Motor Vehicle Maintanence And Body Repair

[Corish]

Hello everyone (Y)

I've applied for this because it sounds interesting ( also you get to take in your car and get mint stuff done to it (Y) ) But anyway, my question is, is there anyone here who is doing this course and would like to share anything with me, and tell me about it all, etc.

[Mark W]

A friend of mine from school was looking at doing this course. He checked out the course and it's requirements/curriculum at the various colleges near to us, but in the end decided he wanted to go for a slightly broader qualification so just stuck on to do sixth form at our school.

Basically, if you KNOW you want to do a job related to it then it's obviously a good idea. A vocational course like that will mean more to employers than "I've got _ _ _ _ at A-level" or Baccalaureate or whatever, simply because they'll know you're up to a certain ability/standard. It gives them a clearer idea, so simply you'll be more employable.

If you aren't 100% sure, you could always just do the standard A-levels/Bac. route.

From what he said of what he saw at the course though, if you're interested in it it'd be properly good.

[Corish]

A friend of mine from school was looking at doing this course.  He checked out the course and it's requirements/curriculum at the various colleges near to us, but in the end decided he wanted to go for a slightly broader qualification so just stuck on to do sixth form at our school. 

Basically, if you KNOW you want to do a job related to it then it's obviously a good idea.  A vocational course like that will mean more to employers than "I've got _ _ _ _ at A-level" or Baccalaureate or whatever, simply because they'll know you're up to a certain ability/standard.  It gives them a clearer idea, so simply you'll be more employable.

If you aren't 100% sure, you could always just do the standard A-levels/Bac. route.

From what he said of what he saw at the course though, if you're interested in it it'd be properly good.

←

I am interested in it, I serviced a car for my dad today, enjoyed it, I'm doing another tomorrow, and hopefully more after that, I'm earning money for it too so that an extra bonus, especially when I'm still at school, So I'm sure I will like it, also if it has something to do with kittin up a car / painting a car, I will love it.

Edited March 17, 2005 by Corish

[KoxXy]

Hi corish (Y) I'm a second year 'Light vehicle, Pre employment training' Student. You wanna know anything about it then don't hessitate to ask me

if you are doing the Course im on then your first year is a doddle, Althou it seems hard when you first start (if you havn't a clu about vehicle mechanics) My course was made up of three parts 1) Light vehicle (All vehicles up to the size of a luton van) 2) Motorcycle (self explanitory) 3) Body repair, respraying & valeting (self explan)

Your first year will bring you roughly up to speed with what you need to know to get a basic job in a garage and know the basics. You will do stuff such as,

Basics of saftey ( about how to correctly remove and disconnect batterys and prepair vehicles to be worked on etc etc)

Service 1's (oil change,air filter change, spark plugs blah blah blah)

remove and refit components

Motorcycle is basicaly the same stuff but applyed to bikes

Body work etc etc

Normaly all the basics, Dent removal, chasis straigtening, Body filling, welding, respraying, vehicle cleaning and valeting

Thats you practical work

If you course is like mine then it all has be be followed up by a hefty portfolio of theory based work to show you can also communicate and show your skills in theory as well as in the workshop. Theroy normaly is piss easy but can have stuff you havn't done so is somtimes abit of a pain.

second year

My second year is light vehicle onli, Its a much more indepth year and focuses on vehicles systems and advanced stuff compaired to level 1. Once you pass first year if you wish to come back for a second year you will find mechanics allot easier because vehicle mechanics isn't hard, fixing the problems isn't hard its being able to tell whats wrong with it in the first place that is the hard part.

Ummm this prob didn't help but hey i tryed.

Take care and good luck

What i've got to show for it

Certificates to prove i'm capable in just a few of the many area's ive got certificates for

:Valeting

:Tyre fittin

:Servicing

:Motorcycle repair

:Body work repair

:Repsraying

:Welding

Edited March 17, 2005 by KoxXy

[Mark W]

Just make sure you think about your future too though. Think about it more long term too, as in what career prospects there'd be (working your way up from just doing one-off jobs for your Dad/friends to working as a mechanic in a garage to working your way up the promotion ladder to being manager and so on). Make sure it's definitely what you want to go into and it'll be fine. Talk to your Dad about it if you haven't already.

I'm sort of in the same boat. I want to do a music degree at university, but because it's so specialized it might not mean anything to a lot of employers, but it might help me further along the line if I pursue becoming a music/bass tutor or something like that. It'll also give me a shitload of experience of playing, playing live and all that stuff, so in many ways it's similar to what will happen if you do the course. You'll gain a lot of knowledge about cars and related stuff in general, which can only be good if it's something you want to do later on in life.

If you're undecided, you could do the A-levels/etc. route just to give yourself a bit of a fall-back option, although most employers would be happy enough with a college course; the need for a qualification specific to your job isn't so important any more, unless it's for an uber specialized field. For example, people who do degrees can get certain jobs just 'cos a lot of people say the applicant must have completed a degree. It just means to employers that you're willing to stick with whatever course you're doing, and that you've got a level of aptitude of reading/writing/arithmetic and so on. It'll be the same if you do a college course; they'll know you're reliable 'cos you stuck with the course, and so on.

Just talk to people about it, check out college guide books/prospectus'ss's'ss's's's'ss. If you speak to the college, you could always sit in on a lesson and check it out and see if it's what you're looking for. I'm guessing that it's not all going to be fun and games and that there'll probably be some not-so-fun theory side of things as opposed to just purely practical, so bear in mind it won't all be a bed of roses. Try and get a realistic idea of what the course will entail.

Mark.

EDIT: Didn't see Koxxy's post, was writing this. Basically: What he said (Y)

Edited March 17, 2005 by Onzaboymark

[Corish]

Hi corish  (Y)  I'm a second year 'Light vehicle, Pre employment training' Student. You wanna know anything about it then don't hessitate to ask me

if you are doing the Course im on then your first year is a doddle, Althou it seems hard when you first start (if you havn't a clu about vehicle mechanics) My course was made up of three parts  1) Light vehicle (All vehicles up to the size of a luton van)    2) Motorcycle (self explanitory)  3) Body repair, respraying & valeting (self explan)

Your first yeah will bring you roughly up to speed with what you need to know to get a basic job in a garage and know the basics. You will do stuff such as,

Basics of saftey ( about how to correctly remove and disconnect batterys and prepair vehicles to be worked on etc etc)

Service 1's (oil change,air filter change, spark plugs blah blah blah)

remove and refit components

Motorcycle is basicaly the same stuff but applyed to bikes

Body work etc etc

Normaly all the basics, Dent removal, chasis straigtening, Body filling, welding, respraying, vehicle cleaning and valeting

Thats you practical work

If you course is like mine then it all has be be followed up by a hefty portfolio of theory based work to show you can also communicate and show your skills in theory as well as in the workshop. Theroy normaly is piss easy but can have stuff you havn't done so is somtimes abit of a pain.

second year

My second year is light vehicle onli, Its a much more indepth year and focuses on vehicles systems and advanced stuff compaired to level 1. Once you pass first year if you wish to come back for a second year you will find mechanics allot easier because vehicle mechanics isn't hard, fixing the problems isn't hard its being able to tell whats wrong with it in the first place that is the hard part.

Ummm this prob didn't help but hey i tryed.

Take care and good luck

What i've got to show for it

Certificates to prove i'm capable in just a few of the many area's ive got certificates for

:Valeting

:Tyre fittin

:Servicing

:Motorcycle repair

:Body work repair

:Repsraying

:Welding

←

Thanks for that, KoxXy. What grades did you get in your GCSE's? and what grades do you need to enter this course

Corish

[KoxXy]

Just make sure you think about your future too though.  Think about it more long term too, as in what career prospects there'd be (working your way up from just doing one-off jobs for your Dad/friends to working as a mechanic in a garage to working your way up the promotion ladder to being manager and so on).  Make sure it's definitely what you want to go into and it'll be fine.  Talk to your Dad about it if you haven't already. 

I'm sort of in the same boat.  I want to do a music degree at university, but because it's so specialized it might not mean anything to a lot of employers, but it might help me further along the line if I pursue becoming a music/bass tutor or something like that.  It'll also give me a shitload of experience of playing, playing live and all that stuff, so in many ways it's similar to what will happen if you do the course.  You'll gain a lot of knowledge about cars and related stuff in general, which can only be good if it's something you want to do later on in life. 

If you're undecided, you could do the A-levels/etc. route just to give yourself a bit of a fall-back option, although most employers would be happy enough with a college course; the need for a qualification specific to your job isn't so important any more, unless it's for an uber specialized field.  For example, people who do degrees can get certain jobs just 'cos a lot of people say the applicant must have completed a degree.  It just means to employers that you're willing to stick with whatever course you're doing, and that you've got a level of aptitude of reading/writing/arithmetic and so on.  It'll be the same if you do a college course; they'll know you're reliable 'cos you stuck with the course, and so on.

Just talk to people about it, check out college guide books/prospectus'ss's'ss's's's'ss.  If you speak to the college, you could always sit in on a lesson and check it out and see if it's what you're looking for.  I'm guessing that it's not all going to be fun and games and that there'll probably be some not-so-fun theory side of things as opposed to just purely practical, so bear in mind it won't all be a bed of roses.  Try and get a realistic idea of what the course will entail.

Mark.

EDIT:  Didn't see Koxxy's post, was writing this.  Basically:  What he said :)

←

Career prospects as it stands pretty much suck (Y) lol if you wanna be a spanner monkey all you life and earn f**k all then fine just go work in a garage and do MOT's or go work for quickfit or somthing

The money starts to come in when you are a Specialist or a tecnician.

Specialist - Sprayers , Welders , panel beaters or If you are a specialist on a certain make i.e BMW. If you want allot for being a specialist go work on commercial vehicles, My cossin is working at welham green mercades and he is a HGV mechanical tecnician and hes on £30,000 per year and is entitled to a company merc when ever he wants it.

Tecnician - you diagnose and rectify faults, Diff between these guys and normal spanner monkeys is spanner monkeys just fix it they don't fault diagnose which is a key part to mechanics these days althou all fault diagnosis is done mainly be computers now. Leading manufacturers used comps to do these as it gets them more money, LOTS OF MONEY just cause YOU HAVE TO have you car plugged into this comp to get it sorted out

GCSE Grades

Rather Shite (these are roughly what i got cause i cnt be bothered to check for sure)

English -DD

Maths - F

Science - EE

Geography - DG U

Drama - C

Tech - C

French - E

R.E - Banned from

I could spell FUDGE :P

Grades are overly the most important thing, If you have a good attitude and show willing. You have a great chance of gettin a place, Just go and show them that you want to do this and if you are like me and wear a baseball cap, Then take it off for the interview its always marked against you. Don't slouch when you sat there either cause they class that as being dis interested. Maintain good eye contact, obviously you don't need to stare the person out :P cause thats agressive but maintain the average 1-2 second eye contact every so offten to let the interview person know you listening. Overall just be happy and have a smile on you face when you in there (Y)

You don't need it but good luck, I hope it works out. If you want any more help then let me know

Edited March 17, 2005 by KoxXy

[trials_pimp]

Yo,

I done My City and Guilds 3830 Motor vehcile repair and service Levels 1 and 2 about 3 years ago.

Its a good cource, and I leart alot.

Now Im in the final Year of My ford Masters Level 1, and its set me up for a pretty good career.

What sort of work in the motor trade are you looking at doing?

Gerneral Mechanics, motor sport, recovery ect?

There are plenty of cources available.

I would recamend an Aprentership with a Main dealer if you can.

You will get paid (poorly at 1st though) and you will be sent on good cources, which are paid for by the company.

I would highly recamend you go out and buy "Fundamentals of motor vehicle technology" by V.A.W Hillier.

Its a very good book to learn from, and alot of colleges insist you have it.

[Corish]

Yo,

I done My City and Guilds 3830 Motor vehcile repair and service Levels 1 and 2 about 3 years ago.

Its a good cource, and I leart alot.

Now Im in the final Year of My ford Masters Level 1, and its set me up for a pretty good career.

What sort of work in the motor trade are you looking at doing?

Gerneral Mechanics, motor sport, recovery ect?

There are plenty of cources available.

I would recamend an Aprentership with a Main dealer if you can.

You will get paid (poorly at 1st though) and you will be sent on good cources, which are paid for by the company.

I would highly recamend you go out and buy "Fundamentals of motor vehicle technology" by V.A.W Hillier.

Its a very good book to learn from, and alot of colleges insist you have it.

←

Thankyou, very helpful, I thought you didnt have to pay at college?, or don't you? Also I will go out and buy that book if they accept me, and I might pick motorsport yet, depends what others they do.

Thanks for the replies so far...

corish