Name : Ian Logan and Barry White
Trade : Motor Mechanics
Why did you become a mechanic?
Ian: I loved making things and fixing things. From an early age I had a motorbike and was always tinkering with it. Whilst at school I had a one day a week work experience placement at a garage in Plympton and this confirmed my love of mechanical engineering.
How much training is involved, what qualifications do you need to become a mechanic?
Ian: when Barry and I both started out we had a five year apprenticeship which led to City and Guilds master craftsmen qualifications, but now our apprentices have two years of NVQ training. Cars are becoming more complex and greater IT skills are required. We regularly go on training courses to keep up to date with the latest developments, especially on the IT side.
Where do you work?
At Crapstone Garage.
How long have you been there?
Barry: Ian and I both worked at a garage in Plymouth before moving out to Crapstone 13 years ago. We are partners in the business and Directors.
Who else works with you?
Ian: We have a team of three experienced mechanics and an apprentice. We enjoy teaching so usually have an apprentice, some move on at the end of their time with us, but others, like Ollie have been with us for five years now.
What is involved in being a mechanic? How does your day usually unfold?
Barry: Every day is extremely busy! The phone does not stop ringing. We welcome calls from customers but time is often taken up by uninvited sales calls. Each day is a full schedule of servicing, repairs, MOT’s and problem solving. Cars have become incredibly complex and the variety of makes and models mean that much of the job is to determine and solve a very specific problem and then to decide the best course of action: whether to repair or replace. Faults with the electronics in cars can lead to difficulties in diagnosis and expensive substitutes. We try to repair in house as much as possible, but many of the parts are now sent away to repair by specialist.
What would you say to someone thinking of this as a career?
Barry: If you are good with your hands and interested in mending things, especially anything mechanical then you might want to consider an apprenticeship. Skills with IT are really useful as much of the work involves technical diagnosis of the electronic components.
What is the best thing about your job?
Ian: There is a real sense of achievement when you have spent time on a car solving a challenging problem. I really enjoy the mechanical engineering side, at heart I miss the old days when you could strip down an engine, diagnose and repair then put it all back together again by hand without the electronic fault light flashing on the dash board.