GFIE-482- DVSA Apprentice MOT Tester/HGV Mechanic - Leicester

This role at The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is available to people who served in the Armed Forces, or are in their resettlement period and due to leave the Armed Forces within a reasonable time frame, or Military Spouse/Partner: Your current partner must still be serving or was discharged within the last 12 months. We want you to join us, learn new skills and bring your experience to our organisation. We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference, and we want to ensure that all our staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to do so.

As part of your employment, you will have access to a range of learning and development, and a buddy who can help you to understand the Civil Service and enable you to make the most of the opportunities it offers. DVSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Transport. We carry out driving tests, approve people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carry out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive, carry out roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitor vehicle recalls.

About the job

Role Purpose

• Gain experience repairing and maintaining heavy goods vehicles in a work placement.
• Attend college to gain qualifications in heavy goods vehicle repair and maintenance.
• Work flexibly to provide high quality, inclusive, customer focused services which are value for money within the Approved Testing Facility (ATF) network.
• Assess the condition of a variety of classes of vehicles against the statutory standards on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport.

Main Duties

• Deliver testing services in the most effective way in the testing network.
• Learn to and gain experience conducting statutory annual test inspections and voluntary initiative inspections for all classes of vehicles.
• Learn to and gain experience recording test information within DVSA’s IT systems and issue documentation.
• Learn to and gain experience issuing, removing and varying prohibition notices affecting the safe and continued use of vehicles presented for testing.
• Learn to and guide customers to where they can access relevant information.
• Where necessary, explain information to customers to improve understanding and enable effective use of DVSA services.
• Perform testing support duties.
• Provide feedback to your manager regarding any matters that may impact flexibility, quality or cost of service delivery.
• Attend third party workshops and authorised testing facilities, as required.

Ensure High Standards of Service Delivery

• Ensure that DVSA's operating instructions, processes and testing policies are being followed, reviewed and complied with by all parties.
• Check that ATFs provide testing equipment that is calibrated and fit for purpose.

Health & Safety and Inclusive Culture

• Raise awareness of Health and Safety (H&S) issues and non‑compliance to ATF management, DVSA and third party workshops via appropriate channels.
• Assure compliance with Health and Safety standards (for example ensuring locations and people meet acceptable standards on a daily basis).
• Take responsibility for the H&S of yourself and others, whilst undertaking work duties, e.g. travelling, working at testing sites.
• Escalate potential unsafe practices and act immediately on breaches of Health and Safety procedures.
• Promote inclusive working with colleagues and customers.
• Escalate cases of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace (including third parties) following the correct reporting procedures.

Partnering Relationships

• Foster, maintain and uphold professional and productive working relationships.
• Present a professional image to customers, being customer focused, adhering to the Civil Service Code, applying sound judgment, diffusing hostility and escalating issues when necessary.

Collaboration and Learning

• Work collaboratively with DVSA and workshop mentors to ensure training objectives are being met.
• Seek support when needed.
• Proactively contribute to the work of the whole team to meet DVSA business objectives.
• Advise and support colleagues, either one‑to‑one or via telephone, email, MS Teams etc.
• Work collaboratively with other stakeholders providing services for DVSA.
• Embrace change initiatives, feeding back ideas to improve working practices of self and others.
• Execute own responsibilities effectively and in line with DVSA policies and processes, ensuring that daily tasks and activities are delivered against agreed objectives.

Personal Development / Apprenticeship

• Attend college to attain a Level 3 automotive qualification. This will consist of blocks away from your base at a central training facility.
• Heavy vehicle service and maintenance technician / Skills England – applicants will need to be at least 18 and meet apprenticeship eligibility criteria.

Knowledge, Competencies and Skills

• Attend work placement to gain experience and evidence towards the Level 3 qualification.
• Attend in‑house training courses to develop skills and competencies to carry out job role.
• Drive your own continuous professional development and learning, by maintaining or increasing knowledge and skills of yourself and others. This includes specifically in the engineering field as well as acquiring and maintaining relevant accreditations.
• Participation in network team meetings.
• Participation in 121 meetings with your Technical Team Leader to work on personal and team development.
• Keep up to date with procedural, technical and IT developments relating to the job role (such as relevant legislation and DVSA policy).
• Actively research information through the guidance and procedures available when faced with queries, before requesting advice and answers from others.
• Participate in training to develop skills, knowledge and service standards.
• Seek and act upon feedback from colleagues across DVSA.

Compliance, Safety and Security

• Ensure adherence with DVSA’s mandatory training and policies e.g. IT, data and information handling policies (GDPR), H&S of self and colleagues.
• Ensure you have the necessary equipment to conduct your duties, e.g. PPE, clothing, laptop, etc.

Leadership

• Act with honesty and integrity upholding the reputation of the Agency, Department and Civil Service.
• Where necessary work in collaboration with colleagues across all functions for the good of DVSA and to create a high‑performing and well‑respected Agency.

Relationships (Internal & External)

• Maintain positive relationships with all apprenticeship stakeholders.

Skills and Experience Essential

• 3 GCSEs in English, Maths and a Science at grade C or above, or level 4 or above.
• A current full driving licence to drive category B vehicles.
• Willingness to drive on DVSA business.
• Willingness to work within a wide geographical area.
• Willingness to spend nights away from home, if necessary, on DVSA business.
• Work flexibly when needed in line with the relevant operating modules.
• Physical fitness – role involves climbing in and out of vehicles and pits as well as manual handling.
• Full driving licence.
• Interest in road safety, mechanics and a great eye for detail.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to adapt delivery to suit a wide variety of audiences.
• Highly organised and possess excellent analytical skills.

There will be a requirement to be able to travel to various locations around the country, including the block weeks at college. Most of the travel costs will be reimbursed.

Application Details

• A completed Expression of Interest form – requested form GFIE@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Quoting GFIE-482 V,S&P.
• A copy of your CV.

Once completed, this should be sent via e-mail to GFIE@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Requirements and Timeline

Informal interviews with candidates are expected to take place in May and it is hoped that successful candidates start in November 2026 following successful security checks.