Career Advice for an Automotive Specialty Technician

Working as an Automotive Specialty Technician, you will be responsible for diagnosing vehicle issues and providing maintenance and repair services. You might work on cars or light trucks and similar vehicles.

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How to Become an Automotive Specialty Technician

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become an Automotive Specialty Technician

Should you wish to work as an Automotive Specialty Technician you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for an Automotive Specialty Technician

  • Experience of heavy-lifting equipment.
  • At least two GCSEs.
  • Professional training or an apprenticeship in your technical specialty.
  • Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Technology
  • Level 2 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Competence
  • T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

Key Responsibilities for an Automotive Specialty Technician

  • Repairing and maintaining the system or components of your specialty.
  • Examining vehicles and providing clients with repair cost estimates and repair times.
  • Rebuilding and testing vehicle parts and systems.
  • Overhauling systems such as brakes, clutches, fuel injectors, condensers, and compressors.
  • Using specialist testing equipment to identify errors.
  • Using equipment such as automatic lifts.

What to expect as an Automotive Specialty Technician

As an Automotive Specialty Technician, you will work in a garage, service centre, or workshop. You will need to be physically fit, have good hand-eye coordination, and leverage your problem-solving, communication, and team working skills.

Recommended Automotive Specialty Technician Jobs

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How to get Automotive Specialty Technician Jobs

Our advice on how to get an Automotive Specialty Technician job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete an Automotive Specialty Technician application. If you have not held an Automotive Specialty Technician position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held an Automotive Specialty Technician role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Automotive Specialty Technician CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Automotive Specialty Technician application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become an Automotive Specialty Technician in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become an Automotive Specialty Technician 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be an Automotive Specialty Technician and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Automotive Specialty Technician experience.

How to get Automotive Specialty Technician Experience

What does it take to be an Automotive Specialty Technician? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Automotive Specialty Technician jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Automotive Specialty Technician through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be an Automotive Specialty Technician Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Automotive Specialty Technician part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Automotive Specialty Technician or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Automotive Specialty Technician freelance work

If you have impressive Automotive Specialty Technician qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.