Are you an experienced Automotive Panel Technician who is passionate about your trade and ready to pass your skills and knowledge on to the next generation?
Gateshead College is looking for an enthusiastic and highly skilled Automotive Panel Repair Teacher to join our Automotive team.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced industry professional to bring their technical knowledge, practical expertise and passion for vehicle body repair into education. Whether you are already an experienced teacher or currently working within the automotive body repair industry and considering a move into teaching, we would be keen to hear from you.
About the Role
As an Automotive Panel Repair Teacher, you will deliver high-quality practical and classroom-based teaching to learners and apprentices across our Automotive provision.
A key part of the role will be developing learners' practical competence within a realistic workshop environment. You will demonstrate industry-standard techniques, supervise practical activities and help learners develop the accuracy, confidence and professional behaviours expected within modern accident repair and body shop environments.
Alongside practical workshop delivery, you will bring the underpinning technical and academic knowledge to life in the classroom, helping learners understand not only how repairs are carried out, but why particular processes, materials and repair methods are used.
You will support learners to make the connection between theory and practical application, preparing them for successful careers within the automotive body repair industry.
Skills and Experience
We are looking for someone with strong occupational competence and current or recent experience within automotive panel repair and vehicle body repair.
You should have practical experience across areas such as:
- Vehicle damage assessment and identification of appropriate repair methods.
- Panel removal, replacement, repair and alignment.
- Metal finishing and panel beating techniques.
- Welding and joining techniques used within modern vehicle body repair.
- MIG/MAG welding and associated body repair processes.
- Working with different vehicle materials, including modern steels and aluminium where appropriate.
- Measuring, alignment and checking vehicle body structures.
- Understanding manufacturer repair methods and technical information.
- Safe use of body shop tools, welding equipment and workshop machinery.
- Awareness of modern vehicle construction methods and repair technologies.
- High standards of workshop health and safety and safe systems of work.
- Quality checking completed repairs against required industry standards.
You will also need the technical knowledge required to explain the principles behind these practical skills. This could include vehicle construction, material properties, joining methods, repair methodology, health and safety, technical specifications, calculations and the interpretation of manufacturer repair information.
Teaching and Developing Learners
You do not necessarily need to be an experienced teacher to apply.
For the right candidate coming directly from industry, we are particularly interested in your technical expertise, occupational competence and ability to communicate your knowledge to others. Support can be provided to help experienced industry professionals develop their teaching practice and work towards appropriate teaching qualifications.
If you already have teaching or training experience, we would welcome experience of:
- Delivering engaging practical workshop sessions.
- Teaching underpinning technical theory within a classroom environment.
- Demonstrating complex practical skills clearly and safely.
- Assessing practical competence and providing constructive feedback.
- Supporting learners with different abilities and starting points.
- Preparing learners and apprentices for assessment and End-Point Assessment requirements.
- Maintaining high expectations for attendance, behaviour, quality and professional standards.
What We Are Looking For
The successful candidate will be someone who takes pride in the automotive body repair profession and wants to inspire others to develop the same high standards.
You will ideally hold a relevant Level 3 Automotive Body Repair/Panel qualification, or equivalent industry-recognised qualification, together with significant occupational experience.
A teaching and/or assessing qualification would be advantageous; however, we would welcome applications from highly experienced Panel Technicians who are interested in moving into education and developing these qualifications as part of their career progression.
You will be able to combine strong practical ability with sound technical and academic knowledge, ensuring learners understand the complete repair process from initial assessment and planning through to completion and quality checking.
About Gateshead College
At Gateshead College we’re famous for education with Employment Edge, industry inspired education that combines high quality learning with real world skills.
For teachers this means giving your students the knowledge and skills to be successful in work and life and supporting them to be the best they can be. This is what makes our college such an exciting place to teach. You’ll get to bring your industry expertise into the classroom and will work hand in hand with businesses to create experiences your students will never forget.
In return we can offer a values-driven organisation and the chance to work with brilliant people who put students first. You’ll be listened to and will have opportunities to make an impact. We prioritise health and wellbeing and your work life balance will be respected. Our inclusive culture means you’re valued for being yourself and diversity is celebrated, and our commitment to being a sustainable organisation means we always try to do business the right way to make our community better for everyone.
We’re committed to supporting your ongoing development which includes access to our Teacher Academy where you’ll be assigned a personal coach to help develop your practice.
At Gateshead College we all have the opportunity to help our learners succeed and it’s this clear purpose and shared effort that makes us such a great place to work; we hope you think about joining us.
Our Benefits:
- Generous holiday allowance 50 days plus Bank Holidays. (pro rata to start date)
- Mental health and wellbeing support, with 24/7 access to an employee assistance programme and counselling services.
- Career average pension with the Teachers Pension Scheme.
- Travel support including free on-site parking, discounted public transport scheme and cycle to work scheme.
- Retail and travel discounts.
- Volunteering Days.
