Car valet
Make sure people's cars are clean and shiny inside and out.
Also known as: valeter, car washer, car cleaner
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£288
Entry level
£404
Experienced
Monthly
£1,250
Entry level
£1,750
Experienced
Yearly
£15,000
Entry level
£21,000
Experienced
6,200
people are currently employed
Low growth
100 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would make sure that people’s cars are clean inside and out so they look as good as new.
You’d use high-pressured hoses to wash the outside of the car and polish the metalwork with special waxes to make it shiny.
You would:
Wash down the outside of the car to remove dirt and mud
Polish the windows, wheels, door handles and mirrors
Vacuum and shampoo the seats and carpets
Wax and polish the surfaces
Apply gels and other finishes to bumpers and trims
Steam-clean the engine, frame and wheel arches
You might need to collect vehicles and deliver them back to the owners when they have been cleaned.
You could be based in one place or work from a mobile unit which contains water, a generator, a power washer and wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
Hours
Environment
Travel
Explore more information about this job
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- time management
- managing resources
- concentrating
- attention to detail
- respecting
- cooperating
- persevering
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
No formal qualifications are required though most employers value a good general education.
Qualifications that demonstrate your employability, skills with cars, customer and/or cleaning such as
SQA Employability Award (SCQF level 3/4)
Enterprise & Employability (SCQF level 4/5).
Once in work you can also join the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS) Car Valeting Certificate Scheme.
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