Training for a Trainee Refurbishment Technician at Smart Fleet Solutions

Training is essential due to the importance of having skilled workers and increasing the volume of available opportunities for each employee. Employing trainees allows Smart Fleet Solutions to support the development of high-quality training for enthusiastic trainees and developing them into our next top talent. 

Coming into the business as a trainee ensures training and coaching will both suit the business needs and allows individuals to become multi skilled technicians in a fast-paced environment without having to have the prior experience. We also hope to bring in plenty of fresh ideas from our trainees as it is a two-way street in terms of learning, these individuals are encouraged to share their ideas and insights into the business in line with our core value generates fresh ideas.

Our in house training course for trainee refurb technicians covers six areas and is completed on a timescale dependent on each candidate. The six areas are: preparation for primer, primer application, preparation for topcoat, refinish application, polish and basic panel repair.

Once the trainee refurb tech training is complete, there are also many other options across the workshop for technicians to take if an interest is shown, such as in panel repair. We offer a bespoke miracle pull training and welding qualifications to British standards. For paint they can go on a zero to painter course which caters for someone with no real experience in the paint shop; where external providers PPG paint and SPIES-Hecker help to train the candidates. Another example is smart repair which is a huge part of our business, this area is multi-skilled from texture repairs, fabric repair, basic retrimming of headlining’s and boot boards, leather repairs and paintwork rectification.

With many trainee refurbishment technician vacancies currently available, it seems a good idea to share what one individual has experienced since joining the company. At Smart Fleet Solutions we aim to curate the complete training package so that technicians become multi-skilled across the workshops, not just in one skill. Moving up in their careers, there are many paths a trainee refurbishment technician can take once they become a multi-skilled technician. For example they can move into team leader, on site mentor and supervisor positions if interested in using their skills to provide leadership, guidance and support to the refurb team.

Chris Piggott, 23, joined Smart Fleet Solutions as a Trainee Refurbishment Technician at our Long Bennington site in August 2019. He came through CTP and was based at RAF Marham, King’s Lynn as a SAC technician for 93 Expeditionary Armament. 

Chris has completed the course at our training provider Morelli for our new starter intake where individuals go through the basics of tools, health and safety, preparation and small primer application. Our ongoing partnership with Morelli means that any additional training which an individual requires can be set up at any time.

Since starting Chris has really taken to the role, learning all the skills involved with becoming a full refurb tech on the job through the support of our Group Technical Trainer Jamie Sutton and the mentors and technicians on site. Jamie has spent time with Chris as he does with all trainees to teach him the skills needed and assess his progress and quality in these skills. When Jamie is not on site, mentors and other technicians provide on the job support and training to Chris to enable he is learning everyday and given new challenges.

Chris has completed stage one in his training pack which is “preparation for primer” and each skill will be taught to the level needed, monitored over a period to ensure quality is being upheld before being signed off. He will then go onto the next step in his training journey through the shop into Primer with a clear pathway to becoming a multi-skilled technician. Going forward into 2020 and the future the goal for Chris is to continue signing off the stages in the trainee refurb technician with the end goal of becoming a multi skilled refurbishment technician within Smart Fleet Solutions including skills such as paint, preparation, polish, smart repair and panel.

Chris concludes: “I’ve really enjoyed my first few months at Smart Fleet Solutions. It’s been great doing the training and knowing that there’s room for internal progression within the company as my skills and experience level increase. I am looking forward to the future, as I want to expand my knowledge from working in the prep area and move to different departments to understand and learn new skills. I have progressed significantly and I’m excited about my future career with Smart Fleet Solutions.”