There are no certainties in life and so much is down to the skill and commitment of us all as individuals. However, there are currently significant skill shortages within technical and driving roles in the motor and transport industries, both in Northern Ireland and further afield.  Currently there are not enough qualified technicians and professional drivers to meet the demand, which is good news for qualified people because it means there is a high likelihood of job security. 

In terms of career progression there are many opportunities for qualified and experienced transport and motor industry professionals.  Some advancement opportunities are as follows:

 

Career Progression Possibilities for Apprentice Technicians:

 

• Workshop foreman / supervisor / team leader 
• Workshop / operations / general manager
• Workshop planner / workshop controller
• Service manager
• Vehicle tester or quality controller
• Technical trainer
• Vehicle insurance claims assessor / estimator 
• Specialist technician, e.g. diagnostician 
• Vehicle sales – it is not uncommon for former technicians to move into sales roles because they have such a good technical understanding
• You could also aspire to open your own repair/maintenance workshop some day

Career Progression Possibilities for Apprentice Drivers:

 

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• Specialist vehicle driver, e.g. driving vehicles that transport hazardous/dangerous goods or high value goods
• Supervisor / team leader / manager
• Transport planner
• Transport manager
• Driver trainer
• You could also aspire to start your own transport business some day

Also, because most TTS apprenticeships provide qualifications that are recognised all over the world, you could have the opportunity to live and work abroad after you qualify.

Any career which demands a high level of training and competence will be rewarded with a professional salary to reflect the hard work and effort undertaken to become qualified, and of course the salary earned will be determined by experience and expertise.

Qualified salary expectations vary depending on the role, but all TTS apprenticeships open doors to careers that typically provide earnings between £20-30,000, with more specialist roles commanding much more than this.  Heavy vehicle technicians typically earn more than light vehicle technicians, for example, and long-distance drivers typically earn more than drivers on local routes, so there are significant variances even within professions.

The best way to ascertain the salary that you could achieve once you are fully qualified is to search job listings to see what salaries companies in your local area are offering.