About Heavy Vehicle Mechanical

Working as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic you will work on a range of heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, construction and earthmoving equipment. You will inspect, service and repair engines, gearboxes, electrical and electronic systems and hydraulics. You may carry out service and repair work of vehicles both on-site and in a workshop.

To become a trade certified Heavy Vehicle Mechanic, you generally complete an apprenticeship which results in a Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology. The apprenticeship usually takes 48 months to complete.

The apprenticeship program features on the job training under the supervision of a qualified Heavy Vehicle Mechanic and off the job training at a registered training provider such as a WA TAFE college.

The training

During the training program to become a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic, you will learn practical skills and underpinning knowledge. A training program will be created for you that will include such competencies as how to:

Skills you will learn

During the training program to become an Electrician, you will learn practical skills and underpinning knowledge. A training program will be created for you that will include such competencies as how to:

• Follow environmental and sustainability best practice in an automotive workplace

• Follow safe working practices in an automotive workplace

• Test and repair basic electrical circuits

• Diagnose and repair vehicle dynamic control systems

• Diagnose and repair compression ignition engine management systems

• Test, charge and replace batteries and jump-start vehicles

• Diagnose and repair charging systems

• Diagnose and repair starting systems

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle air braking systems

• Diagnose and repair heavy commercial vehicle steering systems

• Diagnose and repair heavy commercial vehicle suspension systems

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle compression ignition engines

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle drive shafts

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle emission control systems

• Inspect and service hydraulic systems

• Carry out servicing operations

• Develop and carry out diagnostic test strategies

• Diagnose and repair cooling systems

• Inspect and service diesel fuel injection systems

• Diagnose and repair engine forced-induction systems

• Use and maintain tools and equipment in an automotive workplace

• Inspect and service final drive assemblies

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle manual transmissions

• Communicate effectively in an automotive workplace

• Work effectively with others in an automotive workplace

• Diagnose and repair electronic body management systems

• Service air conditioning and HVAC systems

• Retrofit automotive air conditioning and HVAC systems

• Diagnose and repair heavy vehicle hydraulic and air over hydraulic braking systems

• Carry out heavy vehicle wheel alignment operations

• Remove, inspect and refit heavy vehicle wheel and tyre assemblies

• Remove, inspect, repair and refit heavy vehicle tyres and tubes

• Diagnose and repair heavy commercial vehicle final drive assemblies

• Select and use bearings, seals, gaskets, sealants and adhesives

• Inspect and service suspension systems

• Inspect and service engines

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Career Pathway examples for Heavy Duty Mechanical

Please note that programs can vary to some degree and this list is an example only.