Why I Joined DVSA – and Why I’ve Stayed
I joined the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) as part of the Vehicle Standards Assessor apprenticeship scheme, which offered me the opportunity to have a complete career change in my 40s. I had spent the first 20 years of my working life in offices, but I’ve always had an interest in mechanics. As a DVSA apprentice, I got the chance to expand my interest into a qualification and a full-time job.
I chose to stay with the DVSA because the agency has so much to offer. Since finishing my apprenticeship, I have moved on to a role where I lead a team of assessors which have enabled me to combine my new knowledge of vehicles with my vast experience of leading teams. I am confident I will spend the rest of my working life within DVSA as there are so many opportunities available to support my professional development and job satisfaction.
What do you like most about your role?
The best thing about my role is the teamwork. Our line manager is extremely supportive and constantly encourages us to grow and develop ourselves. I work within a great team of leaders who are always striving to make things better for our frontline workers. The team I lead is amazing. They work extremely hard to provide an outstanding service to our customers that is fair and consistent, making sure the roads are safe for everyone.
Over the past year, since I stepped into my current role, I have been able to work with several different departments. Collaboration is a big thing in the DVSA. Every team I have worked with has been very engaging and keen to work together to improve working practices. It has helped me enormously in my role to understand the inner workings of different departments.
5 Things I love about working at DVSA
- Work/life balance – working 37 hours a week means my work/life balance is great.
- My role is so varied that no 2 days are the same!
- The people I work with.
- My job has a real impact on road safety.
- The opportunities for my development are endless.
Interested in a career with DVSA?
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