The latest Automotive Education Report from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has thrown a spotlight on a ‘perfect storm’ of the declining skilled workforce in the automotive industry, as the UK’s vehicle parc continues to grow.
The document highlights a complex landscape for the sector’s future skills pipeline. With this in mind, the IMI is aiming to address this challenge, in partnership with government, employers and other stakeholders.
It will do this through its manifesto which sets out clear, actionable steps to attract new talent into the sector and build a skilled workforce. Alongside this, plans are outlined to create defined career pathways, support the upskilling of the existing workforce, and ensure the industry is equipped with the skills it needs for the future.
Declines in skilled workforce
A 4% drop year-on-year in automotive qualification certifications is reported for Q4 2024. This is in sharp contrast to a 6% year-on-year increase in general vocational qualifications across all industries.
Further underlining the threat to the automotive sector’s skilled workforce, and the road-using public in general, during the first six months of the 2024/25 academic year, automotive apprenticeship starts were 3% lower year-on-year.
Apprenticeship starts have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. They are 12% lower than 2018/19, decreasing on average by 790 per year.
“With the number of vehicles on UK roads rising, and the number of technicians training to repair and maintain them falling, UK motorists face an increasing risk of being unable to find someone qualified to properly look after their car,” commented Emma Carrigy, Head of Research, Careers & Inclusion at the IMI.
“And this is creating a ‘perfect storm’ for UK road safety. The approaching skills gap caused by the decline in apprenticeship starts and automotive qualifications could lead to dangerous vehicles being driven, putting drivers, passengers and other road users at serious risk.”
While the under-19’s category represents the largest proportion of all automotive apprenticeship starts at 64%, and far higher than the 28% average across all apprenticeships, the 19-24 and 25+ groups are growing. This may be linked to employers potentially focusing on upskilling existing, older staff, creating more of a skilled workforce in their business.
Issues impact the market
The IMI believes there are several factors impacting qualifications and apprenticeships, affecting the skilled workforce.
The automotive training workforce is severely under-resourced. Plus, employers appear not to be capitalising on the levy funding available. In the first half of the 2024/25 academic year, 51% of automotive apprenticeship starts were levy-funded, which is significantly lower than the 65% average across all levy-funded apprenticeships.
The other issue is the lack of diversity in the sector. “To futureproof the exciting and fast-moving automotive sector, employers need to tap into a more diverse talent pool and help more people to see the wealth of career opportunities available,” added Carrigy.
“At the IMI we are committed to improving the image of the sector through our ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign, highlighting the wide range of job roles. But more needs to be done to integrate education and work, to encourage school leavers and graduates as well as career changers to consider apprenticeships in automotive.”
The IMI recently contributed to the House of Lords Select Committee for Social Mobility with its recommendations for the support and changes needed to bring about a vital shift in the automotive skilled workforce. The IMI believes more needs to be done to deliver more robust careers advice to those leaving school.
There also needs to be more opportunity for work experience in technical roles, and vocational routes should be embedded from Key Stage 3 onwards.
Working in collaboration, education providers, the automotive industry and local authorities can provide future employees with greater opportunities which will also benefit and futureproof the wider industry, and ensure drivers can find appropriate technicians to service, maintain and repair their vehicles.
Read the latest IMI Automotive Education Report here.
