About the role
Do you have a passion for vehicles and want to understand how to maintain them? We have an exciting opportunity to become an Vehicle Technician Apprentice in John Lewis Partnership. Our Heavy Commercial Vehicle Technicians are the lifeblood of our logistics network. Without them, our shelves would be empty and our customers disappointed. Our Vehicle Technicians are encouraged to manage their own time, while being proactive to ensure our Commercial Fleet is maintained.
You’ll gain the qualifications you need to do the job and the opportunity of securing a permanent Heavy Vehicle Technician role with us at the end of your apprenticeship.
At a glance
This role is based at our Fenny Lock Vehicle Workshop in Milton Keynes.
This is a permanent position and the starting pay rate for this role is £12.45 per hour. For the first year of your apprenticeship you will be working Monday to Friday, 8am - 4pm. From year 2 onwards, you will be required to work flexibly across all shifts to gain a greater understanding of the operation.
We are currently recruiting for candidates to start in August 2025.
Pay rate breakdown
Starting Pay Rate - £12.45 per hour
On passing year 1 exams - £12.80 per hour
On passing year 2 exams - £13.50 per hour
On completing the Apprenticeship - £16.15 per hour
About the role
As an Apprentice Heavy Vehicle Technician you will work within our Workshops, alongside our qualified Technicians, learning how to complete services, inspections and repairs on heavy vehicles. You will complete day to day tasks faced by a Technician that can range from replacing simple parts through to solving complex faults with the use of diagnostic methods and equipment. You will be required to work independently but also operate effectively within a team, have strong problem solving skills and a good understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of vehicle systems and associated ancillaries.
For more information about the role, please see the attached job outline.
Apprenticeship Training
Training is delivered both in the workplace (on the job) and via 7 week-long training blocks per year at S&B’s specialist Automotive Academy in Bristol (off the job). Apprentices will be required to travel via train to S&B’s Academy whilst on training blocks, and stay in hotel accommodation. All costs for travel, accommodation and meals are paid for by the Partnership.
You will be assigned a workplace and a college mentor who will offer support, advice and guidance throughout the apprenticeship, by monitoring progress via S&Bs purposely developed electronic logbook, that can be accessed at any time.
Apprentices take a Gateway Assessment at the end of every year to progress until the completion of the End Point Assessment.
The Apprenticeship is expected to take 3 years, and once you have completed, you will be awarded with a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance.
Essential skills you’ll need
- English and Maths GCSE Grade C or Level 4
- A proven interest in the commercial vehicle/vehicle industry
We believe in rewarding our Partners for their time and energy. After all, they’re the ones that make the John Lewis Partnership special. Benefits include:
- Once you’ve been with us for three months, you’ll get Partnership discount in store and online. That’s 25% off in John Lewis & Partners (12% electrical products, some exclusions apply) and 20% in Waitrose & Partners. You’ll also be able to nominate someone you live with to share your discount.
- Discounted cinema tickets & VIP suites with discounted tickets at the O2 arena
- Discounted rates on holidays at the John Lewis Partnerships hotels, where only Partners and their guests can stay
- Excellent work life balance, including focus on well being and flexible working and our marketing leading equal parenthood leave Policy
And much more! Find out more about our benefits here: https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/benefits/
About The Partnership
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.
We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note:
It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.
We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.
We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
