Apprenticeships at Dick Lovett

If you are passionate about cars, an Apprenticeship in the Automotive industry would be a fantastic place to start your career as a Vehicle Technician. 

Working in one of our workshops, you will learn from our talented Technicians as well as attending college to learn from the official manufacturer. As a Vehicle Apprentice at Dick Lovett, you will learn the standards that our Technicians adhere to, to ensure our customers receive first-class service when they bring their car to us. 

If you want to be at the forefront of new technologies as they emerge into the automotive industry, completing an Apprenticeship with an official brand is a fantastic way to begin your career. 

What is a Vehicle Technician Apprenticeship? 

At the end of your Vehicle Technician Apprenticeship, you will have a NVQ Level 3 Qualification in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair. The course is three years long and you will also attend college on block release. The rest of the time, you will work on-site at one of our dealerships with the workshop team to learn how a busy Aftersales department works. The career path for a Technician starts as a Vehicle Technician Apprentice, progressing to a qualified Vehicle Technician, with levels to progress to within each brand that we represent, whether it is a Gold, Master or Senior Technician. 

If you are passionate about working with people, an Apprenticeship in Customer Service in the Automotive industry would be a fantastic place to start your career. 

Working in one of our dealerships, you will learn from our talented Service Teams to ensure that our customers receive first-class customer service and will continue to do so long into the future. 

If you are a people person, who likes problem solving to deliver a great service, this Apprenticeship could be for you. A passion for cars would also be advantageous in this role, to empathise with customers when they are with us for repairs, servicing, or for an MOT on their car. 

In your Apprenticeship, you will learn how to work as a team to meet all of our customers' needs, which involves working collaboratively with the Parts, Workshop, and Sales teams. This is a fantastic opportunity to build on your communication skills, develop an understanding of the automotive industry, and grow with us. 

What is a Service Apprenticeship?

On a Service Advisor Apprenticeship, you work towards gaining your NVQ Level 3 Qualification over the course of two years. As well as completing off-site college courses, you will work on-site at one of our dealerships with the Service team to learn first-hand how to become a Service Advisor. The career path in Service starts as a Customer Service Apprentice, progressing to Trainee Service Advisor, then Service Advisor and on to a Senior Service Advisor. 

Our Parts Departments are a vital part of our wider Aftersales Teams, so we are committed to future-proofing our teams, which starts with Apprenticeships in the Parts Department. 

If you have a technical mind and are interested in how different parts of a car fit together, you might enjoy a career in Parts. This Apprenticeship combines technical knowledge of the cars with customer service. 

In this role, you will learn how to deliver excellent service not only to ‘front-of-house’ retail customers, but also to our Trade customers and Workshop Technicians. This is a fantastic opportunity to build on your organisational skills, develop an understanding of the automotive industry, and grow with us. 

What is a Parts Apprenticeship? 

Parts Advisor Apprenticeships last for 2 years and you will finish with an NVQ Level 3 Qualification. During the Apprenticeship, you will work on-site at one of our dealerships and attend block training at college. There is a clear career path in Parts, starting as a Parts Apprentice, progressing to Parts Trainee, then Parts Advisor, and finally the Parts Manager. 

Working in a Bodyshop is a challenging and rewarding career that requires a variety of skills. Bodyshops are at the heart of the automotive repair industry, providing essential services to restore vehicles to their former glory after accidents, weather damage, and general wear and tear.

The Bodyshop at Dick Lovett have a fantastic Apprenticeship scheme which allows you to specialise in one of the exciting Bodyshop disciplines and become a qualified Bodyshop Technician. We offer Apprenticeships in Paint Spraying, Panel Beating, and MET Repairs, which are all great ways to start your career with the Bodyshop.

Apprenticeships last two years, in which you would work on-site at one of our Bodyshop facilities and attend college on block release. At the end of your Apprenticeship, you will have an NVQ Level 3 Qualification in your chosen field.

MET Technician 

MET (Mechanical Electrical Trim) repairs are essential to the Bodyshop process. This includes tasks such as repairing and replacing electrical components, such as headlights, and trim parts, such as mirrors and door handles. MET repairs require a strong understanding of vehicle electrical systems and the ability to work with delicate parts. 

To become a MET Technician, you should have an interest in technology, be meticulous with your attention to detail, and be good at problem solving. MET Technicians play a key part in ensuring cars are safe to be back on the road after an accident. 

Panel Beater 

Panel beating is the process of repairing damaged metal body parts, such as fenders, doors, and quarter panels. This requires a high level of skill, as the metal must be reshaped to its original form, and then painted to match the rest of the vehicle. Panel beating often involves using hammers, dollies, and other specialised tools to manipulate the metal into the desired shape. 

To become a Panel Beater, you will need a passion for vehicles, and perseverance to restore the panels to back to their original form. Panel Beaters play a critical role in getting vehicles back on the road looking as good as new! 

Paint Technician 

Paint spraying is one of the most visible aspects of Bodyshop work. The goal is to create a flawless, seamless finish that matches the original paint of the vehicle. This is done by sanding down the surface of the repair area, masking it off, and then using a spray gun to apply multiple thin coats of paint, allowing each one to dry before applying the next. 

To become a Paint Technician, you should be creative with an exceptional eye for detail. If you enjoy being artistic but like precision in your work, becoming a Paint Technician could be the perfect role to combine your skills. 

Based in our head office team, you will get real-world experience while gaining your Level 3 qualification as an Infrastructure Technician Apprentice. You must have four level 4 grades at GCSE, and an interest in pursuing an exciting career in IT. 

Your role will learn to assist the Service Desk with day-to-day tasks such as acting as an initial point of contact for enquiries into the Service Desk and resolving problems that employees around the group may have. When you complete your Apprenticeship, you will become a Technical Support Analyst. 

After your Apprenticeships, there are many career paths you can take in IT, and that is just within the automotive industry! 

What is an IT Apprenticeship? 

You will study to gain your Level 3 qualification as an Infrastructure Technician Apprentice, while working full time in our busy and friendly IT team. You will learn all the skills you need to become an important part of the team and develop your teamwork and communication skills as well as your professional and practical skills. 

Dick Lovett are continuously developing, so new IT projects are always arising with a need to be carried out in an efficient and effective manner. This is where you will grow with us. 

If you are looking for an Accountancy Apprenticeship with a difference, the Automotive Industry could be just the place for you! 

Working in either our Accounts team at a dealership or in our Finance team at Head Office, your mentor will teach you the processes that surround accounting including Sales Ledger, Purchase Ledger and disciplines around VAT and banking, and understanding a balance sheet. 

Our Accounts and Finance Apprentices gain real hands-on work experience in a busy Accounts and Finance teams in this exciting industry while they complete their courses.  

What is an Accounts and Finance Apprenticeship?

We look for candidates who want to grow with us and develop an understanding of financial controls in a business. For this role, you will be working with a local college to complete the apprenticeship and at the end of the programme you will have a qualification from the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).