Becoming a Vosa MOT tester is something which many people aspire to achieve. And developing the following qualities will ensure that you meet the professional and personal criteria which will be required for fulfilling this role successfully and creating an enduring and satisfying career.
Existing Experience
Have experience working as a mechanic is crucial for anyone who wants to fill an MOT tester position, with the current Vosa standards stating that applicants must have a minimum of four years of full-time employment in this field under their belt to qualify.
Furthermore, the experience must be relevant to the class of vehicle you eventually want to test, so an applicant must also demonstrate attention to detail in this respect. In short, you need to be willing to work hard and build a strong background as a vehicle mechanic to get ahead.
Undoubted Ethics
A lot of responsibility goes into carrying out an MOT test, not just in terms of asserting whether or not a car is roadworthy but also in being accurate and honest in the appraisal of any vehicle that comes into the testing centre. This is why the reputation of an applicant counts just as much as the qualifications and experience they have gathered over the years.
People who have a history of misleading customers or working in an ethically questionable manner need not apply. Conversely, anyone who is eager to do their bit to help make the roads of the UK a safer place to be will be in a strong position to eventually become an expert MOT tester.
It should be no surprise that anyone with unspent convictions or previous offences which relate to any part of the motor trade will not be eligible to apply. The same goes for people who have been convicted of violent acts and behaviour. This shows that to be an MOT tester you must be scrupulous, level-headed and good with customers.
Professional Respect
You not only need to prove yourself on a technical and academic level in order to become an MOT tester, but must also receive a nomination to apply from an authorised examiner.
This is in order to prove that you have been able to gain the respect of someone who has already found success in the arena of MOT testing. And so a successful tester is someone who not only satisfies the needs of customers, but also engages with colleagues and contemporaries in a professional manner.
Accepted Qualifications
You can be an experienced, polite and well-connected mechanic, but unless you have the right qualifications, becoming a successful MOT tester will not be a possibility.
Luckily, there are lots of different ways to prove your worth, as there are lots of acceptable qualifications from City and Guilds, along with VRQs, NVQs and SVQs in areas relating to vehicle maintenance.
Being able to plan ahead and complete courses which will set you up for a career as a Vosa MOT tester will serve you well in your new role.
