Roadside technician

You would help people whose vehicles have broken down or won’t start. You’d go out to where they are and either fix the problem there or get them and their vehicle to a garage.

If a car, van or other vehicle has a problem during a journey, then the person driving would call their breakdown service. The call centre would then tell you where they are and what they know about the fault.

You would drive out to the scene of the breakdown.

Then you would:

• Make sure the driver and any passengers are safe

• Examine the vehicle

• Ask the motorist for a description of what happened

• Find the fault

• If possible, do the repairs at the roadside

• Tow or transport the vehicle to a garage, if it needs major repair work

The people who have been stranded by the breakdown will probably be annoyed or worried by the delay to their journey. You’d need to reassure them and explain what has caused the problem.

You would normally work on patrols – covering a certain area – and carry spare engine parts, a battery charger and full tool kit. You might also use computerised fault-finding equipment. To work with hybrid and electric vehicles you may require a wider range of skills and knowledge due to the additional health and safety hazards.

You’d fill in a record sheet for each job you attend. You’d need to be interested in motor mechanics and be aware of health and safety issues.

• Institute of the Motor Industry – careers information for people working in the automotive industry