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Working Abroad Job Vacancies Job Hunting Guide Voluntary Work Working Part-time and Temping Useful Job Hunting Resources Working in Somerset Wages and Employment Rights Motorcycle Mechanics in Somerset CLCI: RAE CRCI: GJ Lots of people think about being a car mechanic but few consider working with motorcycles. For the right person this can be a very rewarding job. There are plenty of interesting bikes to repair and it’s really satisfying getting a motorcycle back on the road. But it’s important to know that, compared to vehicle garages, there aren’t many motorcycle repairers. Many are small and don’t employ apprentices or trainees. You’ll need to try hard to get a job and remember that, some years, very few people are taken on. To find out more look under the above CLCI/CRCI headings in your Careers or Connexions library THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS IN SOMERSET Somerset has several large motorcycle dealers based in towns like Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil. These places sell and repair motorcycles. Even the bigger ones may only employ four or five people in the workshop. Elsewhere businesses can be very small and may concentrate on repairs. Some employ two or three people; others are people working on their own. Business can be up and down depending on the number of bikes being sold and the time of the year. HOW DO I GET STARTED?   Get work experience when at school to see if it’s the career for you   Start as a trainee – or an apprentice – in a repair workshop and go to college as part of your job   Go to college full-time to do a general motor vehicle course or – where one exists (outside of Somerset) – a specialist motorcycle repair course USEFUL QUALIFICATIONS   No specific GCSEs but passes in maths, English, science and practical subjects can help   BTECs and NVQs in general motor vehicle engineering   BTECs and NVQs in motorcycle engineering (colleges such as City of Bristol and East Devon do these courses)   Manufacturers’ qualifications (courses run for people employed by authorised dealers and repairers) More about qualifications, courses and training can be found in Moving On (published by Connexions Somerset) DO YOU KNOW? There are university-level motorcycle engineering courses at Coventry, Kingston and Swansea WHAT IS THE PAY LIKE? Around £80 per week (maybe more) if starting as a new employed trainee or apprentice. Towards the end of your apprenticeship you might be earning £150-170 per week. Experienced mechanics earn around £15-18,000 per year FINDING A JOB   Connexions centres   Job centres   Through applying for work apprenticeships   School and college careers notice boards   Speculative letters/visits/emails   Newspaper and industry publications adverts   Adverts displayed at premises and on industry/company websites   Job offer after work experience   Word of mouth   A Guide to Job Hunting gives tips on CVs, interviews and job letters. To view click here OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WORK   Some mechanics are involved in repairing all makes of motorcycles. Others may specialise in one make   Work needs to be done to a high standard for health & safety and insurance purposes. Good training is needed to do the job properly   The work can involve finding what’s wrong with a bike, MOTs, servicing and repairing damaged bikes   You might need to travel for the right job because there aren’t enough openings everywhere. If doing an apprenticeship you may sometimes need to travel away to college   Some mechanics say the job is becoming less skilled. With newer bikes it’s often a case of replacing parts rather than doing complete repair jobs   Motorcycle sales have gone down recently and many owners like to repair their own machines. This means the demand for mechanics isn’t as high as it was   The work is busier at certain times than others (eg people tend to use bikes more in the summer) WHO DOES THE WORK? Trevor (30) became an apprentice motorcycle mechanic when he left school. After working for a company in Taunton he’s now set up his own business. He works on his own and has a steady demand from owners who know and trust him Kelly(19) did a general motor vehicle course at her local college and soon decided she wanted to work with bikes rather than cars. She’s just started an apprenticeship with a Yeovil company and is doing extra NVQs to qualify as a motorcycle mechanic More Info: A-Z Careers Careers information dates rapidly. Every effort has been made to ensure information is accurate but please check details before making firm decisions. Make text larger Make text smaller Text Only Display Privacy Policy/Terms of Use