Automotive aftermarket companies continue to struggle with recruitment, as the latest analysis of data by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) shows job vacancies remaining high.
The industry took the top spot in the job vacancies charts during February, and bumbers remain high. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that there are around 23,000 job vacancies in the aftermarket. This highlights the continuing skills shortage, and the need for inspiring a younger generation into the automotive sector.
However, the number of job vacancies per 100 employees fell from 4.5 in February, to 4.1 in March. Yet this drop mirrored the decline seen in the Accommodation & Food Service (Hospitality) sector, leaving the two industries tied at the top of the chart.
“We would not expect there to be a significant difference in the space of one month”, explained Emma Carrigy, Research Manager at the IMI. “But the fact that our sector remains joint number one with hospitality for vacancies underlines just how challenging it is for employers to recruit.
“The sector has faced a rising vacancy rate since 2021, but what is making the environment even more challenging for employers is the need for more advanced technological skills. The result is automotive is going head-to-head with other tech-led sectors, yet there are still deep-seated misperceptions about the career opportunities on offer.
Campaigns aim to reduce job vacancies
“The IMI’s ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign is working hard to change perceptions and encourage a broader range of jobseekers to consider a career in automotive,” continued Carrigy. “With support from employers, this campaign is critical as the mix of automotive technologies on UK roads, from petrol and diesel, manual and automatic, to electric and hydrogen and the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), demands a more diverse skillset than ever before.”
The recent Automotive Work Experience Week, run by the School of Thought, is one initiative looking to increase the awareness of the automotive industry in younger generations. The initiative, which will return in 2025, aims to help businesses offer work experience placements to school pupils around the UK.
With a skills gap, especially in the areas of electric vehicles and ADAS, the aftermarket is struggling to fill essential job vacancies, as it competes with other technology sectors for the first time.
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