Reposted 12 days ago

Vehicle Mechanic

British Army
Nationwide
Full time, permanent

The Breakroom Take

6.6

Rated 6.6 out of 10, based on 451 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

See all job reviews

  • Paid breaks
  • Respectful managers
  • Proper training
  • Proper breaks

About British Army

British Army is the warfare force for the UK, who hire regular and reserve soldiers.

Job description from British Army

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Keeping the Army's vehicles available in barracks and on operations
  • Servicing and maintaining all vehicle types from Tanks to HGVs
  • Conduct preventative maintenance
  • Working in line with Army policy on vehicle maintenance and Health and Safety guidelines
  • Assist in roadworthiness testing of all Army vehicles

Job insights from Breakroom

Vehicle mechanics and technicians

Vehicle mechanics repair and service cars, vans and other vehicles

What you’ll do as a vehicle mechanic and technician:

  • Drive vehicles
  • Maintenance of vehicles and tools
  • Understand mechanics and engineering
  • Responsible for health and safety
  • Ability to repair and replace parts needed

Is it right for you?

This job may involve:

  • Driving
  • Physical activities
  • Heavy lifting
  • Wearing a uniform

What employees say

Pay

    Good
  • Most people are paid a living wage

    Do British Army pay vehicle mechanics enough to live on?

    Most people are paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    88% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should be paid enough to live on.

    The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.

    The current rates are £12.00 per hour, and £13.15 per hour in London.

    Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.

  • Good
  • Most people are paid market rates

    Do British Army pay vehicle mechanics market rates?

    Most people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    68% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.

  • Good
  • Most people get paid breaks

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army get paid breaks?

    Yes. Most people get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    95% of people say they get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job should have paid breaks.

    You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.

  • Good
  • Most people get sick pay

    Do British Army pay vehicle mechanics sick pay?

    Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    100% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.

    At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.

    This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.

  • Okay
  • Some people do unpaid extra work

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    45% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.

    Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.

Hours and flexibility

    Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get any choice of shifts

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army get to choose the shifts they work?

    Most people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.

    How we know this

    75% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.

    Why this matters

    A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.

  • Okay
  • Can be hard to book holiday

    How easy is it for vehicle mechanics to book a holiday at British Army?

    Some people find it hard to book holiday.

    How we know this

    57% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.

    Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.

  • Okay
  • Shifts can get changed at short notice

    Do British Army managers change vehicle mechanics shifts at short notice?

    Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.

    How we know this

    64% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.

    Why this matters

    If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.

  • Okay
  • Some people find it hard to take sick leave

    How easy is it for vehicle mechanics to take sick leave at British Army?

    Some people find it hard to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    35% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.

    A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.

Workplace

    Okay
  • Only some people feel treated with respect

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    54% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2023 and January 2024.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.

  • Good
  • Most people get proper breaks

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army get proper breaks?

    Most people get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    72% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people are stressed

    Is it stressful for vehicle mechanics to work at British Army?

    Most people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    93% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.

    Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.

  • Okay
  • Only some people enjoy their job

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army enjoy their jobs?

    Only some people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    41% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do vehicle mechanics at British Army recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    67% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job means enjoying the place where you work.

    The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.

    If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.

  • Good
  • Most people get enough training

    Do vehicle mechanics get enough training when they start at British Army?

    Most people got enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    83% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.

    This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.

    It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.

  • Good
  • Most people get support to progress

    Are vehicle mechanics given support to progress at British Army?

    Most people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 69% of people report being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.

    This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.

  • Needs improving
  • Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening

    Do vehicle mechanics think British Army head office understands what's happening where they work?

    Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.

    How we know this

    92% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.

    To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t feel well informed by head office

    Do vehicle mechanics feel well informed about how British Army is doing?

    Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.

    How we know this

    72% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2024.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.

    You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.

Find out more about working at British Army

What British Army employees say about their job

  • Best thing

    The people I work with, the holiday

    Worst thing

    Hard to plan ahead, fastball jobs, a lot of time away over seas.

    2.6

    British Army Employee, March 2024

  • Best thing

    Adventue training, fireing a rifle

    Worst thing

    Location, pay, peope in charge, people in gentral, on call 247, disciplinary for everything, inspections, lasy minute decisions,

    4.9

    British Army Employee, March 2024

See more reviews
  • Best thing

    The people you work with. Travelling to New places

    Worst thing

    The higher ups. Unable to plan accordingly. Forced Long separation

    8.4

    British Army Employee, March 2024

  • Best thing

    The occasional opportunity to travel.

    Worst thing

    Last minuet changes, getting shift timings the night before being on shift, have no social life, never left alone even when on leave, next to impossible to book holidays and always stressed when it comes to going away incase called back. Never have working equipment or the right equipment, career failing and no career progression due to management.

    2.0

    British Army Employee, January 2024

  • Best thing

    The people
    Progression

    Worst thing

    Lack of funding
    Lack of opportunities to do the job
    Stress
    Doing more than one person's job

    6.7

    British Army Welder fabricator, October 2023

  • Best thing

    Travel
    Sport
    Experience

    Worst thing

    Expected to work on equipment with no training
    Micro management
    Tasked to do work that is not explained

    6.1

    British Army Network engineer, June 2023

  • Best thing

    I get paid a salary

    Worst thing

    Over worked, undermanned, doing multiple jobs above my pay grade and have to explain in detail why I book holidays.

    6.7

    British Army Personal trainer, May 2023

  • Best thing

    Adventure training, holidays, friends, opportunities

    Worst thing

    Lifestyle. How much control the employer has over every part of my life. Still military in your downtime.

    7.5

    British Army Technician, March 2021

  • Best thing

    Travel, pay, colleagues

    Worst thing

    Lack of communication , lack of fair treatment by certain line managers, lack of support

    7.1

    British Army Employee, February 2021

  • Best thing

    Being able to work by myself or as part of a team.

    Worst thing

    Doing things I don't agree with or the amount of time I work

    6.0

    British Army Armour, August 2020

  • More reviews from British Army employees

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