Vehicle Damage Panel Technician Apprentice - Kettering, Northamptonshire
A E SMITH BODYCRAFT LTD
Kettering (NN16 0BY)
Closes on Friday 9 January 2026
Posted on 24 October 2025
Contents
Summary
As an apprentice vehicle damage panel technician, you will be repairing accident damage to vehicles, i.e., removal, repair and replacement of vehicle body panels to vehicle manufacturer specification. The vehicles can include cars and light commercial vehicles. Expect a high-quality training package with excellent career prospects.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Vehicle damage panel technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday. 8.00am - 5.00pm
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 12 January 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
- Undertake appropriate job preparation prior to commencing repair, including safety precautions, panel preparation and body measurements
- Identify the material used in the construction to enable the correct joining techniques and manufacturer specifications to be adhered 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
- Remove, repair, and replace vehicle body panels and components of the vehicle safely and efficiently
- Operate the correct repair tools, equipment and devices used in the process, panel pulling systems, jig and alignment tools, spot welders, brazing tools
- 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
- Maintaining high standards of housekeeping
Where you'll work
Smith A E Body Craft Ltd (Fix Auto Kettering)
3 Carrington Street
Kettering
NN16 0BY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
AUTO-ASSESS LIMITED
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
Training schedule
Level 3 Vehicle Damage Panel Technician Apprenticeship Standard:
- Our training partner will deliver a high-quality Level 3 Vehicle Damage Panel Technician programme here in our state-of-the-art bodyshop
- No college attendance required
- You will work alongside a highly skilled mentor who will support you in becoming a skilled and qualified vehicle panel technician
- Level 2 maths and English Functional Skills (if not already achieved)
More training information
There is a physical element to automotive repair, including lifting, pulling and using kinetic tools such as hammers and compressed air devices
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English GCSE (grade 4/C or above)
- Maths GCSE (grade 4/C or 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
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
A genuine passion for cars and all things automotive.
About this employer
A E Smith Bodycraft Ltd (Fix Auto Kettering) has been firmly established within the Fix Auto UK network since joining in 2009 and has continued to flourish into the award-winning repair centre we see today. The Northamptonshire repairer sits within a tight cluster of Fix Auto UK-branded sites to ensure the repair network is arguably one of the strongest in the region. Situated at the heart of Kettering, the body shop can be found in Carrington Street, just off the main Horse Market/London Road road that runs through the town. Like all Fix Auto UK vehicle repair centres, the business holds the prestigious BS10125 accreditation which provides the ultimate confidence that all repairs are carried out to the highest British Standards and as such ensures all car accident repairs, dent removals, dent repairs, bumper repairs, wheel alignment and wheel tracking are repaired or rectified to the highest standards. The team at the car body shop specialises in all car accident repairs, paint less dent removals and paint less dent repairs and effortlessly correct those annoying car scratches and door dinks caused in supermarket car parks! They also have the facilities to re-gas air conditioning systems.
https://fixauto.com/uk/en/shop/fixauto-kettering/ (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
- Following completion of your apprenticeship you can expect permanent employment as well as opportunities to progress into roles such as workshop controller, vehicle damage assessor or bodyshop manager
- The opportunities are endless, having a highly regarded set of skills, apprentices can go on to develop their careers within the automotive sector following their own interests and ambitions
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
AUTO-ASSESS LIMITED
Joanne Jones
joanne@auto-assessltd.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000348248.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 9 January 2026
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