JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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hey guys looking for some personal experiences here.. looking into the motor trade.. just wondering if anyone has done an apprenticeship and what its like..
also are there any parts advisor's/managers on here?
Just looking for some general info on best ways to apply etc and some experience.. money, hours, job etc
Cheers!
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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also is anyone involved in an automotive based course at uni?
something along the lines of motorsport technology or automotive technology?
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Phi
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Registered: 8th Jan 07
Location: South
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well apprenticeship your be earning money and uni you wont... my freind goes to kingston uni and shes doing Foundation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering Design  sounds very clever ..haha
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Joe
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Registered: 20th Jun 04
Location: Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
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What kinda thing you looking at doing? If you want to be a general car mechanic unless you really really want to do it I wouldn't bother. Its not really a good career to get into.
I'm a mechanic but only because my dad owns a garage which is why I got into it.
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fazza
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Registered: 7th Feb 08
Location: Plymouth
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joe is right mate, i had a and b results for gcse and i contacted a firm about a mechanic apprenticeship and i had to take tests with them. the course assessor pulled me to one side and said it isnt a great trade to get unless you really want to do it and frecommended i went for something like an electrician
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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thats it tbh, i dont really want to go into it, just thought it would be a useful way into to it.. skills wise.. although thinking about it now i would rather invest the time and come out better.. just wondering how useful a bsc hons in automotive technology would be and what kind of job that would get me into..
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Colin
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Registered: 4th Apr 02
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What kind of high school grades have you got?
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Rob H
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Registered: 28th Oct 00
Location: Staffordshire Drives: Astra SRi
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You can usually take night courses for mechanical maintainence courses if that's the kind of thing you want to do just to learn some new skills. They do it at Cannock college by me if you can't find anywhere lese to do it!
Apart from that there's been a few people on here in the past who've done apprentiships for large companies, but most commented on their being poor pay, and little chance of progression  .
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TomWilly
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Registered: 20th Sep 05
Location: Bristol
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob H
You can usually take night courses for mechanical maintainence courses if that's the kind of thing you want to do just to learn some new skills. They do it at Cannock college by me if you can't find anywhere lese to do it!
Apart from that there's been a few people on here in the past who've done apprentiships for large companies, but most commented on their being poor pay, and little chance of progression .
best advice i think.
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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ive got 11 gcses a*-c and 3 a levels a-c just lacked direction after college and got stuck where to go tbh.. now ive come round to it im not in a position to move away that far really.. so looking at local uni courses..
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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tbh im sick of applying for jobs which i know i could do but not getting a look in because i dont have a degree..
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jr
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Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
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by job description im a parts advisor, but pay and what i do is diffrent
i would suggest not getting into the trade if i were you
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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would you say that go for degree level sutff too? or just the apprenticeship / parts side (being careful with my words as i dont want to offend anyone)
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jr
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Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
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i would say dont get into the motor trade, and keep car stuff as a hobby
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Richardhhha
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Registered: 29th Sep 07
Location: Croydon, Greater London
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quote:
Originally posted by joe6886
What kinda thing you looking at doing? If you want to be a general car mechanic unless you really really want to do it I wouldn't bother. Its not really a good career to get into.
I'm a mechanic but only because my dad owns a garage which is why I got into it.
i agree there mate..
im a mechanic but through choise, always worked with me hands and was crap at school... cant do anything else other than pull a car to bits fix it and put it back together..
also if you go for a aprenteship it really does depend on the garage you go to, some are nice they will treat you well but others are complet shit, work your arse off get bugger all for it and they take the piss and dont help you if you get stuck. its really hit and miss mate.
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TomWilly
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Registered: 20th Sep 05
Location: Bristol
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
i would say dont get into the motor trade, and keep car stuff as a hobby
like im trying to do now!
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RCS
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Registered: 26th Jan 05
Location: Lichfield/Dundee
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The difference between a degree and an apprenticeship is taking stuff apart and putting it back together or designing and making the stuff you take apart and put back together.
Depends what interests you most.
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Mattb
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Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
i would suggest not getting into the trade if i were you
As above... coming from a technician
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Rob H
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Registered: 28th Oct 00
Location: Staffordshire Drives: Astra SRi
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quote:
Originally posted by RCS
The difference between a degree and an apprenticeship is taking stuff apart and putting it back together or designing and making the stuff you take apart and put back together.
Depends what interests you most.
Not necessarily - you can do apprentiships where you can progress to doing more than just being a technician, but it depends what the company offers. It's actually the way I wish i would have gone instead of paying my own way through Uni to do a mechanical and Auto Degree, only to watch the local car industry (MG/Rover, Peugeot, Jag, Ford etc etc) demise while i was doing my course . I was very luck and managed to get a year out during my course to work in industry, but that wasn't easy to get hold of by any means!
How old are you? Have you considered looking at the YiNI scheme or trying to get work over the summer at an engineering company?
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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im 20 mate, thought alot about it during college, need to have a good think about similar schemes i think
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JamesMG
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Registered: 14th Nov 06
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
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out of interest what did you study at uni Rob?
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Rob H
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Registered: 28th Oct 00
Location: Staffordshire Drives: Astra SRi
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Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at Birmingham Uni mate . I'm now working as a Manufacturing Engineer for an Aerospace company though .
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