Caravan Service Award

The assessment provides evidence to both an employer and their customers that a service technician is competent and performs to a recognised standard.

The syllabus dictates the minimum service that should be carried out on a touring caravan or motorhome according to the industry. Service technicians are assessed on their competence to service a touring caravan or motorhome in compliance with the industry service standard and their understanding of these requirements.

Achieving a City & Guilds qualification demonstrates commitment to ensuring that work carried out meets customers’ increasing expectations. The award is now a requirement within the Approved Workshop Scheme.

The qualification consists of a practical observation of a service being carried out in a caravan workshop and a short multiple choice exam (tick box) to make sure that candidates understand some of the theory behind industry standards. This will include, gas, electricity, health & safety and other issues. Although under exam conditions, the observed practical assessment simply follows the service engineer through a caravan service that is typical of their everyday work.

Examiners understand that candidates are often practical and non academic and do their best to put them at ease. To prepare the candidate for their written exam, the candidate will receive a copy of the Service Technician’s Handbook which contains all the background information they will need in order to pass, along with best practice guidance on the practical service of a touring caravan or motorhome. There are no trick questions or hidden problems for them to identify. Both the practical and the written assessments examine the candidate on their knowledge, the competence of their every day work and conformity to health & safety requirements. Candidates chose to take the assessment either as the Touring Caravan & Motorhome assessment or as the more limited scope of just Motorhome only.

Written assessments

The written assessments are held across the country at regional exam centres.

The exams take place in the first two weeks of March and November every year. Each exam period has a closing date by which time applications must be made. After the closing date, each candidate is allocated in accordance to their preferred centre choice and the dates set so as to accommodate all those that have applied.

Practical assessments

For the practical exams, CITO relies upon the goodwill of workshops across the country in providing space for the assessments. Practical exam centres are planned each year according to demand and location of candidates. They are held on a rolling basis throughout the year. The majority of assessments take place in the autumn and winter; however, your technicians will be assessed as soon as possible. If you are able to provide your workshop as a host centre this will increase the speed in which we can make arrangements for your technician’s assessment. We do ask those workshops and mobile technicians unable to host to be patient in finding host workshops and to be as flexible as possible when a date and venue are found for them.

Enrolment deadlines

• Autumn enrolment (November written exam) - 31st July

• Spring enrolment (March written exam) - 31st December

What happens when I pass the assessment?

Having achieved a successful pass in both parts of the assessment, the candidate will receive a City & Guilds Certificate in Caravan Service Engineering. You should expect to complete the programme within 6-9 months depending upon the time of year you register.

Registration and assessment fees are payable upon registration. Please note the terms and conditions carefully as it is not possible to cancel or refund applications once applications have been processed.

Members of the National Caravan Council (NCC) are entitled to a discount on this programme. Please note that this is NCC membership which is different to AWS membership.

The assessments are based upon the Service Technician’s Handbook which the candidate receives upon registration. However, candidates can also benefit from the Study Handbook, a study aid, which accompanies the programme.

Candidate’s Study Handbook

To book on the course, please creturn a printed application form (below) to us by post, fax or email. Please ensure you have read our terms and conditions before making your booking.