Hardwoods Five Oaks Accident repair Centre - Panel Technician Apprenticeship
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Company: HARWOODS LIMITED
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Location: Billinghurst, RH14 9AZ
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Type: Apprenticeship
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Salary: Apprenticeship Minimum Wage
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Sector: Engineering and manufacturing
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Ref: NAS-2000039315
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Application Deadline Date: 09/07/2026
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Start Date: 01/08/2026
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Positions Available: 1
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Working Week: Monday – Friday. 0830 – 1730. Possibility of Saturday workings and / or shifts. Working week will be confirmed on application.
Brief Description
As part of the Volkswagen Group Paint and Body network, you will have the opportunity to work on a range of vehicles from Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
You will develop the skills you need to successfully refinish vehicles back to factory standards and return them to our customers as good as new.
Training to be Provided
Training will be delivered using a combination of virtual classroom remote learning and face-to-face block release weeks at our state-of-the-art training centre.
Successful applicants must be prepared to travel to the Inspiro Learning Centre in Doncaster to complete their apprenticeship training. All training-related costs are fully covered as part of the programme, including travel, accommodation, and meals.
In the workplace, your personal, dedicated mentor will support your continued learning as you apply the skills and knowledge you have gained through the remote sessions and at the Inspiro Learning Centre.
This is a fully rounded training experience where you will build life skills that last and gain both apprenticeship qualifications and brand certifications.
On successful completion of the three-year programme, you will receive the following:
- Level 3 Vehicle Damage Panel Technician Apprenticeship
- Brand-specific certifications
Future Prospects
Volkswagen Group (VWG) is one of the UK’s largest car retailers encompassing premium brands such as Audi, Bentley, SEAT, ŠKODA, Volkswagen, TPS, Volkswagen Group Paint and Body and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. This network of retailers spans the UK, providing a wide range of career opportunities.
Once your apprenticeship is complete, you will continue your learning journey and you will have the opportunity drive your career forward. Some of our apprentices have gone on to become team leaders and managers within the retail network or even joined our team at Head Office in Milton Keynes.
Vacancy Detail
Vehicle Damage Panel Technicians specialise in repairing or replacing damaged panels on our customer’s vehicles.
Over the course of the apprenticeship, you will develop the skills to prepare a vehicle for a Paint Technician by repairing, replacing, and preparing accident-damaged body panels utilising special tools and procedures to Volkswagen Group standards.
Daily duties will vary according to location and may include:
- Assessing the level of damage to a vehicle and choosing to either repair or replace panels.
- Removing damaged panels.
- Repairing damaged chassis and panels.
- Keeping logs of work carried out and informing customers of any additional work.
- Maintaining a clean and safe work environment.
Our ideal Vehicle Damage Panel Technician will have an eye for detail and perfection with the passion to deliver excellent service for our customers.
We are looking for people who are passionate about our industry and our brand. Some of the personal skills that you should think about showing us in your application are:
- Enthusiasm and willingness to learn
- Teamwork
- Strong communication
- Customer Service
- Interest in vehicle engineering
We are looking for an enthusiastic, hardworking individual to join our team and embark on a long term career, with excellent earning and progression opportunities once you complete your apprenticeship.
Other Information
As part of our commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, all applications are automatically anonymised by our recruitment system. This is with the aim of realising our ambition to have a workforce that is reflective of the community we serve and eliminating unconscious bias, allowing employees to be appointed based on their talent, skills and experiences regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic.
English and Maths guidance from the government changed on 11th February 2025. This employer wishes to support upskilling in both English and maths by exception, and as such, the entry grade criteria as advertised still apply.
The closing date for this vacancy is 09/07/2026, and interviews are expected to be held week commencing 27/07/2026. We reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a sufficient number of applications. We therefore advise candidates to submit their applications as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Please do not contact the retailer directly. Inspiro Learning carry out the full recruitment service for this employer. Due to the high number of applications, we cannot provide a timescale on when you are likely to receive a response. As most of our roles are recruited for on an ongoing basis, we will contact you if you are successful at progressing to the next step. It is not possible for us to contact every applicant individually. If you have not heard back on a specific vacancy but find another opportunity that is of interest to you, we welcome an additional application.