Apprentice Panel Technician
ENSIGN BUS COMPANY LIMITED
Essex (RM15 4YF)
Closes on Monday 18 August 2025
Posted on 6 June 2025
Contents
Summary
Do you have a passion for cars and want to kick start an automotive career? Then this is the perfect role for you! As a Vehicle Damage Panel Technician, you will work within the Repair workshop to remove and replace body panels. The vehicles you will be working on are cars and light commercial.
- Wage
-
£16,000 a year
- Training course
- Vehicle damage panel technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 07:30 - 15:30
30 minute lunch break.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 19 August 2025
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
2
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
This is an excellent opportunity to work as part of a highly skilled team that is committed to quality. You will train to become a qualified Vehicle Damage Panel Technician; the successful candidate can expect a high-quality training package with excellent career prospects.
You will work independently and as part of a team following a defined process, using the skills to correctly identify the different body panel types and have the ability to use the correct repair tools to carry out the work to the highest possible standard.
You will receive training and support throughout your qualification the successful candidate will learn to remove, repair and replace vehicle body panels and components of the vehicle safely and efficiently, using a variety of body repair panel tools, equipment and devices.
Duties to include:
- Assessing a vehicle to establish the extent of damage
- Based on the initial assessment, deciding whether to repair or replace bodywork
- Removing damaged panels
- Refitting new/repaired panels
- Repairing damaged bodywork using traditional dolly and hammer or more modern techniques
- Repairing small dents, holes or corroded areas using a compound filler
A certain amount of administration and customer interaction isalso required:
- Keeping a record of work carried out and time taken
- Liaising with the customer or insurance company
- Providing quotations and estimations
Where you'll work
The Rifle Range Juliette Close
Purfleet Industrial Park
Aveley South Ockendon
Essex
RM15 4YF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
S & B AUTOMOTIVE ACADEMY LIMITED
Your training course
Vehicle damage panel technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Ability to undertake appropriate job preparation prior to commencing repair, including safety precautions, panel preparation and body measurements.
- Ability to identify the material used in the construction to enable the correct joining techniques and manufacturer specifications to be adhered to.
- Ability to interpret relevant technical data and methods to make sure that any joints are in line with vehicle manufacturer specification and the vehicle/body panels are aligned correctly
- Ability to identify and understand the correct joining technology, e.g. when to use resistance spot welding or mig brazing or bonding.
- Ability to remove, repair and replace vehicle body panels and components of the vehicle safely and efficiently
- Ability to identify and operate the correct repair tools, equipment and devices used in the process, panel pulling systems, jig and alignment tools, spot welders, brazing tools.
- Ability to identify and communicate supplementary damage such as panels that were deemed to be reparable but once worked on were found to be beyond repair along with damage that could not be established on original inspection.
- Ability to detect and rectify faults within a vehicles structure that’s integral to its safety
Your training plan
- The apprenticeship training is delivered via weekly block releases at S&B throughout a year, learning will also take place in the workplace and a S&B Development Coach and Workplace Mentor are allocated to support and monitor your progress to help you reach your goals and manage your workload
- Your employer will pay you when you are attending weekly training blocks at S&B
More training information
S&B Automotive Academy is a specialist apprenticeship training provider located in Bedminster, Bristol. Whether you're seeking to kickstart your career in the automotive industry or business industry, S&B Automotive Academy is your go-to partner for excellence in training.
S&B has been training apprentices since the 1970’s and are one of the largest training providers in the Automotive and Business sector. We pride ourselves on our collaboration with a wide range of employers.
To be considered for this apprenticeship you must have GCSEs, Functional Skills or Key Skills at grade C/4 or above in English and maths (or equivalent), If your grades are below this, we will discuss your options for taking functional skills in maths and/or English.
As well as this, predicated grades are accepted, and work experience or knowledge is beneficial but not essential.
As a result you will receive the following:
- Level 3 Vehicle Damage Panel Technician Apprenticeship Standard
- Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if learner is not exepmt or has opted out)
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3)
- Maths (grade 3)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
Other requirements
The competition for apprenticeship placements is strong so please ensure your application is modified to the type of apprenticeship you are applying for, pay attention to presentation, spelling and grammar and include any relevant experience, hobbies/interests, or qualifications.
About this company
Ensignbus has been in business for 50 years and during those years we've sold over 20,000 buses to nearly 100 countries, undertaken around 25,000 MOT tests, converted over 1,000 buses to open top, undertaken over 5,000 single door conversions, operated on three continents and carried tens of millions of passengers on local service and sightseeing buses. We are an award winning business with 50 years experience in Bus Sales, Service Work, Sightseeing Tours, Bus Conversions and Restorations. Ensignbus was formed in 1972, since which time it has been involved in many aspects of the bus industry. In the early days a number of small contracts were operated for people such as the Port of London Authority and Lesney the toy manufactures. These small operations however became secondary to the role which Ensign has today made its own, that of buying and selling high quality used buses and coaches.
After this apprenticeship
- As a company we are committed to providing development and training opportunities to our employees
- This apprenticeship is the grounding for your future development and there are lots of opportunities to develop your career within our company
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
S & B AUTOMOTIVE ACADEMY LIMITED
David Watts
dwatts@sandbaa.com
07852344136
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000324833.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 18 August 2025
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