Apprenticeships - Motor Vehicle | Blackpool and The Fylde College

On the Road to Success

As a Motor Vehicle Apprentice, you’ll learn your trade by observing qualified technicians in their work while they service vehicles and repair, overhaul or replace damage parts. At first, you’ll be expected to help out around the workshop by replacing tools and keeping floors and working areas clean, tidy and free of oil and grease.

You’ll carry out basic jobs such as oil changes under supervision, but as you progress you’ll soon move on to more complex tasks. Today’s motor vehicles are full of hi-tech systems, so expect to spend as much time studying computerised read outs and learning how to understand them as you do getting your hands dirty in the engine bay.

If you choose to work in a body shop, you’ll learn about paint repair techniques, colour matching, removing and repairing body panels… then replacing them so you’d never guess they’d been damaged in the first place.

There are dozens of motor vehicle businesses on The Fylde coast alone, from small independent workshops to franchised chains and dealerships. And if you to add to your qualifications with a Foundation Degree, you could find yourself working with the College’s Formula Renault race team or even following in the footsteps of one ex-student, who is now part of the McLaren F1 pit crew!

Meet the Apprentice

Liz Taylor, Age 20

Liz combined her Levels 2 and 3 Vehicle Body and Paint Operations NVQ with her job in Fleetwood Car’s Bodyshop. She chose an Apprenticeship because it meant she could add to her skills and get valuable work experience at the same time.

What’s the best thing about her Apprenticeship? “The satisfaction of a job well done. To see something finished and good as new and being able to say: ‘I did that!’ Nothing beats it.” Liz’s advice for anyone considering an Apprenticeship is to be prepared to work hard and show commitment.

“You get out what you put in. As a woman in a man’s world, I’ve had a few remarks but if you’re confident and can prove yourself, you’ll get the respect. I’m treated like an adult here and I’m given a lot of responsibility. It teaches you how to be self-reliant and really makes you grow up fast.”

Liz’s ambition now is to return to College as a teacher and pass on her skills to the next generation of Apprentices.

Meet the Boss

Steve Abbott, Managing Director, Fleetwood Car Centre

Fleetwood Car Centre has taken Apprentices from the very earliest days and Managing Director Steve is in no doubt about the value Apprenticeships bring to his business:

“It’s a chance to train someone up and get them used to working your way. We teach them the basics and make sure they understand the demands of a full-time job, timekeeping, teamwork… that sort of thing. They learn at a pace that suits them, and only move on to the next stage when they’re ready.

“Everybody in the industry has an obligation to help train the next generation. They’re the future of the business, after all. In fact, several of our senior managers began their careers here as Apprentices and have stayed ever since!”