Autocare Technician - Intermediate Apprenticeship (Level 2)

• Autocare technician
• Automotive mechanic technician
• Autotrade mechanic
• Motor vehicle technician
• Vehicle technician

Autocare technicians work in the automotive industry. Workplaces include autocare or fast fit centres. Centres may be part of a national chain or operated by a regional or local, independent group or owner. Autocare technicians are able to work as part of a team but also independently. They have strong problem-solving skills. An autocare technician contributes to their centres' commercial operations, impact on the business, and maintain a high standard of services.

The broad purpose of the occupation of an auto-care technician requires a unique combination of technical, retail and customer service skills. They carry out inspections of cars, car derived vans and light goods vehicles including electric or hydrogen powered vehicles for basic routine maintenance. They carry out a range of services and repairs. Autocare technicians inspect, remove and replace components on various vehicle systems. They are responsible for contributing to the maintenance of stock levels and replenishment activities when stock deliveries are received. They use a range of specialist tools, measuring instruments and diagnostic equipment.

They have strong communication skills and use these with internal and external colleagues, and with customers when they are completing activities, such as identifying customer and vehicle needs, presenting solutions, completing payment transactions, handling customer disappointment and resolving low level customer complaints. 

An employee as an autocare technician must comply with environmental and health and safety regulations and procedures. They must use the appropriate personal protective equipment. They take responsibility for their own work and the quality of workmanship. They must organise their work, meeting deadlines and scheduling tasks appropriately.

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 goodsvehicles.
• Fundamentalsofspecificvehiclesystemsincludingsteering&suspension,brakingsystems,battery& charging systems, exhaust systems and Air-Conditioningsystems
• Vehicle 4-wheel geometryprinciples
• Basic consumer legislation relevant to theoccupation
• Appropriate Health & Safety legislation and requirements for theworkplace
• Hybrid/Electric Vehicle system and safe workingprocedures
• Data protection requirements to protect customer and paymentinformation
• General sales principles including, identifying customer & vehicle needs, presenting solutions, closing the sale and dealing with buyingresistance
• 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 doingso.

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 generalhousekeeping
• 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 companyprocedures
• Carry out vehicle safety inspections and routine maintenance in line with manufactures specifications or approved schedules, company procedures and complete approveddocumentation.
• 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 avoidsjargon.
• 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 andtypes
• 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-Conditioningsystems
• Carry out 4-wheel Geometry operations including adjustments on a range of vehicles with different suspension and steeringsystems
• Use a range of specialist tools & equipment, mechanical & electrical measuring tools and diagnostic equipment to support fault identification andrepair.
• Identify & procure correct parts to meet specific customerrequirements
• Access vehicle technical data to inform inspections and make judgements on wear andserviceability.
• Deal with and resolve low-level customercomplaints
• 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 automotivesector
• 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 overcomingobjections/concerns.
• Behave in accordance with company values, industry codes of conduct and demonstrate respect for customersandcolleagues.Becourteousatalltimesandrespondquicklytorequests/requirementsusing effective communication skills to win trust and ensure an excellentexperience
• Work as an effective team member taking responsibility for their own actions, being honestand accountable when issues arise and things don’t go asplanned
• 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 efficientmanner.

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

• Level 3 qualification for F-Gas handler for air-conditioning in motor vehicles in accordance with (EU) 517/2014 regulations (or an equivalent qualification that a European Union (EU) member state recognises) (Level 3)
• Level 2 qualification for safe isolation of electric and hybrid vehicles (Level 2)