Diploma of Automotive Management

The Diploma of Automotive Management at Glen Institute is a one-year qualification for people who want to run the business side of a workshop, dealership or automotive service operation. 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. There is a strong focus on the rules that govern the trade in Australia, workplace health and safety, environmental requirements for waste oil and chemicals, and fair trading obligations. You also cover basic financial management, including reading a profit and loss statement and setting labour rates.

How the course is structured

As a diploma, this sits at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. It is delivered over one year, and Glen Institute runs it across semesters or trimesters depending on intake. You will complete a set of units of study, each carrying credit points, rather than a single long thesis. Assessment is practical, case studies, workplace projects and role plays, because the skills are meant to be used on a service floor, not just written about in an exam.

Work-integrated learning is part of how this qualification is normally taught. That usually means a placement or supervised work component in an automotive business, where you apply what you have learned to real jobs, real customers and real staff. Some students arrange this with their current employer if they are already working in the industry. If you are not, Glen Institute can help you find a host organisation. The exact placement hours and unit list are set out in the course outline, so check those details on the official page before you apply.

What you will be able to do afterwards

You will be able to prepare accurate job estimates, manage a parts and stock system, lead a small team of technicians, handle customer complaints, and keep the business compliant with Australian workplace laws. Those are the day-to-day tasks of a service manager or workshop supervisor, and they are what employers in the sector ask for when they hire. You will also build the numeracy and communication skills needed to deal with insurers, fleet clients and trade suppliers.

Who this suits

This diploma suits two groups. The first is people already working as mechanics or in parts and service who want to move into a management role without leaving the industry for three years. The second is international students who want an Australian qualification in a practical business field and a pathway into further study, a diploma can often lead into a bachelor degree with credit for the units you have completed. English requirements for international applicants are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for this level of study, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own separate English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. While studying, student visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Confirm all entry requirements, tuition and intake dates on the official CRICOS listing and with Glen Institute directly.

• Service manager, running the front desk and workshop schedule at a dealership or independent repairer.
• Workshop supervisor, leading technicians, allocating jobs and checking quality.
• Parts and inventory manager, ordering, storing and controlling stock for a parts department.
• Automotive service adviser, quoting jobs, explaining repairs to customers and handling insurance claims.
• Fleet maintenance coordinator, managing servicing and repairs for company vehicle fleets.
• Small business owner, operating your own mechanical or auto electrical business.

These roles are found across Australia in new and used car dealerships, independent workshops, heavy vehicle and fleet operators, tyre and auto electrical chains, and insurance assessment firms.