Motor Vehicle Apprenticeships with Aston

aston motor vehicle apprenticeships

AUTOCARE TECHNICIAN
apprenticeship (L2) with Aston

Autocare Technician Level 2 End-Point Assessment Plan

Factsheet

L2 Standard

AUTOCARE TECHNICIAN

Carrying out a range of services and repairs to cars, car derived vans and light goods vehicles

Details of standard

  • Overview of the Role:

An Auto-care Technician carries out a range of services and repairs to cars, car derived vans and light goods vehicles, working in an Auto-care or “Fast-Fit” Centre, which may be part of a national chain or operated by a regional/local independent group/owner. An Auto-care Technician requires a unique combination of technical, retail and customer service skills. They will use a range of tools, measuring and diagnostic equipment to identify & repair simple system faults.

The Auto-care Technician has to demonstrate expertise not only in the technical elements of their role and have a good grasp of the practical and theoretical aspects of the vehicle systems they service, but also needs to have excellent telephone, 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. They must be able to work as part of a team but also operate independently, understand how their centre operates from a commercial perspective and how their actions contribute to business results, whilst maintaining a high standard of workmanship.

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

  • Programme Duration:

Typically it is expected that it will take 30 months for the apprentice to attain the required level of competence in the workplace although it may be sooner if an individual already has significant prior training and practical experience.

  • Entry Requirements:

Individual employers will set their own selection criteria for applicants. It is however recommended that candidates can demonstrate an interest in the occupation as well as an ability to work in an organised and methodical way to identify and solve problems; also demonstrate an ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

Apprentices without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level and take the test for level 2 prior to taking their apprenticeship end-point assessment.  For those with an education, health and care plan or legacy statement, the 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.

An Auto-care Technician will demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the following;

  • Tyre legislation and technical information including EU Tyre labelling, Tyre Pressure Monitoring systems, sidewall markings, homologated fitments relating to cars, car derived vans and light goods vehicles.
  • Fundamentals of specific vehicle systems including steering & suspension, braking systems, battery & charging systems, exhaust systems 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 manufacturers specifications or approved schedules, using vehicle specific data and meeting legal requirements
  • The importance of following work place procedures and the consequences of not doing so.

The competency to achieve the following skills in the workplace:

  • Contribute to maintaining a healthy and safe workplace, including the maintenance of 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 manufactures specifications or approved schedules, 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 language that is transparent and avoids 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 a range of 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 a range of 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 correct parts to meet specific customer requirements
  • Access vehicle technical data to inform inspections and make judgements on 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.

Required behaviours in the workplace:

  • Act in a manner that promotes the professional image of the automotive sector
  • Communicate effectively with colleagues and customers on a range of topics including drawing out information to support identification of customer and vehicle needs, making clear recommendations to customers and overcoming objections/concerns.
  • Behave in accordance with company values, industry codes of conduct and demonstrate respect for customers and colleagues. Be courteous at all times and respond quickly to requests/requirements using effective communication skills to win trust and ensure an excellent experience
  • Work as an effective team member taking responsibility for their own actions, being honest and accountable when issues arise and things don’t go as planned
  • Commit to learning to improve your own performance and that of the business. Work in an organised way to ensure work is carried out in an effective and efficient manner.

Qualification and Professional Membership

On completion of this Standard the Auto-care Technician will be eligible to apply for IMI membership as a Registered Young Professional or if they wish as an Associate Member. They would also gain entry onto the IMI Professional Register.

Standard Review: This apprenticeship should be reviewed after a maximum of 3 years

This apprenticeship is set at level 2

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MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN L3 (LIGHT VEHICLE) apprenticeship with Aston

Apprenticeship Assessment plan

Fact Sheet

Programme Infographic

Servicing and repairing light vehicles such as cars and vans, working on all the systems found in the vehicle

Details of standard

Occupational Profile

A motor vehicle service and maintenance technician services and repairs light vehicles such as cars and vans and works either in dealerships which focus on a particular manufacturer, or in an independent garage which deals with many different makes of vehicles.

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.

The Requirements – Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

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.

Duration

The apprenticeship typically takes three years.

Typical Entry Requirements

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.

Qualification

Before the 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.

Professional Recognition 

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).

Level

The apprenticeship standard is Level 3.

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