You could do a college course that would give you some of the skills and knowledge you'll need.

Courses include:

• vehicle body and paint operations
• vehicle accident repair body principles
• T Level in Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing

You can also take broader courses in vehicle maintenance and repair.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

You could apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:

• Vehicle Damage Panel Technician
• Vehicle Damage Paint Technician
• Accident Repair Technician

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

You can apply for jobs in body repair if you've got experience and a qualification in motor mechanics or vehicle paint spraying.

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• persistence and determination
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to use your initiative
• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to repair machines or systems
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

As a vehicle body repairer, you could:

• assess damage and decide how to repair it
• remove damaged panels or parts for repair
• smooth out minor dents in panels
• fill small holes or rusted areas with filler
• make body panels and sections, and weld them into place
• refinish the repair to match the surrounding colour and bodywork
• keep a record of all work completed to show customers

You could work in a workshop or at a garage.

You may need to wear protective clothing.