Autocare Technician qualifications and training courses

Last Updated: 09 Oct 2020

Product code 9304

LARS number 283

This level 2 apprenticeship standard is aimed at learners who would like to become autocare technicians. An Auto-care Technician carries out a range of services and repairs to cars, car derived vans and light goods vehicles, working in an Auto-care or “Fast-Fit” Centre, which may be part of a national chain or operated by a regional/local independent group/owner.

An Auto-care Technician requires a unique combination of technical, retail and customer service skills. They will use a range of tools, measuring and diagnostic equipment to identify & repair simple system faults.

The Auto-care Technician has to demonstrate expertise not only in the technical elements of their role and have a good grasp of the practical and theoretical aspects of the vehicle systems they service, but also needs to have excellent telephone, customer service (including how to handle difficult customers and deal with customers’ disappointment) and effective sales skills, as well as strong problem solving and self-organisation skills.

They must be able to work as part of a team but also operate independently, understand how their centre operates from a commercial perspective and how their actions contribute to business results, whilst maintaining a high standard of workmanship.

For more information about the Autocare Technician standard, view our handy factsheet located in the 'documents' tab.

Summary of our offer:

1. Our range of digital teaching and learning resources for Autocare Technician gives you the flexibility to choose the tools you need to support apprentices through their on-programme learning, build their confidence and competence and ensure a quality learning experience in preparation for EPA.

2. We are on the register of end-point assessment organisations for Autocare Technician. Our high-quality, rigorous end-point assessment (EPA), can be delivered at a convenient time for your apprentice. Our EPA service includes a suite of guidance documents and preparation tools to get you ready for EPA.

On-programme

During their apprenticeship training apprentices will cover:

Knowledge:
- health and safety
- commercial and legislative
- technical

Behaviours/Attitudes:
- working together and building trust
- customer experience and communication
- making it happen and commercial
awareness
- learn to strive for excellence

Skills:
- vehicle inspection
- replacement of components
- replace and repair tyres
- stock procedures
- vehicle 4-wheel geometry.

City & Guilds has designed innovative and flexible delivery content that will equip apprentices with the competence and confidence to perform their best in assessment. Including:

• Apprenticeship training manual: Our apprenticeship training manual (ATM) guides tutors and apprentices through a range of practical tasks mapped to the standard, allowing apprentices to track progress and record evidence of their learning as they go. Tasks are mapped to the apprenticeship standard requirements, developing knowledge and skills in a real working environment.

• Schemes of work which provide an ideal guide for tutors and centres to ensure that all the learning requirements are covered when delivering the apprenticeship

• Smartscreen: Virtual learning that covers the knowledge and skills of the standard helping apprentices prepare for their end-point assessment. Tutors can track activity and results.

These resources are available as a digital download (Smartscreen order code: SS9304-LV2), or through our e-portfolio, Learning Assistant.

• Learning Assistant: Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost-effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to improve dramatically the delivery of apprenticeship standards by tracking progress online in real-time.

• Induction learning content: Extensive content including handouts and e-learning modules meets the mandatory requirements for any apprenticeship programme of learning:
- Health and safety
- Safeguarding and Prevent
- Equality and diversity
- British values

• Maths & English: Our Functional Skills qualifications cover the core maths and English requirements for this standard. Our support package, e-Functional Skills is an online teaching and learning platform that guides learners from an initial diagnostic assessment, through to meeting the requirements for this standard.

End-point assessment

EPA product code: 9304-12

City & Guilds is already carrying out end-point assessment for Autocare Technician (9304). As one of the biggest EPAOs in England, we pride ourselves on our first rate customer service. Our EPA team is on hand to support you every step of the way, guiding you through gateway and ensuring your apprentice has all the tools they need to prepare for the assessment. Our assessment and grading is standardised and all our assessors have industry experience and receive on-going training, so you can trust that we will deliver a fair and robust assessment.

The assessment methods for this standard are:
• Knowledge assessment

Two parts knowledge assessment comprising of:
- Part A: 60 minutes containing 50 multiple choice questions
- Part B: 45 minutes containing 20 alternate format questions (such as drag and drop or multi-response).

• Practical Observations (with pre-set tasks)

Five practice observation tasks are:
- Task 1: Vehicle Inspection (90 minutes +10%)
- Task 2: Replacement of Components
(120 minutes +10%)
- Task 3: Replace and Repair Tyres (45 minutes +10%)
- Task 4: Stock Procedures (45 minutes +10%)
- Task 5: Vehicle 4-Wheel Geometry (60 minutes +10%) or fail.

• Professional review

60 minutes structured discussion between the apprentice, and the independent assessor (with a 10% time tolerance):
- the apprentice’s portfolio is used to exemplify performance
- assesses selected knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the auto-care standard
- undertaken after the knowledge and practice assessment have taken place.

For further guidance, please refer to our end-point assessment pack. The end-point assessment pack includes detailed guidance on grading criteria for the EPA and the evidence you’ll need to produce for knowledge, skills and behaviours at gateway. You’ll find this in the documents section above.

EPA preparation and gateway guidance for this standard:
Upon registration for EPA, you will have access to a range of support material for Autocare Technician (9304) to help prepare for end-point assessment. All the materials can be accessed through SmartScreen on one user-friendly platform.

• EPA preparation tool: Our platform guides apprentices through online content to help them feel ready for their EPA experience. User-friendly technology takes the apprentice through a series of questions, to suggest material personalised to their apprenticeship standard and their confidence levels. The content is curated from across the web and covers areas like revision and exam skills, multiple choice test strategies, professional discussion and interview skills. You can watch our short video to learn more.

• Recording forms: supporting you to complete key stages of EPA readiness, we have prepared forms to give you peace of mind and confidence that everything is covered. These packs include a gateway declaration form that is needed during the booking process and assessment forms, if required, that apprentices might need during assessment.

• LIEPA reports: Our lead independent end assessors (LIEPAs) produce an annual report with insight into the EPA results and findings across all centres. These reports can help you refine your apprenticeship delivery to improve success rates.

For our EPA price list, visit: https://www.cityandguilds.com/~/media/cityandguilds-site/documents/apprenticeships/gtm/epa-pricelist%20pdf.ashx

Apprenticeship certification
As well as receiving their Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) apprenticeship certificate, the apprentice will receive a City & Guilds statement of achievement for end-point assessment.

How to register

If you’re an existing City & Guilds centre or interested in becoming a centre, make sure you’ve read our EPA manual and guidance. This will explain the process and all our terms and conditions. Our short ‘how-to’ guides and videos are a great start to help you get to grips with what to expect and how to stay on track when booking EPA and preparing apprentices for assessment. You’ll find these resources in our EPA document library.

To use our quality-assured on-programme materials or end-point assessment service there are three ways to either find out more or to order what you need:

1. If you’re an existing City & Guilds customer, go to Walled Garden and select the materials you need or register your apprentice for end-point assessment. (You may need to submit a request to deliver if you don’t yet have approval for that standard.)

2. Get in touch with directsales@cityandguilds.com. Our team can explain our different products and services and start getting you set up as a customer or give existing customers support on the new apprenticeship arrangements.

3. Speak to your City & Guilds Business Manager about how to access our products or how to register your apprentices with us.

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of apprenticeship.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to WalledGarden.com and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.