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Motor mechanic

Motor mechanics repair and service cars and vans.

Annual Salary

£18,000 to £35,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

38 to 45 a week

You could work: evenings / weekends; flexibly

4.1%
Future employment

There will be 4.1% fewer Motor mechanic jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a motor mechanic, you could:

  • find and diagnose faults using hand tools or a computer
  • advise customers on what repairs are needed, including cost
  • repair or replace faulty parts and carry out regular maintenance
  • test vehicles on the road to check repairs
  • check stock levels and update vehicle service records
  • work with high voltage batteries if you work on hybrid or electric vehicles

Working environment

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

You could work at a garage.

Your working environment may be noisy, dirty and physically active.

You can get into this job through a college course or an apprenticeship.

College

You could take a college course before applying for a trainee motor mechanic role with a garage.

Relevant courses include:

  • Level 2 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Competence
  • Level 3 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance
  • T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

You could specialise in hybrid and electrical vehicles by doing a course like:

  • Level 3 Diploma in Auto-Electrical and Mobile Electrical Operations
  • Level 3 Award in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and Replacement

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • funding advice|https://www.gov.uk/further-education-courses/financial-help
  • guide to T Levels|https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
  • search for courses|/find-a-course
Apprenticeship

You could do an advanced motor vehicle service and maintenance technician apprenticeship.

This will usually take 2 to 3 years. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time at a college or training provider.

You could also train as a vehicle mechanic in the British Army.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
  • Army apprenticeships|https://jobs.army.mod.uk/regular-army/what-you-get/apprenticeships-skills/

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

More information

Career tips

It will help if you are interested in the motor industry and enjoy fixing cars. It can also be useful to have a knowledge of different makes and models.

Further information

You can find out more about working and training as a mechanic from Autocity.

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With experience, you could:become a senior technician, workshop supervisor, garage manager or MOT tester; become a motor vehicle breakdown engineer, or specialise in an area such as motorsport engineering; work on electric and hybrid cars or specialise in modifying vehicles; set up your own business, train apprentices or become a further education teacher

You can find more details about working and training as a mechanic from Autocity.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • problem-solving skills
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
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