Diploma of Automotive Management

The Diploma of Automotive Management is a one-year qualification for people who want to run the business side of a workshop, dealership or automotive service operation rather than spend their days under a bonnet. You study how a repair business actually makes money: quoting and costing jobs, managing parts inventory, rostering technicians, dealing with suppliers, and keeping customers coming back. Units cover business administration, financial record keeping, workplace safety, staff supervision and the compliance side of running a registered automotive business in Australia.

The diploma sits at the vocational end of the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree. It is delivered over one year, and like most Australian diplomas it is built from units of competency, each carrying credit points. Assessment is practical and workplace-based rather than exam-heavy. Many students complete part of their training in an actual automotive workplace, because that is where the skills get tested. If you go on to a bachelor degree later, some institutions will grant credit for the units you have already finished, which shortens the degree.

You finish with skills employers in the sector ask for: reading a profit and loss statement for a workshop, preparing a quote that covers labour and parts, handling a difficult customer complaint, and supervising a small team without losing your temper. You also learn the regulatory side, work health and safety obligations, environmental rules for waste oil and fluids, and the record-keeping that state automotive authorities expect.

This course suits people already working in the trade who want to move into a supervisor or service manager role, and people from a retail or business background who want to specialise in the automotive sector. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while you study, and on completion you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, though you should check the current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs. English proficiency is required for entry; IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the usual standard for coursework at this level, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institution's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 120372G. Confirm all details, including intake dates and unit structure, on the official page before you apply.

• Automotive service manager, running the day-to-day operation of a workshop, from bookings to final invoicing. Employers include independent repairers, franchise dealerships and fleet maintenance companies.
• Workshop supervisor, overseeing technicians, scheduling jobs and keeping work health and safety standards up to scratch.
• Parts and inventory manager, managing stock levels, supplier orders and parts pricing for a dealership or parts distributor.
• Service advisor, the person customers talk to about what is wrong with their car, what it will cost and when it will be ready.
• Automotive business owner, many graduates use the qualification to run their own workshop or mobile repair business.
• Fleet coordinator, managing maintenance schedules and costs for organisations with large vehicle fleets, such as councils, logistics firms and utilities.

These roles exist across Australia in dealership networks, independent workshops, heavy vehicle operators, mining and resources fleets, and government fleet services. The diploma is also a stepping stone into bachelor-level study in business or management if you want to go further.