Group 1 Volkswagen Southend on Sea Service Technician Apprenticeship in Southend-on-Sea

One in every nine vans sold in the UK is a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle. Dependable, Partnership and Economical are the brand values of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. With a vehicle range that includes the iconic camper van to our more modern Amarok’s and transporters, it’s no wonder our customers are loyal supporters of our brand. We are looking for the next generation of apprentices to work within our retail network, taking on the technical and life skills that will be the foundation of a rewarding career.

The Service department is vital to the success of our business. From right first-time fixes to delivering excellent customer service, our Service Technicians/Mechanics play a pivotal role in delighting our customers and encouraging their continued loyalty. Every day is different within the Service department. As a Service Technician/Mechanic apprentice, some of your duties will include:

• Use of diagnostic equipment to identify vehicle faults.
• Testing of parts and systems to ensure correct working.
• Following checklists to ensure all critical parts of vehicles are examined.
• Carrying out bumper to bumper overview, service, and inspection.
• Maintenance of electronic systems including on-board entertainment systems.
• Undertaking repair and maintenance of vehicle parts including clutches, gearboxes, tyres, brakes, and suspension.
• Completion of legible and accurate paperwork for the customers and centres records.
• Maintenance of a clean and tidy work environment.

You will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of products including traditional, hybrid and electronic engines. From heritage vehicles to leading-edge modern technology, our range will provide you with a varied technical training experience to build your skills as a Service Technician/Mechanic. We are looking for an enthusiastic, hardworking individual to join our team and embark on a long-term career, with excellent earning and progression opportunities once you complete your apprenticeship.

Training provided

Training will be delivered using a combination of virtual classroom remote learning and face-to-face block release weeks at our state-of-the-art training centre. Successful applicants must be prepared to travel to the Volkswagen Group National Learning Centre, in Milton Keynes, to complete their apprenticeship training. All training-related costs are fully covered as part of the programme, including travel, accommodation, and meals. In the workplace, your personal, dedicated mentor will support your continued learning as you apply the skills and knowledge you have gained through the remote sessions and at the Volkswagen Group National Learning Centre. As an apprentice, you will also have the opportunity to attend Outward Bound, a personal development week which supports with developing resilience, confidence, and teamwork skills. This is a fully rounded training experience where you will build life skills that last and gain both apprenticeship qualifications and brand certifications.

Brief Overview of the Vacancy

This apprenticeship offers the opportunity to train as a qualified Service Technician/Mechanic, gaining hands-on experience in servicing, maintaining and repairing light vehicles. It's an excellent opportunity for a motivated and hardworking individual looking to build a long-term automotive career with strong earning potential and progression opportunities upon completion.

Qualifications required

GCSE grades 9 – 4 (A – C) or equivalent in English, Maths and Science. In Scotland, applicants must have or be predicted to achieve Scottish National 5 Grades A - C or above in English, Maths and either a Science or Technical subject. BTEC first diplomas and certificates OCR Nationals Key Skills Level 2 NVQs Essential Skills (Wales) Functional Skills Level 2 Core Skills (Scotland). We accept predicted grades and conditional offers can be made based on predicted grades.

Personal Qualities

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate skills in logic and problem solving. You should be someone who pays attention to detail and is committed to completing this three-year training programme. We are looking for people who are passionate about our industry and our brand. Some of the personal skills that you should think about showing us in your application are:

• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn
• Teamwork
• Strong communication
• Customer Service
• Interest in vehicle engineering

Things to consider

Please do not contact the retailer directly. Inspiro Learning carry out the full recruitment service for this employer. Due to the high number of applications, we cannot provide a timescale on when you are likely to receive a response. As most of our roles are recruited for on an ongoing basis, we will contact you if you are successful at progressing to the next step. It is not possible for us to contact every applicant individually. If you have not heard back on a specific vacancy but find another opportunity that is of interest to you, we welcome an additional application. As part of our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, all applications are automatically anonymised by our recruitment system. This is with the aim of realising our ambition to have a workforce that is reflective of the community we serve and eliminating unconscious bias, allowing employees to be appointed based on their talent, skills and experiences regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.