Automotive careers are all about the world of motoring and vehicles. Here are some genius ways for young people to get started, with insights from School of Thought.
Panel Technician
A Panel Technician will repair and replace damaged panels. This can often be a minor scratch or a dent, and different materials are used in the process. Larger impact damage caused through accidents can result in more sophisticated repair techniques.
Other techniques include riveting or bonding panels as well as welding/soldering. This role is all about helping reinstate the vehicle in a safe way, along with the rest of the team.
The Technician will work from instructions and methods to repair the vehicle correctly and will use different equipment and techniques to achieve this such as cutting, heating and sanding equipment as well as jigs and pulling equipment.
Paint Technician
The Paint Technician can be involved with preparing the vehicle for painting – but this can also be a separate role, commonly known as a “Prepper”.
Once the vehicle has been through the panel process, it’s ready to paint. The Technician will use different materials depending on the model of the vehicle (some of these materials are called base coat, clear coat, topcoat or lacquer).
Painting is carried out in a fully extracted spray booth wearing personal protection equipment. A high volume, low pressure spray gun is used to get a good quality finish. A Paint Technician will also mix paint using scales and a computer, as well as clean spray guns after use.
Vehicle Technician
The career role of Vehicle Technician includes mechanical technicians, often known as Mechanical & Electrical Trim (MET). In this role the responsibility varies depending on the type of place you work. It includes removing damaged parts so that repairs can take place safely and refitting them later.
MET Technicians will get involved with wheel alignment, air conditioning, diagnostics, electrical faults and calibration. This role is highly technical, particularly with modern and electric & hybrid vehicles.
An important life and work skill for this job is problem solving. You may use hand tools in this role, but you will also use technical equipment to help diagnose problems and reinstate the vehicle to its pre-accident state.
Other roles include Light vehicle and HGV technicians – and you could also work in auto glazing.
Customer Service
Customer Service roles vary in the automotive industry! They can be a meet and greet role offering refreshments and ensuring that customers & visitors are looked after. You’ll also find roles called Service Advisors, Receptionists and Customer Service Assistants (CSAs).
The CSA roles can be Customer facing in a sales or repair facility, or they be in a contact centre answering calls and emails. The main thing is they work with customers – Internal and External. They make sure that communication is maintained and that they deliver excellent customer service in whatever role they do.
In a service/repair facility, CSAs will book customers in, provide updates with progress on their repair, organise courtesy vehicles and also keep work providers updated with any issues.
Vehicle Damage Assessor
An Estimator (now commonly known as a Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) can be the first person that will look at a vehicle which needs repairing. They will inspect the vehicle for accident damage and non-related damage.
‘Damage’ can mean lots of things from a VDA’s point of view. It can be a simple scratch or a dent, all the way through to major structural and mechanical damage. A VDA will use a computer system which helps create an assessment and will also produce instructions (methods) which allow the vehicle to be repaired safely and correctly. An assessment includes an estimated timeline for repair, cost and parts required.
Being a VDA involves taking images, recording information, using computers and also communicating with customers, insurance engineers and the repair team.
An Engineer is someone based at the work providers e.g., the Insurance company. The Engineer knows how to do the VDA role but will also check what the VDA has recorded and whether this is the best and most cost-effective repair method for everyone involved.
Sales roles
This role can include the sale of cars, vans and other commercial vehicles. Other roles include selling parts, paint and other products, equipment and anything else needed to keep vehicles on the road. This type of role can be done over the phone, face to face, on social media and also at exhibitions and events.
Skills for this type of job include the ability to communicate at all levels, explain functions and benefits of what you are selling, negotiate and close the sale. There will also be an amount of administration and customer service required.
