These top new talent in the sector have been nominated, taken a knowledge exam, undergone 6x practical tasks and now are the top 6 in their stream for Automotive. Their next steps are to take part in a two day practical competition to be crowned winner and the best on the UK in Light Vehicle Technology, Heavy Vehicle technology, Refinishing and Body Repair with World Skills UK.
We caught up with the World skills UK Automotive finalists ahead of the event to learn about what inspired them to enter the automotive sector and what motivates them to drive forward in their career. Hear some of their stories below:
Refinishing Finalist
Name – Bethany Creaser
Category – Refinishing
About Beth: Bethany represents FMG Repair Services, and enters the competition as the Bodyshop magazine apprentice paint technician of the year from 2021
Beth’s Journey:
Beth has always had an interest in cars and so an eventual career in the automotive sector was always a possibility, however the process of working out which part of the sector proved to be a longer task and took some trial and experience across different roles before Beth discovered her passion for paint. Beth’s journey is testament to the versatility of our sector. Starting off in the accounts department at a dealership, before moving over into the workshop to train as a technician, Beth gained a valuable insight into a range of automotive careers. When she learned of an opportunity at the local FMG Bodyshop, Beth jumped at the chance to learn something new and has since proved herself to be a truly adaptable and skilled member of the team.
Advice for others interested in Automotive:
Beth’s key advice for anyone interested in the automotive sector, regardless of their background or attributes is “if you don’t try you won’t know, even if you try something new and it doesn’t work out, you may find that it opens up doors to other jobs or areas of the industry that you might otherwise not have been aware of” Beth also had this advice for young women or others who may have some apprehension about joining what is perceived as a male dominated field “From my experience being a female in a largely male environment has never been a barrier, everyone is willing to help and give advice when you start out, as long as you show a willingness to learn and work hard”
Name – Jordan Zatac
Category – Refinishing
About Jordan: Jordan is one of this years Refinishing finalists, and represents the Innovative Repair Group IRG in Cardiff
Jordan’s Journey: Jordan’s pathway in the automotive sector is yet another example of how, no matter what career path you start on, there is always a role to be found that can suit you in the automotive sector. Having done a variety of jobs from security to roofing and carpet laying, Jordan had yet to find his career calling. Although he has always enjoyed working on cars as a hobby, Jordan did not want to pursue the mechanical route for a career, so after a brief stint as an auto tech, he decided to follow in his brothers footsteps and gofor an apprenticeship opportunity at IRG. He was successful by being proactive and showing a willingness to learn and succeed.
Jordan‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“Leave your ego at the door, you have to accept that making mistakes is part of the learning process, sometimes a job wont go to plan, you have to be able to move past that and work out what stage of the process went wrong and put it right” Jordan’s manager added that “attention to detail is a key component of Jordans skillset, which relates to the sense of pride you feel as a paint and refinishing technician when you see the end product”
Name – Sion Lewis
Category – Refinishing
About Sion: Sion enters this years World skills UK Final representing IRG
Sion’s Journey: Sion came into the automotive sector from a mechanical engineering background. Along with his family’s roots in technical and agricultural professions, this allowed him to start his motor career at a flying pace. However, rather than just follow in footsteps of those who came before him, Sion decided to mark out his own path and enter the refinishing sector. After leaving a previous job Sion put himself out there and earned himself a role at IRG where not only did he find the support and professional standard to progress his knowledge and skills, but also the financial rewards that reflect the hard work and tremendous skillset needed to achieve factory quality paint finishing consistently
Sion’s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Sion advises “ be willing to try out different things, I didn’t start out in paint and refinishing but it definitely was the right move for me, not only for the new skills, but for the job satisfaction I get from it”
Name – Liam Shipp
Category – Refinishing
About Liam: Liam is representative of FMG repair services one of two finalists from the company in this year’s final.
Liam’s Journey: Liam has always had an artistic flair, having enjoyed graphic design at school he wanted to pursue this interest into his career. Despite the emphasis from school on encouraging Liam to take the academic route to go on to University, he instead combined his personal interest in cars, inspired by his dads career as a mechanic, with his graphic design skills, and found that a paint and refinishing apprenticeship was the perfect outlet to satisfy his artistic and career goals all in one place. His manager Kate added that one of the qualities that has made Liam such a skilled apprentice is his thoroughness, and the fact that he, as his own biggest critic, is constantly evaluating and learning where he can improve his craft.
Liam ‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Liam’s advice for others interested in the automotive sector is to “follow your passion, and go down the path that you feel suits you best, don’t think that just because others do something a certain way, that you have to follow if its not right for you. It can take time to learn the detailed processes involved, especially in paint and refinishing, but seeing the end result when it comes out right is the best feeling. That along with the work environment, and helpful colleagues if needed makes it a great place to work”
Name – Dominic Everington
Category – Refinishing
About Dominic:
Dominic works for AW, Part of the Steer Automotive group
Dominic’s Journey:
After finishing school back in 2018, Dominic had yet to decide what he wanted to do with his future. After considering a career in Joinery, he had the opportunity to take up work experience at a friend of the family’s wheel refurbishment business. The Link was forged there, and Dominic enjoyed the experience so much that he decided a career in Automotive was what he wanted to pursue. While visiting an apprentice open day held by his eventual employers, Dominic took the first steps into his career, signing up to a multi skill apprenticeship, learning the tools to develop into a complete vehicle repair technician dealing with paint, panel and mech/electrical trim work.
Dominic‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“Don’t be put off, or let pressure get to you. There will be times when a job needs to be finished in a certain timeframe, you just need to stay focused and follow the processes you’ve learned and practiced, if you do that it will turn out right” Dominic also said that sometimes focussing in on the written work can be a challenge, especially once you get used to the fast pace of hands on experience in the workshop but it’s crucial to give yourself the necessary background knowledge to get the best results
Body Repair Finalists
Name – Ieuan Morris Brown
Category – Body Repair
About Ieuan:
Ieuan is one of this year’s Body Repair finalists representing the Innovative Repair Group (IRG) in Cardiff, and trains at Cardiff and Vale College.
Ieuan’s Journey:
Ieuan credits his early interest in the automotive sector to his dad, who has always been into cars. Ieuan had his first experiences watching and learning from his dad and eventually entered into the sector after finishing school into his first apprenticeship. Although that initial foray into the industry didn’t pan out in the end, it didn’t sway Ieuan’s passion for the sector and if anything made him even more determined to succeed. Ieuan made the most of the opportunity at IRG which he had heard about from friends at college, and he showed the courage to approach the company in person to ask for an opportunity. He clearly made an impression on his manager Matt who saw in Ieuan a mix of qualities that he knew would make an exceptional apprentice. Now as one of the 6 best body repair apprentices in the country, that certainly proved to be the case!
Ieuan‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Ieuan said simply “Keep trying, and make the most of any opportunity you get. There’s always something new to learn and literally every job you do is different in body repair. Even if you had the same car in every day, every repair we work on is unique and you get to see transformation’s from a crash damaged wreck all the way through to going back out to a customer as good as, sometimes better than, new”
Name – Ben priestly
Category – Body repair
About Ben – Ben enters the final representing Porters body shop in Northern Ireland, and Riverpark Training
Ben’s Journey:
Ben has always loved cars, but when deciding what career path to follow ben wasn’t totally sold on the idea of a career in the Automotive sector and wanted to try out other avenues. After studying music for a time, he decided to change direction and apply to do an apprenticeship. His manager Colin recalls that what stood Ben apart, was the fact that he followed up after his interview to get feedback, showing he had determination, drive and a real desire to build a career. Ben got his opportunity and has proven that even without specific prior experience, with the right approach and attitude to hard work you can quickly develop your skills to be one of the best.
Ben‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Ben Advice to others thinking of a career in our sector is simply to “stay positive” and always be willing to keep learning new things so you can keep at the forefront and futureproof your skillset”
Name – David Mckeown
Category – Body Repair
About David : David enters the skills Competition final representing his family run JM Accident repair in Northern Ireland, and Riverpark training.
David ’s Journey: David has been in and around the body shop since the age of 9, following in his brother and father’s footsteps to join the family run business started by his dad, and works alongside his brother who is the foreman. In all that time David has been picking up the skills that led him to reach this year’s final. However despite the strong family connection, David wasn’t always sure a career in the shop he knew so well was for him, and could just have easily decided to go a different route following his other interest into agriculture and farming. However once he was old enough to really get involved in the body shop and develop his technical skills he made the choice and has not looked back since. The chance to compete in world skills UK has been a long standing goal for David, having heard about the competition some time ago, this year he gets to demonstrate his skills with the best of the best apprentices in his field.
David‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“Attitude means everything, be prepared to work your way up from the bottom, I spent a lot of time helping out in the workshop before I could really take on responsibilities myself. Showing determination to work hard and learn is key. Working under pressure can be challenging, but once you are willing to take on responsibility and show you can handle the pressure you gain massive pride in your work and what you are able to accomplish”
Name – Saul Dale
Category – Body repair
About Saul:
Saul is one of this years Body repair stream finalists, and represents the Vella Group of repair centres
Saul’s Journey:
Saul was inspired to pursue his career in Automotive due in part to his dad’s background as a mechanic. From an early age he developed a love for all things car related, and after a fair bit of looking around decided to try his hand at Body repair. However Saul has made sure to equip himself with a diverse range of skills, and is a level 3 qualified multiskilled technician, meaning along with panel work, he also is a dab hand with paint and mechanical prep, making him an extremely valuable asset to any business.
Saul‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“Its important to have, or develop an interest in cars and vehicles more generally. Also willingness to learn, and the confidence to push yourself further as you learn more. Seeing the end product of your efforts, with body work in particular, is a feeling you need to experience to appreciate how good it feels to see something repaired that may otherwise have been scrapped, so in a way its also about sustainability, repairing instead of replacing”
Light Vehicle Technology Finalists
Name – Rob Aldous
Category – Light Vehicle Technician
About Robert : Rob is one of this years light vehicle Finalists, scoring a solid 64% in the National qualifier. Robert represents Sytner Mercedes-Benz in Weston-super-mare and trains at Weston College
Robs Journey:
Robs journey represents an inspiring example of resilience and determination to succeed in the face of life changing challenges. After leaving school at 16 Rob entered the automotive sector as an apprentice. When his placement ended due to no fault of his own, rob took the decision to join the Armed forces. After 6 years of service, rob suffered a serious and life changing injury which started a long and difficult road to recovery which still has an impact to this day. Rob resolved himself to get back on his feet and after a few jobs that didn’t quite match his high aspirations, discipline and work ethic and with support from his college, Rob finally landed his current role with Sytner Mercedes-Benz. There he has flourished quickly advancing and earning a reputation for his determination to learn and develop new skills. He even has his own apprentice!
Rob’s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“You have to learn from mistakes, and setbacks, accept you are going to have bad days, learn and move forward. Making your learning and career qualifications a priority in the short term, pays off in the long run”
Name – Robert Griffin
Category – Light Vehicle Technician
About Robert : Robert is one of this years light vehicle Finalists, scoring a respectable 68% in the qualifying round. Robert represents Calex UK LTD in Light vehicle tech
Roberts Journey:
Robert grew up watching and learning from his dad working on cars and getting involved from a very early age. Robert later drew on these experiences, when deciding what path to take for his future after school “I Wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after my GCSE’s, so in the end I just followed what I had always enjoyed doing, being hands on and practical work ” Robert took up his first apprenticeship, which ultimately didn’t work out, however that minor setback set him on course to where he is today working at (— insert employer here—). Rob found his current apprenticeship on the Gov.uk apprenticeship site and impressed his eventual manager Mark at interview with his willingness to put himself out there and eagerness to learn. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and has firmly established himself as a valuable asset to the company as one of the top 6 young technicians in the country.
Robert’s advice for others interested in Automotive:
“Just go for it, be willing to put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to go in person and introduce yourself, instead of just sending a cv or email”. The best thing about working in the automotive sector is the fact that there is always something new, if you are eager learn then you will never get bored”
Name – Charlie Taff-Lavill
Category – Light Vehicle Technology
About Charlie: Charlie
Charlie’s Journey:
As a late entrant into the Automotive, Charlie exemplifies our sectors ability to cater to a wide range of skills and backgrounds and support them to pursue a rewarding and sustainable career path. Despite always having had a hand in the industry, helping out with friends and family cars, Charlie previously trained as a firefighter. However when circumstances required him to, Charlie made the decision to prioritise his young family. When the time came to return to work Charlie, with encouragement from loved ones, started his journey in Automotive. He Began a career in which, its fair to say, he’s made a flying start in being selected as one of the 6 best apprentices in the country. Charlies Manager Matt remarked that from the initial interview it was clear that Charlie had a genuine interest in the job and soaks up information eagerly.
Charlie‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Charlie says “Its never too late to do something new, and in doing so, you push yourself and discover what you are really capable of” Despite some challenge presented by his Dyslexia, Charlie has not let difficulties define or limit him and has proven that with the right mindset and support where needed you can pursue the career of choice and be a success
Heavy Vehicle Finalists
Name – Max Winter
Category – Heavy Vehicle
About Max: Max enters this year’s Heavy Vehicle World skills UK final representing Adams Morey and DAF.
Max’s Journey:
Max began his working life in the electrical manufacturing industry. However when he needed to find a new opportunity, he employed a proactive and persistent approach to finding the right role for him. When he eventually heard back from Adams Morey, he impressed them with his well measured level of self-confidence, polite and courteous nature, as well as his ability to learn and absorb knowledge. Max has built up his reputation as a trustworthy and highly competent asset to the company, willing to take on new and challenging tasks that even more experienced technicians have never done. His manager Aidy says “Max has the full support of the company and management, he has genuinely set the benchmark in our business for what we expect our apprentices to achieve and with how he approaches every day as an opportunity to learn and progress”.
Max‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Max emphasises the importance of really “engaging with the brand history and company values”. In doing so you gain even more of a sense of pride in the work you do every day, when you appreciate the part you play as an apprentice in taking the company towards the future by being the first to learn about the new technologies and systems that are on the horizon in our industry, there’s always something new to learn”
Name – Nicholas Garrett
Category – Heavy Vehicle
About Nicholas: Nicholas is a proud representative of the Bus and Coach sector as one of our Heavy Vehicle finalists this year. He trains at Gateshead College.
Nicholas’s Journey: Nicholas comes into the final as one of the more mature apprentices this year, proving that it is never too late to start up a successful career in the automotive sector. Although he has some family background of working on trucks and Heavy goods vehicles, initially the automotive sector wasn’t even on Nicholas radar. After studying Music at Btec and later University level, he realised that the purely academic route didn’t suit his learning style. So learning from this experience, and knowing that he’d always enjoyed practical tasks and building things, he began looking into mechanical based apprenticeships until eventually, almost by accident, he found a place in the automotive sector that was right for him. The mix of learning on the job and learning theory played to Nicholas strengths, and has led him to become one of the top 6 apprentices in his field.
Nicholas‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Nicholas is keen to stress the importance of building effective working relationships with mentors and colleagues. “Even the grumpiest old techs come alive when you show an interest in their work by asking questions, showing you appreciate their knowledge and experience. It’s a key part of an apprenticeship but is also vital when you’ve qualified, as the learning process never ends”. According to Nicholas the best thing about working in the Automotive sector “is the variety, especially in heavy vehicles where you have the chance to work on mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, basically a wide range of heavy duty engineering, and cutting edge technology that has to be up to the task of dealing with much more weight and strain. Everybody has a car, but not everyone can appreciate the heavy vehicle sector and what goes into it”.
Name – Alex Zielechowski
Category – Heavy Vehicle Technology
About Alex: Alex enters this years final as a representative of MAN trucks
Alex’s Journey: Alex followed his interest and passion for anything hands on and mechanical when he started his motor career, although it was almost by chance that he landed his current role in the heavy vehicle sector at MAN. After applying for an different agency role he found that that role had already been closed, however through his enquiry he came across and ultimately was successful gaining an apprenticeship with Harris group MAN. Alex’s Manager Scott who himself came up through an apprenticeship route, says that Alex immediately impressed with his ability to soak up knowledge, his passion for the job and has especially excelled with his diagnostic capabilities.
Alex ‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
Alex highlighted the need to have a willingness to listen to experienced advice, from mentors and colleagues at all times. “There are challenges when you first start out, in the physicality of some jobs, but also in that every day is different so you cannot get comfortable doing the same thing, you need to be adaptable. However, that same challenge is also one of the best things about the job for Alex “The variety is refreshing, everyday is a learning day and it never gets boring”
Name – George Hinkley
Category – Heavy Vehicle Technology
About George: George is a proud representative of Scania UK and works at the South Mimms depot
George’s Journey:
Georges journey in automotive was kickstarted by his time doing work experience at a bus and coach garage. His love of all thing’s mechanical stems from his highly methodical and logical way of thinking. From restoring old land rovers in his spare time, to his extensive knowledge of all things truck related, George demonstrates a true passion for Automotive every day. George is a prime example of the inclusive nature of our sector, when it comes to potential barriers or difficulties, such as his Asperger’s syndrome, a form of ASC, which George says has been more of an advantage than a hindrance in his job. His manager Leon Highlighted the importance of understanding where difficulties could lie, and making reasonable adjustments, in George’s case allowing him extra space and time to acclimatise to new people and social situations. George has been able to show given the right environment and support where needed, despite challenges, that you can go on to excel in whatever field you choose.
George‘s advice for others interested in Automotive:
George says that showing curiosity and asking questions is a key thing for anyone wanting to start a career in Automotive. Being curious allows you to take advantage of the fact that everyday is a learning day, whether you are new to the sector, or a seasoned professional, there is always something new to learn, especially as technology advances rapidly.
For your chance to appear on the 2023 line up, sign up for updates here: www.theimi.org.uk/landing/imi-skills-competitions/