Car valet Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Car valet

Hours

Variable
Starting salary

£12,000 + per year

Car valets clean the inside and outside of motor vehicles. If you can work quickly and accurately, and can follow manufacturers' instructions, this job could suit you well.

To be good at this job you would also need to have a methodical approach. You would need to be able to work on your own or as a member of a team.

You don't need any specific qualifications to get into this job. But you may be at an advantage if you have experience in the motor trade or the cleaning industry. You will often need a full driving licence.

The work

As a car valet, your tasks would include:

using high-pressure hoses to clean vehicles
cleaning windows, wheels, door handles and mirrors
vacuuming and shampooing upholstery and carpets
waxing and polishing surfaces
applying gels and other finishes to bumpers and trims
steam cleaning the engine, frame and wheel arches
collecting and delivering vehicles.

You could be based in one place or work from a mobile unit, containing water, generator, power washer and wet/dry vacuum cleaner.

Hours

Your working hours will usually include weekends. Part-time work and overtime may be available.

You could work indoors or outdoors at garages, workshops or on customers' premises. With a mobile valeting service, you would travel from job to job.

Income

Income for car valets ranges from around £12,000 to over £15,000 a year.

Overtime and shift payments can increase earnings.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You will not need any qualifications to work as a car valet, but it may be an advantage if you have some experience in one of the following:

the motor trade
industrial or office cleaning
dry cleaning.

You will often need a full driving licence.

Training and development

Once you start work, you will learn cleaning techniques and health and safety procedures on the job. Your employer might also send you on day courses run by the manufacturers of cleaning chemicals.

If you are working as a mobile valet, you will go out with trained valets until you are ready to work on your own – usually after three to six months.

You could join the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS) Car Valeting Certificate Scheme. Visit the BICS website for details.

If you work in a garage you might be able to work towards the following qualifications:

NVQ Level 2 in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair (which has a vehicle valeting option)
NVQ Level 2 in Cleaning and Support Services (which has an optional Passenger Transport unit).

Skills and knowledge

To be a car valet you should have:

a methodical approach
attention to detail
an understanding of safety procedures and manufacturers' instructions
the ability to work on your own without supervision, or as a member of a small team
excellent customer service skills.

More information

British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS) (Opens new window)
9 Premier Court
Boarden Close
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6LF
Tel: 01604 678710
www.bics.org.uk

Asset Skills (Opens new window)
2 The Courtyard
48 New North Road
Exeter
Devon
EX4 4EP
Tel: 01392 423399
Careers Advice: careers@assetskills.org
www.assetskills.org

Institute of the Motor Industry (Opens new window)
Fanshaws
Brickendon
Hertford
SG13 8PQ
Tel: 01992 511521
www.motor.org.uk

Opportunities

You will find most jobs with car dealerships or garages, where valets prepare new and used cars for sale.

You might also find work with:

independent valeting companies
car rental firms
mobile valeting firms (often franchises).

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers and at Jobcentre Plus offices.

Alternatively you could become self-employed, working for private or commercial users or for car dealerships.

With experience, you may be able to progress to supervisor, or to area manager in bigger firms.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The cleaning and support services industry is part of the facilities management, housing, property, planning, and parking sector, represented by Asset Skills Sector Skills Council. The sector workforce, which has continued to grow since 1998, represents 3% of the total UK workforce.

The cleaning and support services industry covers all forms of contract cleaning including: building interiors; transport vehicles; food premises; window and facade cleaning; highways and land; plus carpets and upholstery.

Key facts:

The UK market for contract cleaning is estimated to be £5.6 billion.
There are around 448,400 people working in the industry in just over 32,000 companies.
Migrant workers make up 37% of the English cleaning workforce.
86% of all cleaning companies have 10 or less employees.

Jobs in the industry range from: cleaner, supervisor, caretaker, window cleaner, upholstery cleaner, highways and street cleaner, food premises cleaner, crime scene cleaner, manager, pest control technician.

National and regional data

The following table provides a breakdown of the number of cleaning sector employees in each of the nations and English regions.

Region	Number of employees	Regional key characteristics
East Midlands	22,000	In comparison with other English regions, the East Midlands has a high proportion (23%) of its workforce between the ages 16‐24
East Of England	45,800	The majority of the cleaning workforce (91%) in the East of England is aged over 25
London	110,200	London is the largest employer of the cleaning industry at 28%
North East	16,700	The North East employs 4% of the cleaning workforce
North West	47,100	The North West has a similar profile to the UK. The workforce is 58% female and the majority (56%) work on a part‐time basis
South East	64,600	After London, the South East is the second highest employer of the cleaning workforce at 16%
South West	27,700	A significant proportion of the cleaning workforce in the South West is female (62%)
West Midlands	24,800	A high proportion of the cleaning workforce in the West Midlands is employed on a full‐time basis (55%)
Yorkshire & the Humber	24,100	The workforce in the Yorkshire and Humber region is predominately male (59%)
Northern Ireland	9,100*	The majority of the workforce in the cleaning industry in Northern Ireland (74%) is aged 25 and over. A higher than average proportion of the workforce is female (67%)
Scotland	42,400	Scotland employs 9% of the UK cleaning workforce, with 52% employed on a part‐time basis
Wales	12,900	Wales employs 3% of the UK cleaning workforce, with a significantly high proportion employed on a part‐time basis (60%)