Windscreen fitter
Windscreen fitters repair and replace damaged glass on cars, vans, buses and lorries.
Also known as: Vehicle glazing technician, windscreen repairer
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£34,000 a year
- Typical hours40 to 45 a week
What you'll do
As a windscreen fitter, you could:
- drive to meet the customer or welcome them to the workshop
- assess the damage to glass and advise the customer on repair options
- repair small chips in glass with resin
- disconnect electrical wiring, like window controls
- remove trims from around windows
- remove and replace damaged glass, and reconnect electrics
- record work details for each job
- process payments
Working environment
You could work in a fast-fit centre, at a car dealership, at a client's business, at a client's home or on call-out to wherever the car owner is.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and involve using chemicals.
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- the ability to work well with your hands
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- the ability to organise your time and workload
- customer service skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to use your initiative
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a windscreen fitter
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course in a subject like vehicle accident repair, which may help when looking for work.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an Automotive Glazing Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
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
There are no set entry requirements when applying directly for vacancies, but experience in the motor trade as a mechanic or body repairer would be helpful.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- have a full driving licence
Career path and progression
With more training you could become a:
- vehicle mechanic
- breakdown engineer
- workshop supervisor
You could also start your own windscreen repair company.
Career tips
You may be given a company car or van if you're employed directly by a windscreen repair firm. You'll need your own vehicle if you work for yourself.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleFast fit technician
- Job roleCar manufacturing worker
- Job roleMotor mechanic
- Job roleVehicle body repairer
- Job roleRoadside assistance technician
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0