Motor Vehicle (Light) Apprenticeship

The Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician (Light Vehicle) Advanced Apprenticeship will provide you with a specialist set of skills, knowledge and behaviours required to work competently as a technician in the automotive industry.

A motor vehicle technician services and repairs light vehicles such as cars and vans and works either in dealerships that focus on a particular manufacturer, or for an independent garage that deals with many different makes of vehicles. To do well, technicians will have an interest in motor vehicles as well as a capacity for mechanical reasoning, good spatial awareness and customer service skills.

View our apprenticeship vacancies

As an advanced apprentice, you will inspect, service and repair light vehicles, working on all the systems found in the vehicle. You will develop a combination of the technical and professional skills required for working as a first-rate technician in the automotive sector. This will include:

• Routine servicing and inspection
• Delivering a high-quality customer experience
• Testing the function of repaired and fitted components
• Interpreting diagnostic information
• Solving complex faults with the use of diagnostic methods and equipment
• Construction and operation of advanced electrical, braking and suspension systems, engine and transmission systems and engine
  and gear calculations
• Maintaining effective and safe working practices
• Understanding how the workshop and the dealership/garage functions from a commercial perspective, and identifying ways in which they can work more efficiently

You will be expected to work independently and take responsibility for the outcomes of your work, with support from your employer and City College as the training provider.

On successful completion of this apprenticeship standard you can apply for the appropriate level of professional registration (EngTech).

Note: Before the standard is met, there is a requirement for you to achieve your F-Gas certificate. This is not something we deliver on-site at City College, so will have to be done off-site and would be at an additional cost to your employer. You will also have a logbook that will be completed alongside your apprenticeship.

More detailed information can be found on the apprenticeship standard website (new window).

As an apprentice, you can expect to undertake work-based learning with an employer who will pay you a wage. Throughout the duration of your apprenticeship, you will attend college for one day per week.

The rest of your training will take place in-house at your workplace by your employer and a qualified assessor who will visit you on-site who will complete assessments and progress reviews.

In order to complete the apprenticeship, you will undertake an End Point Assessment. It measures the knowledge, skills and behaviours each apprentice has developed and will include an online knowledge test, a skills test, and a professional discussion. This part of the apprenticeship is employer-led, so it will be your employer who decides if you are ready to undertake your End Point Assessment.

Learn in our large purpose built motor vehicle workshop equipped with the latest diagnostic testing and repair facilities. We have industry expert tutors who will be on hand to teach and guide you through and answer any questions you may have.

Candidates will typically have 4 GCSEs at grades 4/C or above (or level 2 functional skills) including English and maths.  You will need to provide evidence of this prior to starting your apprenticeship.  Under exceptional circumstances, candidates who haven’t quite achieved these grades in English and/or Maths may be considered after an assessment, interview and agreement to achieve this level prior to taking their End Point Assessment (EPA).

To start an apprenticeship you will need an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice. If you already have an employer please contact us. If you don't have an employer already, view our current apprenticeship vacancies.

You will be required to attend a College interview prior to enrolling onto an apprenticeship.

You must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

Possible careers

• Light vehicle Diagnostic Technician
• Motorcycle Diagnostic Technician
• Auto Electrical Diagnostic Technician
• Mobile Electrical Installation Diagnostic Technician

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

Information for Employers

Each apprenticeship needs to include 20% off-the-job training. This must amount to 20% of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship. Off-the-job training is learning undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship. Off the Job Training should also be relevant to the knowledge, skills and behaviours detailed in the standard.

End Point Assessment

Each apprentice will need to undertake an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship.  It measures the knowledge, skills and behaviours each apprentice has developed. 

An apprentice can only take this assessment once all other aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed.  An apprentice needs to be completely ready to take this assessment and the employer and assessor will decide when the time is right.  A declaration will be signed by both the employer, apprentice and assessor.  If the apprentice fails the assessment, then there will be a re-sit charge, which is generally paid by the employer.

The EPA Consists of 3 discrete assessment methods:

1. Online knowledge test – two sections to complete

2. Skills test – completed over two consecutive days

3. Professional discussion