Why did you choose an apprenticeship and why automotive?
I chose an apprenticeship with Kia because of the training. I realised there's an industry within Kia for being a mechanic and with it being a main dealer, the level of teaching you get is way better than any backstreet garage.
What does your day-to-day life look like as an apprentice?
My day-to-day life consists of coming to work, working with my mentor, learning, having fun. Because if you don't have fun, why choose it?
What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship?
With Kia, you get to come down to Derby and well, the training facilities are immaculate, they just made it and, well, the training is amazing. My advice is just do it.
What about the training do you enjoy the most?
You come down to a facility and it's just dedicated to working on cars. You get all the latest equipment. And, well, it's brand new, so that's amazing. Couldn't be better.
What would you say are the main benefits of being an apprentice?
Well, my main benefit is working for Kia because you have this brand-new facility, you get amazing training, and you also get virtual classrooms which you can learn in your own place of work. You get tablets provided for you and you get to do video calls and face-to-face training. And if you have any questions, they don't hesitate in helping you at all. Everyone’s happy to help and with the mindset to work it's a whole lot better.
How do you feel you benefited from having a mentor, not just technically but personal development as well?
Well, since my mentor is quite young, he's just out of this apprenticeship, so he's still learning also. And we both get to learn at the same time. And if he's stuck, he comes to me, and we both get each other's opinion and then we try to work from it and problem solve.
What tools and equipment have you got access to at Kia that you wouldn't normally have at other academies?
Well, at this Kia facility you get to use brand new tools with built-in workbenches and when you come down to this facility you also get tablets provided for you. So, when you're back at your dealership you get to do online training and talk one-to-one with the trainers down here who help you learn.
What courses are you doing on your Kia apprenticeship programme?
Well, with the courses on the Kia apprenticeship programme, by the time you're a fully qualified technician, you'll get some IMI qualifications starting at Level 1 ADAS, Level 1 Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Level 3 First Aid, Level 3F Gas and Level 3 EV. And then by the time you've done that, you'll also be a certified Kia technician. By the time you finish your apprenticeship programme, you'll have a wide knowledge across the whole of the vehicle. So, you're always learning all the way through, and there's still opportunities to branch into different areas.
Find out more about becoming an apprentice here.
