A Day In The Life of:
Dan Veznaver, Citroen Manchester South, Sale, Manchester.
Lewis Naunton, John Grose Citroen, Ipswich, Suffolk.
Joe Goddard, Dutton Forshaw, Maidstone, Kent.
Scott Sneddon, Motorway Cars, Coatbridge, Scotland.
Why Parts?
We all seem to say the same thing when we get asked this, we fell into parts with an interest in the motor industry, its probably the best option to take really, as you get a wide insight into the industry while gaining some good experience and achieving a widely recognised and well delivered NVQ Qualification and; you get paid for it!
Before any of us enrolled in this 2 or 3 year course (dependant on school results) none of us really had any real past knowledge or experience in the motor industry but that doesn’t matter in the least as the course starts at a level that everyone can pick up.
On the training blocks we have a really good time, we all arrange amongst ourselves to meet up at the hotel, which is all pre-arranged and booked ready for your arrival.
The Hotel & accommodation is ok but the staff who work at the hotel are cool and you can have a laugh with them. The food is excellent with a large choice and the menu seems to have changed each time we visit, you get a spending allowance for your evening meal but it’s an ample amount for most. The hotel is located on a leisure park in Doncaster which hosts a full range of things to do after work, bowling, cinema, ice skating and swimming just to mention a few, and very lively student populated Doncaster town centre is only literally a 5 minute drive by taxi costing only about £6 for those who fancy going into town.
There is a minibus that collects everyone at 8.15am allowing just enough time to get up and enjoy your complimentary full cooked or continental breakfast. The centre is only a short 10-minute drive from the hotel. The centre has three training rooms and a full workshop with ramps allowing for some of the practical knowledge gaining tasks to take place, which make up part of the NVQ qualification. Lunches are served at “Megabites” which is the restaurant that’s just around the corner, the food choice is good and its actually really good food, the staff are really nice too and will alter the menu to meet any requests with no problems. This is all included at no cost to you.
The day ends usually about 4.30 pm when the minibus collects you all again and delivers you back to the hotel. In the evening we can socialise or often have to work together to complete assignment work.
In the short time that we have been on the course there has been a continuously improving amount of resources including laptops of an excellent spec and our very own set of parts display stands that allows us to merchandise a selection of parts and accessories however we all agree to do so.
Upon completing our NVQ level 2 and 3 we not only will have gained a certificate of qualification in each level but also built on skills that we all depend on and use in our everyday working each at our own dealerships, like cooperation and teamwork.
No matter who you are or whatever your previous knowledge of the motor industry if any at all, there is a constant level of support on hand, not only from your trainer/assessor but from your co-trainees, as we have all found that at some time or another we have all turned to another to ask for some advice or help, even if it meant ringing a trainee at another dealership while at work, its great having that backup of knowledge from someone else sometimes as far as Kent or even Scotland.
When we finish our NVQ we will all definitely keep in contact as we have said before, “You never know when you might need another’s help!”