What Career Could I Have in the Automotive Industry?

Feb 14, 2019Motor Trade Insurance

The sheer size of the automotive industry and the variety of jobs available within means that anyone with the right qualifications and skills wishing to make a career in the trade has a huge choice to pick from.
When people hear the words ‘motor trade’ they probably automatically think of car showrooms or, increasingly, car warehouses and if you are thinking that dealing in the buying and selling of vehicles may be your forté then one of the first items on your agenda will be motor trade insurance. However the automotive industry is about so much more than car sales.

The automotive industry is a global concern with many hundreds of thousands of people working in companies large and small from multi-national companies to sole traders working from a small unit. The types of jobs available range from vehicle manufacture or motor technician through parts and component manufacture and delivery to vehicle valeting. This is aside from the many administrative jobs attached to the industry such as reception work, accounting, logistics and ordering or sales work. Each of them requires a particular set of skills and/or qualifications and some will require you to get traders insurance but ultimately it is up to you which part of the industry you prefer to work in.

Motor Vehicle Technician

Literally the engine room of the motor industry, technicians are the people who keep our vehicles maintained and in good repair. Mechanics have evolved from the spanner wielders of the past and the modern technician is required to have college-acquired qualifications or to have served an apprenticeship. You will also need good problem solving and customer service aptitudes as well as being familiar with IT based systems. A qualified motor mechanic can take his or her skills to wherever they are required or could strike out on their own as an independent mobile mechanic.

Automotive Engineer

Design and development in the automotive sector is expanding rapidly to encompass exciting new ideas in both the aesthetic appeal of vehicles and new engine technology. You will need to study for a university degree in engineering or have an apprenticeship background in the field.

Car Tuner

Many people want their car engines tweaked to either give more performance or improve fuel consumption and this specialist field is an exciting and interesting one to get into. It can mostly be about adapting and modifying engine components but it can also be about modifying or fabricating body styling kits or exhaust systems. For this kind of work it is essential that you obtain at least basic academic qualifications, in maths particularly, and get some experience of understanding and working with cars in a garage environment.

Vehicle Salesperson

The field of car sales has changed beyond recognition from how it used to be. With cars, lorries, motorcycles and vans becoming more high tech the retail motor industry has evolved along with its customer base. Whether you are selling prestige motors for a high end dealership or working at a smaller car lot, today’s vehicle salesperson needs not only a good all-round knowledge of the type of vehicles they are selling but also excellent customer service skills. The prospect for career progression is high in the motor retail industry.

Parts or Vehicle Delivery Driver

You are expected to possess a clean driving license which is appropriate for the class of vehicle you will be driving and to be a careful, law-abiding driver. If you like to be out and about this could be a good way into the automotive industry.
Whether you want to work as a technician, MOT tester, designer or something else, the automotive industry has lots of exciting options.