Apprentice Vehicle Bodyshop Technician

ENGINEERINGUK; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Vehicle Bodyshop Technician Apprentice, where you'll gain hands-on experience in repairing vehicles. This exciting opportunity allows you to work closely with skilled mentors while learning essential techniques in vehicle repair, from body alignment to welding. With a structured training program and a supportive environment, you'll be equipped with the skills needed to excel in the automotive industry. Enjoy a competitive pay structure that rewards your progress and a range of benefits that enhance your work-life balance. Embark on a fulfilling career path in a dynamic field!

Benefits

Partnership discount in store and online

Discounted cinema tickets

Discounted rates on holidays

Excellent work-life balance

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• GCSE in English and Maths required.
• Interest in the vehicle industry is essential.

Responsibilities

• Repair vehicles involved in collisions to meet quality standards.
• Maintain tools and equipment safely and cleanly.

Skills

English and Maths GCSE Grade C or Level 4

Interest in the commercial vehicle industry

Education

GCSE in English

GCSE in Maths

Job description

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About the role

Do you have a passion for vehicles and want to understand how to maintain and repair them? This is an excellent opportunity to work as part of a highly skilled workforce that is committed to quality. You will train as a qualified Vehicle Bodyshop Technician in the understanding on how to repair vehicles that have been involved in a collision or other incidents. This will also include making sure that the finish is to the Partnership's standards.

At a glance

This role is based at our Vehicle Workshop at Waitrose Distribution Centre in Bracknell, Berkshire.

This is a permanent position and the starting pay rate for this role is £12.45 per hour. For the first year of your apprenticeship you will be working Monday to Friday, 8am - 4:00pm. From year 2 onwards, you will be required to work flexibly across all shifts to gain a greater understanding of the operation.

We are currently recruiting for candidates to start in August 2025.

Pay rate breakdown

Starting Pay Rate - £12.45 per hour

On passing year 1 exams - £12.80 per hour

On passing year 2 exams - £13.50 per hour

On completing the Apprenticeship - £16.15 per hour

About the role

The aim of this programme is to equip our Apprentices with the skills and knowledge to competently repair all elements of our fleet of vehicles. These range from small damage through to heavily impacted types of damage, requiring complex and detailed repair or replacement of major structural elements of the vehicle. You will work closely with mentors and supervisors to learn all aspects of body repair, including refitting body panels and trims, welding and body alignment. You will be responsible for maintaining the company tools and equipment making sure they are safe and in clean, workable condition adhering to health and safety regulations.

For more information about the role, please see the attached job outline.

Apprenticeship Training

Training is delivered both in the workplace (on the job) and via 7 week-long training blocks per year at S&B's specialist Automotive Academy in Bristol (off the job). Apprentices will be required to travel via train to S&B's Academy whilst on training blocks, and stay in hotel accommodation. All costs for travel, accommodation and meals are paid for by the Partnership.

You will be assigned a workplace and a college mentor who will offer support, advice and guidance throughout the apprenticeship, by monitoring progress via S&Bs purposely developed electronic logbook, that can be accessed at any time.

Apprentices take a Gateway Assessment at the end of every year to progress until the completion of the End Point Assessment.

The Apprenticeship is expected to take 3 years, and once you have completed, you will be awarded with a Vehicle Damage Panel Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship.

Once you've successfully completed the apprenticeship, you will move to being a fully qualified Technician within the Workshop. This will mean your shifts will change to match those of the Workshop, and could involve you being placed on any of our 3 shifts.

Essential skills you'll need

• English and Maths GCSE Grade C or Level 4
  
• A proven interest in the commercial vehicle/vehicle industry
  

We believe in rewarding our Partners for their time and energy. After all, they're the ones that make the John Lewis Partnership special. Benefits include:

• Once you've been with us for three months, you'll get Partnership discount in store and online. That's 25% off in John Lewis & Partners (12% electrical products, some exclusions apply) and 20% in Waitrose & Partners. You'll also be able to nominate someone you live with to share your discount.
  
• Discounted cinema tickets & VIP suites with discounted tickets at the O2 arena
  
• Discounted rates on holidays at the John Lewis Partnerships hotels, where only Partners and their guests can stay
  
• Excellent work life balance, including focus on well being and flexible working and our marketing leading equal parenthood leave Policy
  

And much more! Find out more about our benefits here: https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/benefits/

About The Partnership

We're the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We're not just employees, we're Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there's never been a more exciting time to join us.

We're ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we're free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It's important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you'll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.

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