Vehicle Body Fitter Technician
Apprenticeships (M.E.T.)
Thatcham Automotive Academy
All Advanced Thatcham Apprenticeships now include modules on Ready2Repair –
Thatcham’s optimised ‘repair not replace’ programme, as well as safe handling of
High Voltage vehicles.
Main topic areas for each of the two week blocks for vehicle body fitter (M.E.T.)
technician apprentices:
Block 1 Apprenticeship
• Induction and welcome onto the programme which will include basic skills
testing, learning styles recognition, rules and regulations as well as health
and safety procedures
• The roles and responsibilities of people in the workplace
• Vehicle design and construction, material identification, vehicle components
and parts recognition
• Workplace cleaning
• Identify and name a range of hand tools and equipment
• Tool and equipment checks
• Select and use a range of tools and equipment to remove and refit non-structural
body panels, trim components and sections
Block 2 Apprenticeship
• Inspection of vehicles
• Remove and trim components and sections
• Adhesives and sealants
• Characteristics and physical properties of materials used for vehicle components
• Removal and refitting of non-structural panels and components
• Vehicle panel alignment - wings, bonnets, doors, tailgates and boot lids
• Adjustments to vehicle panels using manufacturers’ data to set correct gaps
and alignment
Block 3 Apprenticeship
• Underbody coatings and protective materials used on vehicles
• Lifting equipment
• Lift and support vehicles using various devices
• Remove and refit doors on different vehicles using appropriate methods and tools
• Engine area components
Block 4 Apprenticeship
• Light vehicle steering
• Braking and suspension
• Construction and operating principles of suspension systems and identification
of non-complex faults and defects
Block 5 Apprenticeship
• Tyre construction and design
• Wheel balancing
• Wheel alignment manual and electronic
• Clutch operating systems removal and refit
Block 6 Apprenticeship
• The cooling system, all variants, concentrating on the new
systems
• Radiator expansion tank, pressure cap, pumps, drive belts,
fans, viscous fans, thermostats, anti-freeze and checking
procedures
• Engine technology
• Removal and refitting of suspension systems
Block 7 Apprenticeship
• Electrical systems remove and refit
• Carry out systematic inspection procedures, including
workshop-based tests for the operation of vehicle systems,
vehicle condition and road tests
• Quality checks on vehicles
Block 8 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Petrol Engines: Fuel systems, Fuel injection, Ignition systems, Engine Management
systems
• Diesel Engines: Fuel systems, Fuel Injection, Ignition systems, Engine Management
systems, Cooling systems
• Fault Diagnosis
• Transmission systems
• Manual transmission : Clutch, transaxle, differential, Drive shafts and drive trains
• Automatic, Fully automatic, Semi automatic
• Steering systems
• Manual Steering
• Hydraulic Power Steering/ Electric power Steering
• Wheel alignment
• Steering Systems Fault diagnosis
Block 9 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Chassis systems and components
• Braking systems including ABS, EBD
• Suspension systems: Hydro elastic, Hydraulic, Air suspension
• Braking System, Suspension System advanced Fault diagnosis
• Vehicle Heating and Air conditioning systems
• Air conditioning diagnosis and fault finding
Block 10 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Vehicle Electrics and electrical systems
• In Car Entertainment systems
• Fitting of Auxiliary non standard electrical items
• Advanced Electrical fault diagnosis
• Vehicle panel removal and refitting
• Vehicle Trim removal and refitting
• Final Assessments Theory and Practical