Motor vehicle

About careers in motor vehicle 

Our state-of-the-art facilities include hybrid vehicle diagnostic equipment and the latest vehicle lifts. We
have also been fortunate to receive donations of new vehicles from manufacturers including Hyundai, to offer students the chance to train on a range of engines.

Our teachers create an exciting and supportive environment for students - offering insights and tips from their careers in the motor vehicle industry.

This pathway includes the country’s only full-time programmes in classic vehicle restoration. These programmes have been designed in partnership with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs
to meet a growing skills gap in this lucrative industry. Students get access to a broad range of classic and historic vehicles, including visits to Bicester Heritage, a dedicated centre for classic vehicles and aviation.
On our classic vehicle programmes, students are given the opportunity to work on real-life restoration projects including a Swallow Sidecar.

What is a career pathway?

Education takes time and money. By giving you a clear view of what qualifications you need to get the job and the salary that you want, we take the stress out of learning.

Our career pathway maps show you the entry requirements for each qualification and how long they take to achieve. With each new qualification, you have the option to continue studying at the next level or explore your employment options with a guide to the jobs and salaries you can expect at that stage. Each step of the way, our career advisors are there to help you make the right choice for you.

By focusing on your future employability and opportunities, we hope to inspire in you the drive to succeed and make the most of your investment in education. 95% of students that completed a course with us progressed directly into employment or onto higher-level learning such as a higher-level course, apprenticeship or university study.*
*AL destination data for 16-19 year olds

While the right qualifications can get you a job interview, it’s the attributes that we teach alongside your chosen programme that will get you the job. Click here to find out more about our Attributes and Learning Philosophy.

What could my future job look like?

Here are some examples of the tasks that you may be carrying out:

• Mechanic: diagnose and repair faults in your clients' vehicles, working in a workshop, for example, or a car garage.
• Cycle technician: diagnose and repair faults in bicycles, using specialist skills.
• Parts technician: work in a vehicle service workshop or car dealership, identifying and using the correct part to repair any fault in customers' vehicles.
• Used-car dealer: market and sell second-hand vehicles to prospective clients from a workshop.

The motor vehicle industry

The motor vehicle industry keeps everybody moving. Specialist skills are needed by private individuals
and industries such as public transport, HGV, retail delivery, breakdown recovery, emergency services and motorsports.

With some 186,000 people employed directly in manufacturing, and over 856,000 across the wider automotive 
industry, the sector accounts for nearly 13% of total UK export of goods; investing £4 billion each year in automotive research and development.

More than 30 manufacturers build in excess of 70 models of vehicle in the UK - supported by 2,500 component
providers and some of the world’s most skilled engineers.

search motor vehicle programmes

Industry partnerships

We work with ATG training, the UK's largest provider of cycle apprenticeships, to provide cycle maintenance apprenticeships. These are an ideal opportunity for anyone planning a career as a professional bike mechanic.

Our classic vehicle apprenticeships are developed and delivered working in partnership with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs and with Bicester Heritage. Motor vehicle programmes are developed in partnership with BMW MINI.