Exclusive data from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) suggest parents and carers are a ‘key point of failure’ in attracting new talent to the automotive sector.
According to YouGov research commissioned by the IMI, while 90% of parents would consider an apprenticeship for their child, just 41% would encourage an automotive pathway.
The survey of over 1,000 parents of 14-17 year-olds exposes a critical blind spot in automotive recruitment strategies. Employers are competing for talent in a market where parents mentally categorise automotive alongside declining traditional trades, while placing Digital & IT (58%), Engineering (56%), and sustainability-focused sectors on their ‘acceptable careers’ shortlist. Yet all of these disciplines exist in automotive.
According to the IMI report: The Apprenticeship Mindshift: How Parents Really View Automotive Careers and What Changes Minds – when presented with examples of digital, technical, sustainability-focused, and business roles within automotive, 49% of parents reported being more likely to encourage their child to consider the sector.
Perception hampering apprenticeships?
“The persistent skills shortage in automotive is not a problem of capability or opportunity, but of perception. Employers need to fundamentally rethink how they communicate career opportunities to reach the people who really influence young talent decisions: parents and carers,” highlighted Nick Connor, CEO of the IMI.
“The roles automotive employers are recruiting for – cyber security specialists, sustainability officers, AI specialists – are exactly the careers parents want for their children. But parents don’t associate these roles with automotive.
“Parents are not closing the door on automotive careers – many have never been invited to look behind it. When they are, perceptions shift. Employers who understand this and adapt their recruitment approach accordingly will have a significant competitive advantage in attracting the next generation of talent. That’s the perception gap employers must close.”
The research also reveals that specific concerns about the workplace culture of automotive significantly outweigh general hesitations about apprenticeships.
This includes workplace environment and professional identity; gender imbalance and inclusion; the long-term sustainability of the sector and alignment with values around environmental responsibility. This suggests that negative perceptions of automotive are sector specific, and not inherent to vocational education.
Connection issues
The IMI report also highlights that those with personal or family connections to the automotive sector are most likely to encourage this route.
Of those who are open to automotive apprenticeships, 55% reported having no connection to the sector, while 43% stated they had some form of direct or indirect connection.
When asked about their likelihood of encouraging their child to pursue an automotive apprenticeship parents with a connection to the sector are more likely to say they are very likely to encourage this route (44%), compared with those without a connection (36%).
Action points
For employers, this means recruitment materials, workplace imagery, job descriptions, and career pathway communications must actively address these concerns.
The IMI has highlighted four action points that employers can make now, to help drive skills growth and apprenticeship numbers.
1. Reframe job titles and descriptions to reflect reality: Highlight data analytics, digital systems, cyber security, and sustainability elements in automotive roles. Make it clear these are not ‘garage jobs’ but technology and engineering careers that happen to be in automotive.
2. Make parents the primary audience: Career fairs, apprenticeship promotions, and recruitment campaigns should speak directly to parental concerns about progression, professional status, workplace culture, and long-term relevance. Include salary progression, qualification pathways, and career destinations.
3. Showcase diverse role models: Parents of daughters need to see evidence that automotive is inclusive and welcoming. Employers should prominently feature female technicians, engineers, and managers in recruitment materials and workplace visits.
4. Connect automotive to the green economy: Parents are drawn to sustainability-focused careers but don’t associate automotive with environmental solutions. Employers must explicitly communicate their role in electrification, battery innovation, and net zero transition.
The IMI’s There’s More to Motor campaign provides employers with evidence-based resources, messaging frameworks, and real-world examples to help reshape parental perceptions. To find out more visit moretomotor.org.uk.
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