"My name is Brent and I had the privilege of being the first ever co-op student to work in the brand new Mercedes-Benz London dealership on Southdale Road.
Early on in my co-op placement, my primary duty was cleaning and I would occasionally take a bit of time to watch a technician perform an oil change or brake inspection. I understood that, as a co-op student, I would have to prove myself before I would be trusted with more responsibility, so I made sure to perform these basic duties as quickly and effectively as possible.
When the long winter finally came to an end, everyone in the service department became busy with tire swap appointments. This gave me the opportunity to learn how to take winter tires off, put summer tires on and to balance them in 10 to 15 minutes! Shortly thereafter, when the technician I was working with had two cars up on the hoists, I asked if I could take a crack at servicing the front pads and rotors that were causing an issue on the Smart car that he had left temporarily unattended. He gave me the go ahead and I ended up taking the pads, rotors and calipers off and servicing the caliper supports with a sharpened screwdriver.
There is so much that I learned in my co-op placement at MB London that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Working for a flat rate taught me not only that time is money, but also that you must get the job done right the first time. I learned the importance of paying your dues by starting off as the designated shop cleaner, and I was given plenty of time to pick up the more difficult tasks with steeper learning curves that were later entrusted to me.
Obviously I don’t know everything that there is to know about the automotive service industry, but I can say with confidence that I learned a lot of the basics and the way to do jobs without cutting corners. The technicians at MB London were all very helpful and quick to offer advice when I needed it. In addition to the knowledge that I gained in my co-op placement, I was also able to grow in my self-confidence having tried and succeeded in completing some difficult tasks.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, my co-op placement at Mercedes-Benz London confirmed to me that this is absolutely a career path that I can see myself getting into full-time as an adult. It was an outstanding experience and I am so appreciative to everyone who helped me out along the way!"