Get motoring with a career in mechanics

A good route to becoming a specialist Heavy Goods Vehicle mechanic is to train as a motor mechanic firstly and then specialise in that area.

Motor mechanics repair and service cars, vans, motorbikes, lorries, buses and coaches.

The salary begins at £18,000, riding up to £35,000 per year.

Your hours will be around 38 to 45 per week.

There are no set entry requirements but it may help if you have GCSEs (or equivalent) in maths and English.

You could do on-the job-training with one day a week in college, or a college course with one day a week on placement.

You could also take a full-time college course.

You could get into this job through an apprenticeship.

You’ll need: • Customer service skills The ability to accurately follow written and spoken instructions Strong practical and problemsolving skills The ability to quickly grasp new vehicle technologies You may work for garages, manufacturers’ service centres, freight, transport and construction companies, fast-fit outlets and car dealerships. You may specialise in one particular make of vehicle.

Your day-to-day tasks may include: • Finding faults, often using computer diagnostic equipment • Telling customers if repairs are needed and whether they’re urgent • Working out the estimated time

and cost for jobs • Checking stock levels and

ordering parts • Carrying out standard servicing,

repairs and maintenance • Road testing vehicles to check

repairs • Fitting and servicing • • • accessories like stereos and alarms • Keeping records

You’ll usually work between 38 and 45 hours a week, Monday to SWaturday.

You may have to work shifts or work late to finish a job. Some heavy vehicle garages, like bus depots, only service vehicles at night.

If your employer deals with breakdowns, you may be on call and have to travel long distances.

You’ll need a driving licence for the types of vehicle you’ll be working with.

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.

Mechanical mind

You can specialise in becoming an HGV mechanic