Can't find someone to fix your car? It could be down to declining motor apprenticeships
Experts have warned that a decline in the number of young people applying for automotive-related apprenticeships and qualifications could lead to a 'perfect storm' in which drivers may be unable to find a skilled technician to work on their car as the UK's motorparc continues to grow.
The latest Automotive Education Report from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reveals that in the final quarter of 2024, automotive qualifications dipped by four per cent year-on-year. This is at odds with a six per cent rise in the number of vocational technical certifications overall and reflects what the IMI describes as a 'longer-term slowdown' in talent filtering into the sector. Advertisement - Article continues below
The slump in the number of qualifications issued has continued into 2025, and the first half of the 2024/25 academic year (September-March) has seen a three per cent overall drop year-on-year in automotive apprenticeship starts.
All of this might seem trivial, but the IMI's head of research for careers and inclusion, Emma Carrigy, said: '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'. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Carrigy said such a scenario is 'creating a perfect storm for UK road safety'; fewer available technicians means owners are more likely to drive around in damaged and potentially dangerous cars.
So what's going on? Well, the IMI says that the main drops in technical qualifications lie in the areas of mechanical, electrical and trim (MET), as well as accident repair.
Conversely, the majority of focus now appears to be on EV training, with electric and hybrid car qualifications making up almost half (44 per cent) of certifications in the final three months of last year. That said, the total number of EV qualifications fell by six per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, which is far from ideal when you consider the significant number of new EVs hitting the roads.
Garages are now also subject to the recent increase in National Insurance contributions, meaning fewer are able to find the funds to employ more technicians. Things are made even worse by sky-high energy and equipment prices, which ultimately places car maintenance firms under further strain and at the risk of closure.
Things could be set to improve, however, because the Government recently announced a shake-up to its funding for training schemes; Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP said that there will soon be as many as 120,000 new apprenticeship and training opportunities across all sectors before the next general election – which is crucial, given that IMI figures suggest firms are currently focusing on upskilling existing staff, rather than employing and training new personnel.
Our Car Tax Checker tool lets you check your tax status and renewal date in seconds. Check your VED car tax now...
Find a car with the experts It's only a matter of time before Jaguar Land Rover builds a factory in the USA
It's only a matter of time before Jaguar Land Rover builds a factory in the USA
Mike Rutherford thinks Jaguar's 'Reimagine' strategy will result in the company exploring further opportunities in the USA Slow death of the manual car revealed in exclusive new data
Slow death of the manual car revealed in exclusive new data
There are now very few manual cars available to buy, a trend that's been exacerbated by the rise of EVs Car Deal of the Day: Nissan's X-Trail is a do-it-all seven-seat hybrid SUV for only £235 a month
Car Deal of the Day: Nissan's X-Trail is a do-it-all seven-seat hybrid SUV for only £235 a month
If the Qashqai is too small for you, then the larger X-Trail is a fine alternative. It's our Deal of the Day for 25 May
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
13 minutes ago
- Sky News
Geert Wilders: Dutch far-right leader accused of 'ego-trip' after coalition government collapses
Geert Wilders has blown up Dutch politics by taking his party out of the governing right-wing coalition. Tuesday's move makes fresh elections inevitable, but new polls may not deliver clarity and stability for the Netherlands. Mr Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) left the ruling coalition after a row over immigration policy - a subject he has campaigned on for all of his political career. He wanted his coalition partners to agree to his 10-point plan, which includes using the military to seal the country's borders to all asylum seekers, closing asylum centres and returning all Syrian nationals who have either applied for asylum or been granted temporary visas. Mr Wilders is a hugely divisive figure in Dutch politics - seen by some as a bold leader who speaks his mind and understands the frustrations of normal people; derided by others as a toxic populist who empowers bigots and racists. Even though the PVV was the biggest party in the 2023 election, his coalition partners refused to allow him to become prime minister. Instead, Dick Schoof, formerly a senior civil servant, was installed as a consensus candidate. The PVV's popularity has fallen slightly over the past year. It is still - probably - the most popular party in the country, but only by a fraction. The left has strengthened in that time, while it's likely that the centre-right VVD, which propelled Mark Rutte to multiple victories, has rediscovered its mojo. Mr Wilders' plan might be that he is fed up with compromises and believes that, if he's included in any future coalition, then the members need to sign up to his strident views on migration. But in the short term, he has caused chaos and bewildered the other members of his government. The VVD's Dilan Yesilgov said she was furious: "We had a right-wing majority and he's let it all go for the sake of his ego," she said.
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Value of UK merger and acquisition deals jumps to highest level for two years
The value of UK merger and acquisition deals has risen to its highest level for more than two years, according to new figures. This was partly driven by more deals by international investors and companies to snap up UK-based firms over the first quarter of the year. The Office for National Statistics said a number of particularly large agreements helped increase the provisional value of all inward and outward M&A (merger and acquisition) deals to their highest level since late 2022. However, the number of domestic and cross-border deals including changes of ownership dipped to 395 for the three months to March, from 497 in the previous quarter. Statisticians highlighted that this included a reduction in activity in February, as some firms were cautious in the face of wider economic uncertainty. In March, Bank of England officials said in a report for the quarter: 'Mergers and acquisitions activity shows some signs of improvement, but growth is constrained by caution among buyers and sellers. 'Restructuring and insolvency activity remains slightly higher on a year ago.' The latest data showed that deals by foreign firms to acquire UK companies were worth £19.2 billion over the quarter, jumping from £15.2 billion in the previous period. This included the £3.3 billion deal by Danish brewing giant Carlsberg to buy J2O maker Britvic. The jump in the value of deals was also supported by the £5.8 billion takeover of paper and packaging firm DS Smith by US rival International Paper. Elsewhere, the value of outward M&A, where UK firms bought foreign companies, rose to £9.4 billion from £1.8 billion in the previous quarter.
Western Telegraph
19 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Value of UK merger and acquisition deals jumps to highest level for two years
This was partly driven by more deals by international investors and companies to snap up UK-based firms over the first quarter of the year. The Office for National Statistics said a number of particularly large agreements helped increase the provisional value of all inward and outward M&A (merger and acquisition) deals to their highest level since late 2022. However, the number of domestic and cross-border deals including changes of ownership dipped to 395 for the three months to March, from 497 in the previous quarter. Statisticians highlighted that this included a reduction in activity in February, as some firms were cautious in the face of wider economic uncertainty. In March, Bank of England officials said in a report for the quarter: 'Mergers and acquisitions activity shows some signs of improvement, but growth is constrained by caution among buyers and sellers. 'Restructuring and insolvency activity remains slightly higher on a year ago.' The latest data showed that deals by foreign firms to acquire UK companies were worth £19.2 billion over the quarter, jumping from £15.2 billion in the previous period. This included the £3.3 billion deal by Danish brewing giant Carlsberg to buy J2O maker Britvic. The jump in the value of deals was also supported by the £5.8 billion takeover of paper and packaging firm DS Smith by US rival International Paper. Elsewhere, the value of outward M&A, where UK firms bought foreign companies, rose to £9.4 billion from £1.8 billion in the previous quarter. Recent deals included London-listed mining giant Rio Tinto's £5 billion buyout of Arcadium Lithium.
