Motor Mechanic

As a Motor Mechanic you inspect, diagnose and repair cars and light commercial vehicles in dealerships or independent garages. Your daily work includes servicing engines, replacing worn components such as brake pads and tyres, carrying out diagnostic checks using electronic equipment, and completing oil and fluid changes. You work closely with service advisors and customers to explain faults found and agree on repair work, keeping detailed records of all work completed. Health and safety is central to the role, and you are responsible for maintaining a clean, organised workshop and handling hazardous substances in line with strict safety procedures.

The standard route into this occupation in Ireland is through the SOLAS Motor Mechanic Apprenticeship, an 'earn and learn' programme that takes approximately four years to complete and leads to a QQI NFQ Level 6 award. Useful Leaving Certificate subjects include Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, and Applied Mathematics, though there are no fixed subject requirements to start an apprenticeship. You alternate between on-the-job training with an approved employer and off-the-job training at a designated Education and Training Board (ETB) or Institute of Technology provider. Some candidates first complete a QQI Level 5 PLC course in Motor Technology at a College of Further Education to build practical skills before entering the apprenticeship. On completion, mechanics may progress to further qualifications in areas such as automotive diagnostics or vehicle systems through Springboard+ or specialist courses offered by vehicle manufacturers. No professional registration body is currently required for Motor Mechanics in Ireland, though ongoing training provided by dealerships or manufacturers is standard.