What’s A Kwik Fit Autocare Technician Apprenticeship Like?

The Level 2 Autocare Technician Apprenticeship is a tried and tested route to a rewarding career with Kwik Fit. Just ask our Centre Managers - roughly half of them came through our apprenticeship programme, as did our Retail Operations Director (one of the top jobs at Kwik Fit). We’re a very apprentice-friendly business, and we’re always looking for new apprentices to join us. 

In this blog post, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about our apprenticeship programme so you can see if it might be for you.

Is it hard to get on an automotive apprenticeship?

The accessibility of our apprenticeship programme is one of the main reasons that apprentices join Kwik Fit. Our training academies make it simple. We’re the only automotive company in the UK with its own network of training academies (most companies send their apprentices for training at colleges), meaning that we can easily tailor training to the strengths and weaknesses you show in centre. It means you don’t have to be anywhere near the finished article when you join us. 

Of course, we can only train people who want to learn. That’s why enthusiasm is one of the most important things we look for when choosing apprentices. You still need maths and English GCSEs at grade 1 or above, but your desire to learn and develop your career is just as important. Our tutor can help you get your maths and English up to scratch (it’s nothing like school), so exam results needn’t be a barrier to employment here. 

You don’t have to be a school leaver, either. Our apprentices have all sorts of backstories. Some started careers in different industries, others started university before realising it wasn’t for them, some even started other apprenticeships before switching to ours. Some grew up tinkering with motorbike engines, others don’t know a locking wheel nut from a dry roasted peanut - but by the end of the apprenticeship programme, all are equally equipped for success.

What's day-to-day life as an apprentice like?

After a couple of weeks’ induction, your apprenticeship starts for real with your first day in centre. That’s where you’ll spend most of your time on the apprenticeship, and is usually where you’ll continue your career once you graduate. You’ll be placed at a centre with colleagues who are used to supporting apprentices; they will expect you to ask lots of questions and get things wrong at first. 

It’s normal for apprentices to be shy in the early stages of their apprenticeship. Going into an environment with a well-established team of experts, with their own banter and way of working, is intimidating for anyone. But it’s usually just a matter of time before apprentices are part of the furniture in the centre; many find that building relationships with colleagues helps this process along. 

Learning also helps you to settle in. It takes place at your centre and training academies. As a rule, you learn new skills at the training academy and put them into practice at the centre, with support from colleagues. Our most successful apprentices take charge of their learning by shadowing their colleagues - whether that’s Service Technicians, MOT Testers, or Regional and Area Managers. This kind of proactive approach can really speed up your career progression.

How am I supported as an automotive apprentice?

Your first line of support on an automotive technician apprenticeship is your auto centre team. You’re with them pretty much every day on the programme, so it’s only natural that you’ll feel a close bond with them. They support your learning and generally look out for you, and you can ask them anything you need to know about work. 

Another line of support is the apprenticeship team. That’s your Coach and Apprentice Reviewer, among others. They check how you’re doing with your learning modules (brakes, suspension, air conditioning, etc), your written assignments, and your wellbeing generally. They also help you with your career choices. Coaches and Reviewers make sure they are available as much as possible, so that apprentices can always get hold of them when they need to - whether it’s about something at work or outside of it. 

Workplace benefits can also be used for support. Kwik Fit apprentices get full access to an Employee Assistance Programme as part of their workplace benefits, which offers professional mental health support, financial advice and guidance on family issues. There are also Mental Health First Aiders if you need to talk to someone about something that’s getting you down, or something more serious. 

From support to training and benefits, we’re always tweaking what we do to create an environment where apprentices can go far. Plus, having ex-apprentices in some of the top jobs at Kwik Fit means that we’re shaped by people who know how it feels to be new at a centre at the start of two years’ intensive learning. We’ve got plenty of experience in helping people thrive in that situation - the future of our business depends on it! 

Find a Level 2 Autocare Technician Apprenticeship near you today.