Job profiles

Vehicle technician and MOT tester

Servicing, diagnosing and repairing vehicles. Skilled, portable and increasingly electric.

Also called: Mechanic, motor vehicle technician, HGV fitter

What it pays

£28,000 to £42,000 a year, more with MOT and electric vehicle qualifications. Main dealer bonus schemes can add several thousand.

The hours

40 to 45 hours, some Saturday mornings.

How you get in

  • Level 2 then Level 3 in Light Vehicle Maintenance, usually via apprenticeship
  • MOT tester requires Level 3 and an IMI approved course
  • EV qualification (IMI Level 3 or 4) is where the money is going

The tickets and qualifications employers ask for

Level 3 Light or Heavy Vehicle MOT tester certificate IMI EV levels 2 to 4 Air conditioning (F Gas)

What you should not be paying for

Apprenticeships are paid. Employers often fund MOT and EV courses because they need the capability on site.

What people like about it

  • A trade that transfers to any town
  • Electric work is short of qualified people
  • Diagnostics is genuinely interesting

What is genuinely hard

  • Bonus schemes can make pay unpredictable
  • Physical wear over a career
  • Tool costs, which are usually yours

Where it leads

  • Master technician
  • Diagnostic technician
  • Workshop controller
  • Service manager or your own garage

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