About the placement

Ensuring students gain valuable industry-relevant experience tasks will include:

• Assisting with fitting and servicing parts.
• Supporting vehicle preparation for MOT testing.
• Observing mechanical repairs.
• Removing and replacing faulty or damaged vehicle parts.
• Learning how to diagnose faults using the latest diagnostic equipment.
• Completing relevant maintenance and repair documentation accurately.
• Gaining hands-on experience in the safe operation of specialist tools and lifting/testing equipment.
• Observing and contributing to the continuous improvement culture in the engineering department.
• Understanding and following Health and Safety regulations and best practices in the workshop.
• Shadowing senior engineers and technicians during quality assurance and control procedures.

Assisting in ensuring regulatory compliance through accurate record-keeping and inspections.

About the business

First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators, with a fleet of more than 4,800 buses carrying over a million passengers a day. We serve more than 20% of the population in the UK with our local bus services. We also run buses on behalf of organisations ranging from schools to distribution centres and major construction sites.

First Bus is leading the transition to a low-carbon future and are committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. We have established ourselves as a leader in vehicle and infrastructure electrification as we progress towards our commitment of a 100% zero emission bus fleet by 2035. We now have three fully electric bus networks and six other depots partially electrified, with c.600 zero emission buses, c.13% of our fleet.

About the T Level – Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

Students will develop an understanding of a broad range of issues relevant to the sector, including:

• working within the Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors – an understanding of how materials, conditions and context influence design processes and products
• essential mathematics for engineering and manufacturing – a knowledge and understanding of mathematics including standard matrices and determinants and standard trigonometry
• materials and their properties – understanding material processing techniques and their effects on materials and material quality, the condition of materials, how these are managed, and materials testing methods and techniques
• business, commercial and financial awareness – basic commercial principles including commercial priorities and markets, customers/clients/partners and resource allocation

This T Level course is currently on offer in Greater Manchester at:

• Bolton College
• Hopwood Hall College
• The Manchester College
• Tameside College

This placement may not be available with all colleges or providers. Please speak to your college or provider for more information about which placements may be available to you.