Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship
HALFORDS AUTOCENTRES LIMITED
Plymouth (PL4 0AS)
Closes in 30 days (Sunday 24 May 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 24 April 2026
Contents
Summary
A fantastic opportunity to join Halfords Group within one of the 500+ Halfords Autocentres in the UK. Join an energetic skilled workforce of Vehicle Technicians. You will learn from the best and hopefully shine to be the future employees of Halfords Vehicle Technicians. You will receive great training, great support and also a great salary.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Wages start from £16,640, depending on age and contract. Under 18s work 40 hours per week; those aged 18 or over work 44 hours. Level 2 – Year 1 learners start on £8.50 per hour, with increases in Years 2 and 3.
- Training course
- Autocare technician (level 2)
- Hours
-
Autocentre Opening Hours:
08.00-18.00 (6/7days per week).
Total hours per week: 40 hours for those aged 16–18, and 44 hours for those over 18.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
2 years 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
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
An apprentice in one of the 500+ Halfords Autocentres is unlike anything you will find in a traditional service business. Within our Autocentres no two days are ever the same. You can expect to encounter almost any make or model of car for almost every piece of work you can think of; from servicing, inspections to the more complex repair work, engine rebuilds and diagnostics work.
A successful Halfords Autocentre Apprentice is adaptable, flexible and enjoys the challenge of resolving new problems every day. You will be customer focused with sharp attention to detail as well as the ability to listen to and learn from you college lecturers, colleagues and mentors to gain the skills to diagnose and repair vehicles to the highest standard.
The nature of the work ranges from replacing simple parts through to solving complex faults with the use of diagnostic methods and equipment. The day-to-day tasks faced by a vehicle technician are constantly changing, driven by the introduction of ever more complex technologies and diagnostic techniques. Today’s apprentice has to demonstrate expertise in the technical and diagnostic side of their role. You must have strong problem-solving skills and a good grasp of the theoretical and practical aspects of a vehicle’s systems. You must be able to work independently but also operate as an effective team member, and understand how their workshop and the Autocentre functions from a commercial perspective.
Where you'll work
122 Exeter Street
Plymouth
PL4 0AS
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP
Training course
Autocare technician (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with health and safety procedures in the workplace in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Prepare the vehicle and working area before the work activity. For example, remove or mitigate slip and trip hazards.
- Maintain and restore the work area during and on completion of the activity.
- Store, maintain, including calibration checks, and return tools and equipment to storage.
- Access vehicle technical data to inform inspections and make judgements on wear and serviceability.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability procedures, regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Apply vehicle safety inspection and routine maintenance procedures using vehicle specific data on car, car derived van or light goods vehicle.
- Select and use tools and equipment, mechanical and electrical measuring tools, and diagnostic equipment.
- Remove, repair and replace vehicle tyre and balance wheel assemblies on car, car derived van or light goods vehicle. For example, ultra-low profile, directional, asymmetric, run-flat tyres.
- Inspect, remove, and replace of parts or components in cars, car derived vans, or light goods vehicles for the following: steering systems and suspension systems, braking systems, emission systems, air conditioning systems, battery and charging systems, fluid and filtration systems.
- Apply state-of-health condition monitoring tests to high voltage batteries and chargers for electrified cars, car derived vans, or light goods vehicles.
- Apply four-wheel geometry checks and adjustments to cars, car derived vans, and light goods vehicles.
- Apply safe working practices and procedures to isolate electrified vehicles for maintenance.
- Record vehicle service maintenance, parts replacement, or repair.
- Apply customer service principles and organisational customer care practices. For example, identifying customer and vehicle needs, resolve low level customer complaints, make recommendations to customers based on results of inspection, maintenance, or repair of vehicles, customer payment transactions and organisational sales processes.
- Provide quotation of cost and order automotive parts, products, and consumables applicable to the vehicle.
- Apply procedures for stock and parts storage: ordering, checking and stock rotation.
- Apply organisational sales processes. For example, show and tell, features and benefits, consultative selling, mini closing and closing.
- Apply team working principles.
- Comply with equity, diversity, and inclusion guidance.
- Communicate with others verbally, for example customers, suppliers, and colleagues.
- Communicate in writing, for example with internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
- Use information and digital technology systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Complete and record learning and development activities.
- Apply procedures to check and replace fluids, and filtration parts.
- Comply with health and safety procedures in the workplace in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Prepare the vehicle and working area before the work activity. For example, remove or mitigate slip and trip hazards.
- Maintain and restore the work area during and on completion of the activity.
- Store, maintain, including calibration checks, and return tools and equipment to storage.
- Access vehicle technical data to inform inspections and make judgements on wear and serviceability.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability procedures, regulations, standards, and guidance. Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Apply vehicle safety inspection and routine maintenance procedures using vehicle specific data on car, car derived van or light goods vehicle.
- Select and use tools and equipment, mechanical and electrical measuring tools, and diagnostic equipment.
- Remove, repair and replace vehicle tyre and balance wheel assemblies on car, car derived van or light goods vehicle. For example, ultra-low profile, directional, asymmetric, run-flat tyres.
- Inspect, remove, and replace of parts or components in cars, car derived vans, or light goods vehicles for the following: steering systems and suspension systems, braking systems, emission systems, air conditioning systems, battery and charging systems, fluid and filtration systems.
- Apply state-of-health condition monitoring tests to high voltage batteries and chargers for electrified cars, car derived vans, or light goods vehicles.
- Apply four-wheel geometry checks and adjustments to cars, car derived vans, and light goods vehicles.
- Apply safe working practices and procedures to isolate electrified vehicles for maintenance.
- Record vehicle service maintenance, parts replacement, or repair.
- Apply customer service principles and organisational customer care practices. For example, identifying customer and vehicle needs, resolve low level customer complaints, make recommendations to customers based on results of inspection, maintenance, or repair of vehicles, customer payment transactions and organisational sales processes.
- Provide quotation of cost and order automotive parts, products, and consumables applicable to the vehicle.
- Apply procedures for stock and parts storage: ordering, checking and stock rotation.
- Apply organisational sales processes. For example, show and tell, features and benefits, consultative selling, mini closing and closing.
- Apply team working principles.
- Comply with equity, diversity, and inclusion guidance.
- Communicate with others verbally, for example customers, suppliers, and colleagues.
- Communicate in writing, for example with internal and external customers, colleagues, and managers.
- Use information and digital technology systems. Comply with GDPR and cyber security.
- Complete and record learning and development activities.
- Apply procedures to check and replace fluids, and filtration parts.
Training schedule
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4 and above)
- Maths (grade 4 and above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
About this employer
A fantastic opportunity to join Halfords Group PLC within one of the 500+ Halfords Autocentres in the UK. Join an energetic skilled workforce of Vehicle Technicians.
Company benefits
- 5.6 weeks’ leave
- Up to 50% off Autocentres & 25% off Halfords
- Discounts on shopping, insurance & days out
- Cycle to Work
- 24/7 GP access
- Pension plus many more benefits
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
After your apprenticeship, you will be given every opportunity to progress your career at Halfords. This includes access to hybrid training plus & MOT Tester qualifications too.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000027643.
Apply now
Closes in 30 days (Sunday 24 May 2026 at 11:59pm)