The content of these Pathways have been agreed by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). These are the only apprenticeship Pathways in the Automotive, Transport & Logistics sector approved for use in Wales that are eligible for Welsh Government funding.
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications,
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 2 Vehicle Parts Operations is 124 credits.
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Vehicle Parts Operations is 172 credits.
Entry requirements
Level 2: Vehicle Parts Operations
To enter onto the Level 2 Apprenticeship, it is recommended that the candidate has English, Maths and Science GCSE’s grade G or above (or equivalent qualifications).
To enter onto the Level 3 Apprenticeship, it is recommended that the candidate has English, Maths and Science GCSE’s grade C or above (or equivalent qualifications). However, these recommendations are not essential.
Most employers are especially interested in candidates who can demonstrate:
- a keen interest in working in the Automotive Retail Industry.
- a positive, “can do” attitude and a willingness to work hard.
- good communication, literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy skills on which this Apprenticeship will build.
- an understanding of the importance to the business of always providing excellent customer service.
- a desire to work with their employer to achieve targets.
- a desire to progress through self-development.
This Apprenticeship will require good manual dexterity, may involve handling heavy equipment and spending long periods standing.
For those working with electrical systems, a colour blindness test will be necessary.
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 2: Vehicle Parts Operations
Level 2: Vehicle Parts Operations Qualifications
Participants must achieve one of the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.
| Level 2 Diploma in Vehicle Parts Competence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| IMI | C00/0334/7 600/0268/2 | 66 | 657 | Competence | English Only |
| Level 2 Diploma in Vehicle Parts Principles | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| IMI | C00/0332/8 600/0282/7 | 58 | 580 | Knowledge | English Only |
| City & Guilds | C00/0339/2 600/1199/3 | 58 | 660 | Knowledge | English Only |
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 2: Vehicle Parts Operations | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 1 | 6 |
| Application of number | 1 | 6 |
| Digital literacy | 1 | 6 |
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2: Vehicle Parts Operations | 380 | 368 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
Competence qualification – 66 credits & Knowledge qualification - 58 credits
The total amount of training hours - which includes both on and off-the-job learning for this Pathway is 883 training hours
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Communication
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy
Level 3: Vehicle Parts Operations
Level 3: Vehicle Parts Operations Qualifications
Participants must achieve one of the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.
| Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Parts Competence | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| IMIAL | C00/0334/6 600/0266/9 | 93 | 930 | Competence | English Only |
| Level 3 Diploma in Vehicle Parts Principles | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| IMIAL | C00/0332/4 600/0174/4 | 79 | 790 | Knowledge | English Only |
| City & Guilds | C00/0339/3 600/1200/6 | 79 | 790 | Knowledge | English Only |
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 3: Vehicle Parts Operations | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2 | 6 |
| Application of number | 2 | 6 |
| Digital literacy | 2 | 6 |
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3: Vehicle Parts Operations | 672 | 592 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
Competence qualification - 93 credits & Knowledge qualification - 79 credits
The total amount of training hours - which includes both on and off-the-job learning for this Pathway is 1,444 training hours.
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
6 credits/45 GLH for Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy
Other additional requirements
None
Job roles
Vehicle Parts Assistant
Promote, sell and deliver automotive parts to motor trade and other customers, achieve sales targets, advise customers on required parts, establish and maintain customer relationships. This can be a face-to-face or telesales role.
Vehicle Parts Advisor
Order, sell and manage parts and accessories, advise customers on how to solve a problem with their vehicle, take orders from customers, carry out efficient stock control, raise invoices for parts sold, liaise with other members of staff.
Progression
Progression routes into the Level 2 Apprenticeship:
Progression into the Level 2 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations could be from achieving GCSE’s, various School Links programmes, a range of Level 1 or Level 2 Automotive qualifications or work experience in the Automotive sector.
Progression from the Level 2 Apprenticeship:
On completion of the Level 2 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations, successful apprentices may work as a Vehicle Parts Assistant, either in a face-to-face or telesales environment. Further progression routes include undertaking the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations. Individuals may also choose to undertake other Level 3 qualifications in Automotive or Customer Services.
Further information on careers and progression can also be found here: https://www.autocity.org.uk
Progression routes into the Level 3 Apprenticeship:
Progression into the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations could be directly from the Level 2 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations or other related vocational qualifications. Alternatively, individuals undertaking the Level 3 Apprenticeship should have experience of working in a Parts Operations role at level 2, for example as a Vehicle Parts Assistant.
Progression from the Level 3 Apprenticeship:
On completion of the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Parts Operations, successful apprentices may work as a Vehicle Parts Advisor. Further progression routes include roles such as Senior Parts Advisor or supervisory/management positions. Individuals may also choose to undertake higher level qualifications including level 4 qualifications in management and leadership, or work towards an accreditation such as IMI accreditation for example. Further information on this can be found here: https://tide.theimi.org.uk/learn/accreditation
Further information on careers and progression can also be found here: https://www.autocity.org.uk
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
A profile of the Automotive Retail Industry in Wales in 2020 showed the following:
- Male: 80%
- Female: 20%
- Aged 55+: 18%
The Apprenticeship route has been popular in the Automotive Retail Industry, particularly on the technical side, for a number of years, however we know that recruitment still causes difficulties. In addition, from the data we have, we also know that there is an underrepresentation of females in the industry. The difficulties and underrepresentation of females appear to result from the industry's image problems together with pay conditions and a perceived lack of career prospects. In order to help counteract some of these issues and help encourage take up, the IMI have a specific careers website available: www.autocity.org.uk. This houses information on 150+ job roles along with videos and 360 Virtual Reality tours of workplaces, work experience toolkits and employability skills packs. It is all free to download and there are sections to explore job roles along with specific resources such as labour market information for Careers Advisors, Careers Leaders and Teachers to use too.
With a view to increase the diversity of the Automotive workforce, the IMI are currently undertaking a programme of work called UK Automotive Sector: Diversity Task Force. It has a specific focus on the greater inclusion of under-represented groups in the automotive sector. At the time of starting this project there was little information in the public domain which outlined the numbers of under-represented groups working in the automotive sector in Wales or the UK as a whole. Therefore, this prompted the IMI’s application to the ONS for special accreditation to access microlevel labour market government data sets. With this data the IMI are using it to establish a baseline to test the hypothesis that the UK automotive sector is underrepresented. The full data will be made publicly available once the report has been published.
It is widely recognised that a diverse workplace delivers a better customer experience which, in turn, delivers improved profitability. It also becomes a more attractive and inclusive work environment appealing to a broader spectrum of the population. The automotive sector is understood to lack diversity and as a result is recruiting from an ever-dwindling pool of talent. That must change if the sector is going to be fit for purpose for the new, fast-evolving technological revolution, from connected and autonomous to electric, hydrogen and other clean fuel sources.
The programme of work has three key aims:
- It wants to attract Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) community to the sector.
- Help the automotive sector become a workplace that embraces and encourages those facing physical and neuro disabilities.
- Address the lack of gender diversity in the sector.
The overall aim of the programme of work, therefore, is to identify how we can become a sector that will appeal to and nurture a more diverse workforce.
For more information on the UK Automotive Sector: Diversity Task Force programme including its interim report please visit the programme webpage. https://tide.theimi.org.uk/about-imi/diversity-task-force
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider / Employer to ensure that the requirements of this Pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.
Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government