I've just realised that I hadn't passed on this news...
My lad finished his NVQ3 in Vehicle Engineering in the middle of last year and has been scouring the locality looking for an apprenticeship in a workshop. He saw an ad on the lamp-post(!) outside the local VW dealership and dropped his CV in on spec. Commendably, they responded to him to say that they were looking for experienced technicians, but they would keep his details on file.
Come December, he got a call out of the blue from the VAG apprenticeship scheme - was he interested in an interview at a local dealership just opening? Did a phone interview with the VAG people, and then with the Service Manager at the new place. Things went quiet, but he popped back in a couple of times to say that he was still interested.
Come end of January, he gets a call - can he come in lunchtime to see the Service Manager? When he arrives, he's offered the apprenticeship! SM said that he got the job because 1) he had done the college work and had some practical experience, 2) he was working in the meantime whilst looking (albeit at McDonalds), 3) he was the only person to turn up for an interview in a suit, and 4) he kept popping back in to show his interest.
He been there (at the new Skoda dealership in Horsham) for about 6 weeks, and is loving it! Seems to have settled in well and is doing real work too - simple servicing, cambelt changes, etc. The money is about half what he was getting at McDonalds but we're helping him out with car insurance, etc. He gets his first block training at the VAG centre in Milton Keynes in October, which he's looking forward to.
It's so good to see him finally doing what he's wanted to do ever since he could say the word "car". He's also got he's little Seicento back on the road having done new front struts, bushes, rear bearings, brakes all round, and alternator (spending all his holiday money). Clutch cable went this week which is a nasty little job on those things, so he went in this morning to do that just in time for his first date with a nice young lady he's met recently (nothing like a good incentive to get things done!).
I'm not quite ready to let him loose on Mrs E's CLK (he's in the dog-house over a tyre...) but he's lined up for the next service in the Kia.
My lad finished his NVQ3 in Vehicle Engineering in the middle of last year and has been scouring the locality looking for an apprenticeship in a workshop. He saw an ad on the lamp-post(!) outside the local VW dealership and dropped his CV in on spec. Commendably, they responded to him to say that they were looking for experienced technicians, but they would keep his details on file.
Come December, he got a call out of the blue from the VAG apprenticeship scheme - was he interested in an interview at a local dealership just opening? Did a phone interview with the VAG people, and then with the Service Manager at the new place. Things went quiet, but he popped back in a couple of times to say that he was still interested.
Come end of January, he gets a call - can he come in lunchtime to see the Service Manager? When he arrives, he's offered the apprenticeship! SM said that he got the job because 1) he had done the college work and had some practical experience, 2) he was working in the meantime whilst looking (albeit at McDonalds), 3) he was the only person to turn up for an interview in a suit, and 4) he kept popping back in to show his interest.
He been there (at the new Skoda dealership in Horsham) for about 6 weeks, and is loving it! Seems to have settled in well and is doing real work too - simple servicing, cambelt changes, etc. The money is about half what he was getting at McDonalds but we're helping him out with car insurance, etc. He gets his first block training at the VAG centre in Milton Keynes in October, which he's looking forward to.
It's so good to see him finally doing what he's wanted to do ever since he could say the word "car". He's also got he's little Seicento back on the road having done new front struts, bushes, rear bearings, brakes all round, and alternator (spending all his holiday money). Clutch cable went this week which is a nasty little job on those things, so he went in this morning to do that just in time for his first date with a nice young lady he's met recently (nothing like a good incentive to get things done!).
I'm not quite ready to let him loose on Mrs E's CLK (he's in the dog-house over a tyre...) but he's lined up for the next service in the Kia.