MASTER Technician Gary Dickson has reflected on 27 years at Lloyd BMW Carlisle.

Gary has been working for the Lloyd Motor Group since 1996 and recently celebrated 20 years as a fully qualified Master Technician. 

Reflecting on the milestone, Gary detailed how he got into the motoring industry, including competing in national and international contests.

He said: "I joined Lloyd Motor Group in 1996 after completing my apprenticeship with Ford. I was mainly working on light commercial vehicles at that time, but my main interest was cars, so I made the move to the Rosehill branch.

"During my apprenticeship, I won a National Automotive Technician competition and represented the United Kingdom at the International Youth Skills Olympics held in Lyon, France, in the subject of Light Automotive Mechanics. 

"I didn’t win a medal, but it taught me a lot. 

Gary also explained what a usual day in the office looks like for a master technician.

He said: "A typical day will include mechanical and electrical repairs on all BMW and MINI vehicles, diagnostic and investigation work, vehicle software programming, and fault reporting to the manufacturer when needed.

"This can involve demonstration of issues by customers and road-testing cars yourself to understand any issues.

"I’m on hand to assist other Technicians when needed and also help with general technical enquiries from other departments."

Whilst reflecting on his career achievements Gary hopes to inspire the next generation of potential master technicians. 

"There are some great career paths in the motor industry, depending on your interests and passion

"It takes years to develop and perfect your skills so finding a company like Lloyd Motor Group that support and develop you during this time is important.

"In this industry, there’s also plenty of scope for progression as you develop and learn new skills."