Conor McEvoy joined the CWR Fleet Department as an HGV Apprentice in September 2024 from Remit Automotive Academy. Under the mentorship and guidance of Workshop Technician Jamie Dover, Conor is expanding his knowledge, skills and confidence of working with a range of vehicles. In this interview, Conor shares details of his experience and Jamie updates on his progress.
Q: How have you found your time at CWR so far?
Conor: I’ve found the experience to be really enjoyable and I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to get onto my dream career path. I’m expanding my mechanical knowledge, particularly with larger vehicles – I hadn’t really worked on trucks before. Up to now, I’d mainly worked on smaller vehicles so I’m learning lots of new skills to use with different types of vehicles.
Q: What have you enjoyed most to date?
Conor: I really enjoy the hands-on side of the work and the variety of different repairs that are carried out on the fleet. The variation of working on smaller vans and larger vehicles keeps me busy; there are so many different types of repairs to be carried out. With each new job, I always find myself leaving work with new knowledge.
I really enjoy working alongside my colleagues and management. Everyone has been helpful, polite and selfless in helping me learn this trade.
Q: How do you feel this opportunity will shape your future?
Conor: This opportunity has already put me on the career path I’ve been seeking since finishing education. Mechanics has always been a passion of mine since I was young. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to apply the skills and experience I’m gaining with CWR to run my own restoration garage – this is the direction I hope to pursue. I’d love the sense of pride that comes from saving older vehicles that are special to the car community, and I think it would be fulfilling to showcase restoration work to fellow enthusiasts in the trade and the public.
Q: What skills have been the most challenging to learn so far?
Conor: Adapting to the scale of work required for larger vehicles and mastering the new tools and techniques. There’s certainly a learning curve when transitioning from smaller vehicles to trucks, especially when dealing with diagnostics and repairs on a larger scale. The support from my colleagues and Jamie’s guidance has been invaluable. Despite his busy schedule, Jamie always finds time to help me if I’m struggling. He’s gone above and beyond, even lending me tools from his own personal collection.
Jamie Dover shares the following:
Q: What made you want to mentor Conor and what are you gaining personally from working with him?
Jamie: Like Conor, I started my career as an HGV vehicle technician apprentice. I remember how nervous and intimidating the work environment can make you feel so I wanted support Conor. On his first day I wanted to make him feel at ease in the workshop and to feel part of the team.
I chose to mentor Conor to gain further experience in leadership and teaching. It’s really rewarding seeing how much he is taking in and how he is willing to try a range of tasks and have a go at whatever is put in front of him.
Q: Do you feel apprenticeship opportunities like this are important?
Jamie: Absolutely – they are important both for the apprentice and the company. CWR is giving back to the community, training a young local person to handle a variety of specialised vehicles and helping him to get on the career ladder. Conor is gaining hands-on experience with a wide range of vehicles on a day-to-day basis. It’s a win-win for both the company and the apprentice.
Q: How is Conor progressing after five months?
Jamie: He is progressing really well within the workshop and has become a valued team member. He’s always willing to try new tasks and isn’t afraid to ask questions about jobs he’s unfamiliar with.
Recently, Connor achieved a 100% pass mark on his Vehicle Inspection Test. He’s shared with us that he felt confident going into the test with the knowledge he’d gained from the workshop, which makes it all worthwhile. It’s great to see that what he’s learning with us is being applied effectively – and obtaining this high grade reflects the hard work that he’s been putting in.
Q: What’s next for Conor at CWR?
Jamie: I’ve noticed that Conor has a growing interest in automotive electrical fault finding and repairs, and so we’re now working together to expand his knowledge in this area. For the duration of the apprenticeship, I’ll be led by Conor; what interests him and what will be needed to give him a solid foundation for the future.
