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- Requires team working skills, close attention to detail, good time management, and flexibility for shift work
- Work in a car manufacturing plant, assembling cars or other vehicles
- With experience and further training, become a team supervisor, quality control technician or workshop section leader
As a car manufacturing worker, your duties will depend on which part of the production line you work on.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Taking delivery of parts from suppliers
- Operating presses that shape metal sheets and components
- Fixing the engine and frame to the vehicle chassis
- Assembling other parts using robotic welders and hand tools
- Controlling paint spraying machinery
- Fitting interiors, wiring, lights, dashboards and windscreens
- Moving finished vehicles to storage areas ready for shipping
- You'll also carry out quality checks for faults at each stage of production, using digital readouts and manual inspections
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll usually work 40 hours on a shift pattern. This could include weekends and nights. Overtime is often available.
You'll need
To become a car manufacturing worker there are no set requirements.
You could apply directly for a job as a car manufacturing worker. You may find it useful if you have experience in production manufacturing, tyre or exhaust fitting, or vehicle maintenance.
Employers may ask for 4 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. Some car manufacturing companies take on trainees, so you can learn the skills you need on the job.
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant subjects include a Level 2 Diploma in Manufacturing Technology or a Level 3 in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering.
You could also get into this job through an automotive engineering manufacture advanced apprenticeship.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience and further training, you could become a team supervisor, quality control technician or workshop section leader. You could also train to work as a maintenance engineer, servicing and repairing the production line machinery.