Roadside assistance technician

Roadside assistance technicians help people whose vehicles have broken down.

Also known as: Roadside recovery technician, motor vehicle breakdown engineer

• Starter salary£30,000 a year
• Experienced£55,000 a year
• Typical hours40 to 44 a week

What you'll do

As a roadside assistance technician, you could:

• respond to breakdown calls from a control centre
• make sure the vehicle, driver and passengers are safe
• examine the vehicle to find and diagnose the fault
• carry out roadside repairs
• tow or transport the vehicle to a garage if major repair work is needed
• arrange transport for the driver of the broken down vehicle
• complete record sheets for each job

Working environment

You could work at a garage, from a vehicle or on call-out to wherever the car owner is.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

You'll need:

• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to use your initiative
• problem-solving skills
• the ability to repair machines or systems
• persistence and determination
• the ability to work well with others
• customer service skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

How to become a roadside assistance technician

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

College

You could take a college course before applying for work as a trainee with a garage or breakdown company.

Relevant courses include:

• light vehicle maintenance and repair
• T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

You could specialise in hybrid and electrical vehicles by doing a course like:

• auto-electrical and mobile electrical operations
• electric/hybrid vehicle system repair and replacement

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You can apply to do a Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician - Light Vehicle Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This can take 2 to 3 years. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time at a college or training provider.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Direct application

You can apply directly to become a roadside assistance technician. You'll need experience and qualifications in motor vehicle maintenance and repair to do this.

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

• have a full driving licence

You may need an LGV licence if you're going to be working on heavy goods vehicles.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a supervisor or manager, or move into training.

Career tips

You'll usually be supplied with a company vehicle to use for work, though you may need some of your own repair tools.

Guides for this industry

• Engineering: pay, interviews and getting started →

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