I was an Apprentice technician. So I was basically carrying out services, along with any diagnosis and repair work that was required (whilst working with my mentor). Within my dealership you had a Service team, which comprised of car technicians, like I was, and the people that booked in the cars on the front desk. You also had Salesmen, brand new and second hand salesmen, along with an admin office too. That was pretty much all the basic departments.
BMW was always fancy with it?s presentation, so what they referred to as a Car Technician, was actually the same as a Car Engineer. They just wanted to sound more professional. Zee Germans, go figure.
They pay was not so good. I was taking home about £400 a MONTH. Bearing in mind I was 16, so that wasn?t too bad, since I started as soon as I left school. I do know, if you?re over the age of 19, they will most likely not be interested n you. When I applied they were interested in people from the age of 16 ? 19. Obviously because it?s a 4 year apprenticeship, so the money increased after each year, and would just about suffice for your age. One of the apprentice technicians I knew then, who is now actually a fully qualified technician, earns a salary of around £21K a year. Which really, isn?t too bad of a wage for a Car Technician these days.
Being an apprentice, you learn all the practical work during your time as an apprentice at your dealership, whislt working with your mentor. You then have 2 week blocks in which you visit a college to learn the theory side. This is actually a 3 year BTEC National Diploma qualification your studying for.
As I worked for BMW, they actually sent us to train at BMW UK?s centre for development, which is based in Bracknell. So it was a much better environment to study in. The hard work, is not the mechanical theory side, but the electronics. That is something I really struggled to get my head around, since I had never studied electronics before, where as other apprentices had. All cars these day?s have a lot fancy electronic equipment in, so studying electronics is now a big part.
My ex colleagues still work in the same trade but for different dealerships. It?s kind of silly to spend all that time training, to then leave and switch trade.
The reason I got sacked, was because I simply didn?t do the coursework. When I did do the coursework, it was very late and of a poor quality. I just had a bad mentality when I was younger, and ultimately paid for it by losing my dream job.
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