Motor Mechanic

Typical Salary

£18,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

38 to 45 a week

evenings / weekends flexibly

How To Become a Motor Mechanic

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship

College / University

You could take a college course before applying for work as a trainee with a garage.

Level 2 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair
Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Technology

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can complete an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship as a motor vehicle service and maintenance technician.

Army

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
problem-solving skills
the ability to use your initiative
persistence and determination
the ability to work well with others
knowledge of engineering science and technology
customer service skills
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

As a motor mechanic, you'll:

talk to customers about their vehicle's problems
find and diagnose faults using hand tools or a computer
advise customers on what repairs are needed
estimate time and costs for jobs
repair and replace faulty parts
road test vehicles to check repairs
carry out scheduled servicing and maintenance
fit accessories like stereos and alarms
check stock levels and parts
update vehicle service records

Working Environment

You could work at a garage.

Your working environment may be noisy and dirty.

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a senior technician, workshop supervisor or garage manager.

You could work as a breakdown engineer or MOT tester, or specialise in a particular area like motorsport engineering.

You could also work on electric and hybrid cars or specialise in tuning and modifying vehicles for higher performance.

You could also set up your own business.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

It will help if you have enthusiasm for the motor industry and repairing cars. A knowledge of different makes and models can also be useful.

Further information

You can find more details about working and training as a mechanic from Autocity.

Restrictions & Requirements

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.