report directly to the owner or Garage Manager.

The technician must be able to work independently but also operate as an effective team member and have good customer handling skills. They will understand how their workshop and the dealership/garage functions from a commercial perspective and identify ways in which they can work more efficiently. Technicians working in large dealerships work with other departments, for example carrying out work for the Sales Department and ordering parts from the Parts Department, whereas apprentices in smaller independent garages may be called upon to carry out some of the function of the other departments themselves, for example managing their own delivery of parts.

The technician will work on all the systems found within the vehicle. The day-to-day work ranges from replacing simple parts through to solving complex faults with the use of diagnostic methods and equipment. The tasks faced are constantly changing, driven by the introduction of ever more complex technologies and diagnostic techniques.

The growing complexity of today’s vehicles, and the pressure to deliver a high-quality customer experience, requires the retail automotive sector to attract and train high calibre individuals and this is reflected in the elements of the Standard described below.

Motor vehicle service and maintenance technicians have the following knowledge and understanding:

• How vehicle service and repair is impacted by legislative, regulatory and ethical requirements, including health and safety law and environmental procedures;
• The structure of the industry and how the business works from an operational perspective, business targets, the systems and processes that make up the efficient running of a business;
• How to develop positive working relationships and communicate effectively and how to carry out self-evaluation and improve own performance;
• The procedures for the maintenance of tools and the workshop;
• Routine servicing and inspection procedures;
• Steering and suspension geometries; electrical circuit requirements and calculations;
• Construction and operation of vehicle components and systems;
• Common fault types, causes and effects of different types of faults;
• The implications and legal requirements of fitting accessories and carrying out vehicle modifications;
• How to diagnose faults using suitable fault finding strategies;
• Construction and operation of advanced electrical, braking and suspension systems, engine and transmission systems and engine and gear calculations;
• Vehicle emissions and legal requirements;
• Alternative fuels and hybrid and electric systems.

Motor vehicle service and maintenance technicians require the following skills, and will be able to:

• Contribute to the maintenance of a safe and efficient workshop.
• Demonstrate due regard for own safety and that of others in the workshop and minimise risk of injury and vehicle damage.
• Carry out fundamental tasks associated with removal and replacement procedures on a vehicle;
• Obtain diagnostic and repair information
• Interpret diagnostic information and use electrical wiring diagrams to determine system serviceability.
• Use a range of diagnostic equipment.
• Follow recognised diagnostic procedures, logical diagnostic sequence and apply advanced diagnostic principles and problem-solving techniques to establish faults.
• Report faults using company procedures and recommend suitable further actions.
• Follow recognised repair procedures to complete a wide range of repairs including those which involve complex procedures, or in depth knowledge.
• Test the function of repaired and fitted components.
• Adhere to business processes and complete documentation following workplace procedures.
• Use ICT to create emails, word-process documents and carry out web based searches.
• Complete a range of services and inspect and prepare a vehicle to the required quality standard for handover to the customer.

Motor vehicle service and maintenance technicians demonstrate the following behaviours:

• Take responsibility when required and be honest and accountable when things don’t go as planned
• Operate as an effective team member
• Behave in accordance with the values of the company and treat colleagues and customers with respect and courtesy.
• Build effective relationships with colleagues and customers
• Gain trust and pay attention to colleagues and customers concerns and needs
• Communicate effectively on a range of topics and with all sorts of different people
• Deliver excellent results and achieve challenging goals.
• Contribute to problem solving discussions and enjoy finding solutions to own and other people’s problems.
• Suggest ways to make the business more efficient and contribute to its commercial growth.
• Constantly learn in order to improve own performance and that of the business
• Share knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrate a passion for engineering.

Whilst any entry requirements will be a matter for individual employers, typically an apprentice might be expected to already have the following qualities: an interest in the way vehicles operate; able to demonstrate general analytical and mechanical skills, a capacity for mechanical reasoning and the potential to research, analyse and solve problems; well organised, methodical and good attention to detail; good spatial awareness; able to work in a team and to communicate well both orally and in writing; cares about delivering excellent service – both internally and externally to colleagues and customers.

This standard has been designed to be recognised by relevant Professional Engineering Institutions and successful apprentices can apply for the appropriate level of professional registration (EngTech).

Qualification

Before the motor vehicle service and maintenance technician standard is met, all apprentices must hold a certificate that meets the EU’s 2014 F-gas regulation.

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3 and British Sign Language qualification are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.

This section sets out the requirements for End Point Assessment (EPA) for the Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician (Light Vehicle), Level 3, apprenticeship standard. It will be of interest to Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician apprentices and their employers, training providers and end-point assessment organisations.

Prior to taking their EPA, full time apprentices will typically:

 Spend 36 months on the programme;
 Complete a minimum of 20% off-the-job training;
 Complete an F-Gas qualification;
 Complete a Logbook, used to inform the Professional Discussion;
 Achieve level 2 in English and maths, if not previously done so.

The EPA should only start once the employer is satisfied that requirements for EPA have been met and must be completed within 6 months of the EPA gateway.  EPA must be conducted by an organisation approved to offer services against this standard, as selected by the employer, from the Education &Skills Funding Agency’s Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations.

The EPA consists of 3 distinct methods:
 Online Knowledge Test
 Skills Test
 Professional Discussion

Performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of fail, pass or distinction.

College attendance will be required over the duration of the course and will be determined post-application.

Starting in September, apprentices are required to attend college on day-release, which means that they attend college one day per week in term-time and are required to complete self-directed study during half terms, unless they are required to attend for exams or assessments in half term for example. This is over a three year period depending on prior knowledge and skills.

The start-date for attending college for training will be communicated post-employment and sign-up.