Rio started out as a Level 1 Motor Vehicle Maintenance student, but not long after, he secured a trial period with John Oates Garage, in Warrington. His trial went well and, the garage offered to take him on as an apprentice. Now, after 3 years of replacing head gaskets, changing timing belts, and studying hard, Rio passed his End Point Assessment (EPA), bringing his apprenticeship to a close.
Rio says his favourite thing about his apprenticeship was that “it kept me busy, and I liked being paid to do something I really enjoy.”
Rio’s tutor from Warrington & Vale Royal College, Danny Fahimi, says he is proud of his achievement: “Rio is such a brilliant and hardworking student and he is greatly missed at the college. I can’t thank the team at John Oates Garage enough for all their support during Rio’s apprenticeship.”
Eager to keep him on, John Oates and his team have since offered Rio a full-time role so that they can continue to work alongside him. John says: “We're very proud of Rio. When he got his qualification, we had a small celebration in our garage and we now have a photo of Rio with his certificate hanging up in the garage. Rio’s very good for his age; and is only going to get better.”
John took the time to thank Danny at Warrington & Vale Royal College for supporting Rio over the course of his studies. He also showed gratitude to Mark Jones, the Garage foreman, for helping to shaping Rio into the mechanic that he is today.
John Oates Garage is based in central Warrington and has been operating in the community since 2004. John and his team actively champion the development of apprentices and see them as an asset to their work force: “As an employer, you start to see the benefits over time, apprenticeships are a long-term investment in your company's future.”
If you think a career in motor vehicle maintenance is the path for you, take a look at Warrington & Vale Royal College’s technical courses and T Levels:
Click here to take a look!
