Level 1 Motor Vehicle

Course Overview

The Diploma provides students with an understanding of the technical skills needed for working in the motor vehicle repair industry.

Entry Requirements

GCSE Grade 9-3 in English and Maths.

*The College reserves the right to ask for a school reference if required.

What the course covers

Students will gain practical experience and the technical knowledge needed to work as a Service Technician carrying out maintenance/repairs on cars, vans and other light vehicles in garages, dealerships and maintenance depots.

The course content includes:

• Health and safety practices in vehicle maintenance;
• Good housekeeping;
• Workshop;
• Petrol and diesel engine technology;
• Chassis and frames;
• Tools and equipment;
• Light vehicle construction and routine maintenance;
• Air, fuel, ignition and exhaust systems;
• Tyres, brakes, steering and suspension systems;
• Operating principles and maintenance of light vehicle transmission systems and
• Electrical and electronic systems.

All students are provided with an individual study programme to develop the skills needed to gain employment and succeed in the workplace. If you have not already gained both GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 or above you will receive additional help and support to retake these examinations.

Students will be assessed via a mixture of practical assessments and online tests.

Work Experience is a part of this course, the hours and dates will be determined by the course tutor. Work experience can be up to a maximum of two weeks on an external placement, you are encouraged to source your own placement with support from the WEX Team and your course tutor. Where external placements are not possible you will be expected to take part in simulated work experience organised by the college.

Why study Motor Vehicle at Nescot:

If you have a passion for cars or engineering then our specialist training courses could provide you with an introduction to the industry, or build on existing skills developed in the industry and further your career opportunities.

It is a great time to be working in the Motor Vehicle industry as the sector is predicted to have record growth in the coming years.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders – Motor Industry Facts 2014, there are:

• 30 million+ Vehicles currently on UK roads
• 731,000 Number of people employed across UK automotive industry
• 100,000 new automotive jobs to be created by 2020
• £59.3 billion Amount generated in turnover each year by UK automotive

Below are some of the career opportunities available within the Motor Vehicle industry:

• Light vehicle maintenance and repair
• Heavy vehicle maintenance and repair
• Motorcycle maintenance and repair
• Fast-fit operations (tyres, exhausts, batteries etc)
• Accident repair
• Body building
• Parts distribution and supply
• Vehicle sales
• Vehicle rental and leasing (self-drive or with driver)
• Roadside assistance and recovery
• Lift truck maintenance and repair
• Motorsport maintenance and repair

To find out more about the Motor Vehicle industry please visit:

• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) www.smmt.co.uk
• Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) www.theimi.org.uk (Sector Skills Council for the automotive retail industry)
• City & Guilds

Fees and funding

Please note:

• Students aged 16 to 18, or those aged 16 to 24 who have a valid EHCP, and are studying Further Education courses are not normally charged course fees
• Adults may need to pay a fee depending on their personal circumstances. This will be assessed against the relevant Funding Body eligibility criteria at point of enrolment

If you don’t qualify for fee remission, the fees for 2026/27 will be:

£969 (plus registration fee to be advised at enrolment)

Fees are for 2026/27 entry and apply to students eligible for home fee status enrolling to funded programmes. The fees quoted are subject to personal circumstances and will be confirmed at the time of your enrolment, depending on eligibility criteria. For more information about financial support for students, please click here or email studentfinance@nescot.ac.uk