Simpsons Skoda Preparation Centre Preston - Paint Technician Apprenticeship
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Company: SIMPSONS (PRESTON)LTD
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Location: Preston, PR5 8AQ
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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-2000028261
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Application Deadline Date: 11/05/2026
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Start Date: 01/08/2026
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Positions Available: 1
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Working Week: Monday - Friday, 08:30 - 17:30. Possibility of Saturday workings and / or shifts. Working week will be confirmed on application.
Brief Description
As part of the Volkswagen Group approved 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 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 Paint 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
Our Vehicle Damage Paint Technicians work within the Volkswagen Group Approved Repairer network to help return our customers vehicles back to factory standards following accidents including bumps and scrapes. This means that our customer’s vehicles will become as good as new.
Paint Technicians are responsible for preparing vehicles to be painted after damage has occurred or once panels have been replaced. This will include repairing minor scratches to match the rest of the vehicle.
Some of the day-to-day duties include:
- Ensuring all parts have been stripped from the vehicle in order for it to be painted
- Sanding down relevant area and adjoining area for blending
- Masking out areas to be treated
- Etching and priming areas to be treated
- Selecting matching and mixing colours using the approved Volkswagen Group colour palette
- Spray painting panels or vehicle parts using a variety of techniques to ensure a factory standard finish
Our ideal candidate will be creative and with an artistic nature. You should be able to demonstrate attention to detail and be committed to delivering a precise finish to your work.
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
The latest information on the Apprentice National Minimum Wage can be found at https://www.gov.uk/become-apprentice/pay-and-conditions
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 applies.
The closing date for this vacancy is 11/05/2026 and interviews are expected to be held week commencing 25/05/2026. 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.