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 parts 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. There is also the compliance side, workplace health and safety, environmental rules for waste oil and fluids, and the consumer guarantees that apply when a repair goes wrong.

How the qualification is structured

As a diploma, this sits at the middle of the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree. It is delivered over one year, usually across two semesters or three study periods, depending on timetabling. You complete a set of units of study, each carrying credit points, and you need to pass the required units to graduate. Assessment is typically a mix of written tasks, practical workshop scenarios and a work-based project where you apply management skills to a real or simulated automotive business. Some providers build in a supervised placement or industry project, so ask InTech what work-integrated learning is included in your intake. If you later want to continue studying, credit from the diploma can sometimes count towards a bachelor degree, but that is decided by the receiving institution and you should confirm it in writing.

Skills you build

You learn to read a profit and loss statement for a workshop, price labour and parts so the job is profitable, manage a stock system so you are not chasing a water pump at 4pm on a Friday, and lead a small team of tradespeople. There is customer service work too, handling complaints, explaining a repair in plain English, and managing bookings. On the compliance side you cover the paperwork that keeps a business out of trouble: safety inductions, incident reporting, waste disposal records and fair trading obligations.

Who it suits

This diploma suits a qualified mechanic or auto electrician who is ready to move into a supervisor or service manager role. It also works for someone already in an automotive business, parts interpreter, service advisor, dealership administrator, who wants formal recognition of management skills. If you are new to the industry but keen on the business side, it can be a starting point, though you will need to pick up technical vocabulary quickly. International students should note that the Student visa allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and on completion you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. English entry is typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall or an accepted equivalent, with the Department of Home Affairs setting a separate threshold for the visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 120378A. Check the official InTech page and CRICOS for current unit lists, intake dates and fees.

• Service manager, running the day-to-day operations of a repair workshop or dealership service department.
• Workshop supervisor, leading a team of technicians, scheduling jobs and managing workflow.
• Parts and inventory manager, overseeing stock levels, ordering and supplier relationships for an automotive business.
• Automotive service advisor, the main point of contact for customers, quoting work and explaining repairs.
• Fleet maintenance coordinator, managing servicing and repairs for company vehicle fleets.
• Small business owner, running your own mechanical repair or automotive retail business.

These roles sit across Australia's automotive retail, repair and maintenance industry, including new and used car dealerships, independent workshops, heavy vehicle fleets, and parts distribution businesses. Employers range from small family-run garages to national chains and dealership groups.