Accident Repair Technician
Occupation - Overview of the role.
A motor vehicle Accident Repair Technician repairs all elements of a vehicle after it has sustained some type of collision damage. 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. Typically, the Accident Repair Technician works in a modern highly technical workshop-type environment, working on a broad range of vehicles from cars and car derived vans to light commercial vehicles.
Skills
A competent Accident Repair Technician is able to:
Mechanical, Electrical and Trim (MET):
- Remove all damaged & associated components from a vehicle.
- Re-assemble replacement or existing components to a vehicle.
- Remove and re-assemble permanent & non-permanent fixed vehicle body panels
- Remove and refit all types of vehicle body panels.
- Remove and refit trim components.
- Identify and describe principle vehicle electrical components and systems.
- Diagnose and rectify basic vehicle electrical faults.
Panel Repair & Replacement:
- Repair all types of vehicle body panels.
- Repair or refurbish Trim components.
- Repair vehicles using thermal welding operations and processes.
- Repair vehicles using non-thermal joining, bonding and adhesive processes.
- Remove, repair and replace structural body panels.
- Identify and rectify vehicle body structural misalignment.
Preparation & Paint:
- Apply body filler & foundation materials.
- Prepare all types of vehicle body material.
- Prepare & refinish metal, plastic and pre-painted surfaces.
- Repair minor defects in all types of body panels and materials.
- Apply paint, primer and basecoat
- Apply topcoats and clear coats and complete final refinishing operations.
- Identify and rectify paint or preparation defects.
Cross-cutting:
- Carry out their work safely in the workplace and adhere to relevant health and safety requirements.
- Develop strong working relationships.
Knowledge
A competent Accident Repair Technician has a good understanding of:
Mechanical, Electrical and Trim (MET):
- How all types of engines and propulsion systems function.
- How electrically propelled and hybrid vehicles function.
- How sub systems of lubrication, cooling, fuel, ignition, intake and exhaust systems operate.
- How transmission, driveline & final drive systems operate.
- Vehicle suspension, steering, brakes, wheels and tyre systems.
- Vehicle electrical principles.
- Vehicle electrical systems and components.
Panel Repair & Replacement
- Vehicle thermal welding operations & techniques.
- Vehicle bonding and adhesives procedures.
- Vehicle body mechanical fastening operations.
Preparation & Paint
- The various types of filler & foundation materials.
- The different materials used in vehicle construction.
- The preparation techniques required for different materials & surfaces.
- Paint, basecoat & topcoats.
- The refinishing process.
- Which techniques & products to employ with each type of repair process.
Cross-cutting
- Health and safety in the workplace as it relates to the accident repair environment.
- The structure of their organisation, and where they work within that.
- Tools & equipment and vehicle construction methods used in the accident repair workplace.
Behaviours
A competent Accident Repair Technician demonstrates the following behaviours:
- The adoption at all times of a good health and safety first mentality as standard practice.
- A customer first approach when dealing with owners of vehicles and other clients.
- Recognises that high quality is intrinsic in every activity throughout the accident repair process.
- A strong and positive work ethic.
- The ability to work in a team and be a good team member.
- A positive attitude. Good aptitude. Excellent ambition.
- Effective communication throughout the repair process, both with clients and with other members of the team. ?
Entry Requirements
Individual employers will set their own selection criteria for applicants. In order to optimise success, typical applicants will display a good attitude, a positive approach to learning & development and a high level of ambition. Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Duration
Typically this apprenticeship will take 2 years to complete.
Professional Qualifications/Recognition
This apprenticeship is at Level 3 and will be reviewed after 3 years.
Originally published on Gov.uk, this information has been re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
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