Practise for Your Tests in the Automotive Industry

The Automotive Industry comprises all companies that manufacture motor vehicles and their components, especially engines and auto bodies. The major products in the Automotive Sector are passenger cars and such light trucks as vans, pickups, and sport utility vehicles. There are also commercial vehicles – delivery trucks and large transport trucks - produced in the Automotive Sector. Industries that belong to the wide-ranging Automotive Sector are car manufacturers, importers, distributors, parts suppliers and manufacturers, car dealers, mechanics, logistics, and transport. Industries that are dedicated to maintening cars after they have been purchased – repair shops and fuel filling stations – do not belong to the Automotive Sector, however. 

What is considered highly profitable in the Automotive Industry is making parts of the automobile. Surprisingly, this section of the industry is even more lucrative than manufacturing automobiles. If you buy all parts of a new auto separately, you will pay about 300% more than you pay, when you buy a new car. There are three areas of manufacturing auto parts: Original Equipment Manufacturer, Replacement Parts Production and Distribution, and Rubber Fabrication. Talking about the first, auto manufacturers produce some of their own parts, but not all, and thus have to turn to companies that manufacture missing parts. In the second area, broken parts are replaced after the vehicle is purchased. In the third one, sold tires, hoses, belts, and similar products.

The blossoming of the UK automotive industry started in the 1950s. In the middle of the last century, the United Kingdom was the second manufacturer of the cars in the world, second only to the United States. It was also considered the largest exporter of cars in those times. The mid of the last century, however, proved to be the peak of the country’s success in car manufacturing. Since then, the growth in the Automotive Industry has been slow. The United Kingdom could not compete with the more successful auto producers such as Germany, Japan, and France, and in the first decade of the twenty first century, ended up the twelfth on the list of the largest companies manufacturing vehicles. Yet though outperformed by its competitors, the United Kingdom is still famous for manufacturing premium and sports cars. Among them are Jaguar, Rolls-Royce Phantom III, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Bentley 4½, Land Rover Defender, and Lotus Esprit. The Automotive Sector, overall, has made a full recovery after the recession. In 2017, over 2 million cars were produced in the United Kingdom, which means that the industry surpassed its own record from 1972.  

The most important companies manufacturing cars in America are so-called the Big Three; that is, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford Motor Co. The first company produces Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, and Cadillac. Chrysler manufactures Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge. Automobiles made by Ford Motor Co are Ford, Lincoln, and Volvo.

Follow the links in the table below to learn more about the application and selection process of some known employers. 

The Automotive Industry is large and complex. Automotive Engineers are required in every area of the Sector, since they are responsible for designing how the auto looks and feels and how speedily and safely it drives. It is possible to divide the responsibilities of the Automotive Engineer into three broad categories: 

• Design;
• Research and Development;
• Production. 

What exactly Automotive Engineers are required to do in a specific company depends, therefore, on the area in which they are specializing. The most common duties that they will perform are the following: 

• Designing autos and its parts by using CAD – computer-aided design;
• Choosing materials for every component;
• Building prototypes of components and testing their performance, eliminating their weaknesses in the process of testing;
• Preparing design specifications and estimations of the cost of the auto or its components and indication a deadline for projects;
• Supervising the installation and adjustment of mechanical systems in industrial plants;
• Solving maintenance problems;
• Solving supply chain management issues;
• Taking care of budgets, deadlines, production schedules, and employees involved in the project;
• Supervising quality control;
• Inspecting vehicles;
• Test driving vehicles and remedying faults that may exist. 

The Automotive Engineer Should have either a bachelor’s or master’s degree. The subjects in which they are expected to major are automotive engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, and production and manufacturing engineering. What will help you advance in your career, once you have become employed in the company of your choice, is accrediting your degree in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers or in any similar institution. If you hold only an engineering foundation degree, you can start as a technician and study while you are working to become promoted to the position of the Automotive Engineer. If this is the case, job candidates should look for an employer that has the vocational training system and apprenticeship programs.  

There are plenty of job opportunities in the Automotive Sector. Below are only several of positions available for those applicants who want to work in this industry: 

The responsibilities of the Auto Mechanic include performing maintenance, diagnostic testing, inspections, and repairs of different vehicles. The parts of the vehicles on which Auto Mechanics work most often are engines, drive belts, transmissions, and electronic systems among which are steering, brakes, and accident-avoidance systems. Employment for the occupation of the Auto Mechanic has risen strongly in the past five years. On average, Auto Mechanics in the United Kingdom earn £30, 393 per year. 

The Automotive Electrician specializes in electrical wiring of vehicles. The duties of the Automotive Electrician include installing new electrical parts and maintaining and repairing existing electrical parts in light automobiles or commercial vehicles. Among parts of the automobile on which Automotive Electricians work are fuel pumps, air conditioning, breaks, alarms, indicators, generators, ignition systems, and electric gear shift control systems. After having examined a vehicle, Automotive Electricians diagnose and isolate faults in it by using their knowledge of automotive electrical circuits. They also order parts they need to replace in the vehicle. Responsibilities of Automotive Electricians further include adjusting, repairing, or replacing electrical systems for optimum performance. The employment for the Automotive Electrician rose in the past five years and is predicted to continue rising. On average, the Automotive Electrician earns £27,983 per year. 

The Motor Vehicle Parts Technician orders required parts of a vehicle from suppliers, keeps them in a warehouse, checks inventory, and controls sales of parts. Responsibilities of the Motor Vehicle Parts Technician also include identifying parts and equipment, searching for parts, shipping and receiving required parts, providing customer service and advice, and maintaining records. They also write invoices and receive payments for parts and maintain stock. Most employers in the role of the Parts Technician work full-time, in a warehouse or at a customer service counter. They work in cooperation with service staff, sales staff, and service technicians. Apart from large Auto companies, Motor Vehicles Parts Technicians can work in motor vehicles repair shops, motor vehicles dealerships, and custom shops dealing with heavy duty equipment or small engine repairs. Employment for Parts Technicians is on the rise. On average, they annually earn £29,000.