Got an unconditional offer for a course starting in August 2026?

You can now login, enrol and secure your place at Glasgow Kelvin College

Shortlist
ReciteRecite

Automotive

Student repairing a motorcycle beside a red tool chest in the automotive workshop.

About the Automotive Department

Welcome to the Automotive Department at Glasgow Kelvin College — a hands-on learning environment focused on developing real skills for the motor vehicle industry.

You’ll learn in industry-standard workshops, working with professional tools and equipment while being supported by experienced lecturers. From vehicle maintenance and diagnostics to body repair and paintwork, the focus is on practical, skills-based learning.

Our department offers recognised qualifications, including those from the Institute of the Motor Industry and City & Guilds, helping you build the knowledge and confidence to progress into further study or employment.

Whether you’re starting out or developing existing skills, you’ll be supported in a friendly, workshop-based environment that reflects real industry practice.

Meet Our Automotive Students 🏎️✨

Meet Kayla and Abbie from our Automotive course.

As part of their studies, they’ve been designing and building their race car, KitKat — and now it’s time to see it in action on the track.

While studying with us, they've developed practical automotive skills and gained valuable industry experience along the way.

From concept to track — engineering ideas brought to life.

  • Automotive students in workshop overalls taking part in a filmed interview in a college engineering workshop.
  • Automotive student driving a student-built race car during a practical session outside the workshop.

Explore our Automotive Courses

See what our student has to say about their experience learning at Kelvin.

Since coming to college I've gained a sense of responsibility and a taste of what it'll be like when I leave college and into work.

Abby Automotive Skills Student
Student using diagnostic equipment to assess vehicle alignment in the Glasgow Kelvin College workshop.
Three students in black overalls laughing and holding tools while standing in front of a green car in the workshop.
Student in a black overall smiling while working on a car engine, with a workshop setup in the background.
Student repairing a motorcycle beside a red tool chest in the automotive workshop.
Automotive instructor guiding two students in overalls as they work on a mechanical component in a workshop.
Automotive student and lecturer working together on a red motorcycle in the Glasgow Kelvin College workshop.
Automotive student adjusting alignment tools on a raised vehicle during a practical class.
Student in blue overalls sanding a car panel in the Glasgow Kelvin College automotive workshop.
Student applying filler to a car panel as part of vehicle repair training.

Read What Our Students Said

Video Transcript – Abby and Kayla: Automotive Skills

Abby: Hi, I'm Abby.

Kayla: And I'm Kayla.

Abby: And we're doing Automotive Skills at Glasgow Kelvin College. 

Kayla: We're working on this Formula 24 race car right now. We're just building it from scratch. 

Abby: I've always really been into cars and I wanted to learn more about how to fix them.

Kayla: I'm really into classic American muscle cars and it just made me want to start working on them myself. 

We've just kind of been learning about tools and the engine. We've changed a lot of brake pads. We've done a lot of

Abby: steering and suspension.

Kayla: Mainly engine work. 

Abby: A lot of Spark Plugs 

I'm going to try getting an apprenticeship and I'm going to try end up working in motorsport.

Kayla: Hopefully go into an apprenticeship and get into restoration.

We've learned a lot of skills with the foundation apprenticeship. We've done a lot of team building. 

Abby: Since coming to college I've gained a sense of responsibility and a taste of what it'll be like when I leave college and into work.

This is the green power car we've been working on and its name's KitKat.

Kayla: You can see that it's powered by an electric engine. It's connected to a bike train.That moves the back axle.

Abby: So far we've done the start button and the acceleration and the next thing we're going to be working on is the brakes. 

Kayla: And look out for us racing the Kit Kat.

Video Transcript – Abby and Kayla: Racing KitKat

Abby: Hi, it's Abby and Kayla again

Kayla: We're back with Kit Kat.

She's fully finished and we're going to race her outside.

She has a one-wheel drive and she's quite hard to control.

Abby: We've really enjoyed building Kit Kat and we're so glad to see her up and running.

Watch out!

`