20,000 auto vacancies ‘still a big gap to fill’ says IMI

29 July 2024  

The UK’s automotive sector is continuing to “chip away” at the significant skills gap – but employers still face a huge task in filling vacancies, the Institute of the Motor Industry has revealed.

The IMI’s latest vacancy rate tracker for June 2024, using data from the Office for National Statistics, shows a reduction from 3.7 to 3.6 vacancies for every 100 employees.

However, the automotive sector remains No.2 on the ‘vacancies by sector’ chart — behind the hospitality sector at 3.8 vacancies per 100 employees, the IMI said on July 26.

Having dropped by 0.1% on the previous month, the automotive industry now has around 20,000 vacancies, across more than 200 varied roles.

IMI executive chair Kevin Finn said: “At the half-year point we can see clear evidence of a steady chipping away of the skills gap in the automotive sector.

“One of the most significant challenges is the technological advances in automotive, which means each vacancy is competing against tech roles across a wider range of industries. It’s critical that we do everything we can to change perceptions of what a career in automotive offers to effectively attract talent from other sectors.”

‘Difficulties’

Finn said the IMI’s ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign is helping to shift perceptions and encourage more people at all levels to consider a career in automotive.

Meanwhile, the Autotech Academy, a division of the automotive sector’s training and recruitment specialist, Autotech Group, said today more than 1,000 newly qualified young mechanics are looking for work — despite IMI figures showing the sector could see a shortage of 51,000 vehicle technicians by 2030.

“The core of this issue lies in the difficulties newly qualified vehicle technicians encounter when trying to secure their first roles within the motor trade,” the academy said.

“This challenge not only prevents the career growth of these promising professionals but also widens the industry’s skill gap, threatening its future sustainability.”

As part of its paid internship programme, each intern is provided with a complete tool kit and uniform, ensuring they are ready to work from day one, the academy said.

Interns receive hourly pay from the academy throughout their 6-12 month placement, alleviating any employment or PAYE issues for the employers.

At the end of this period, they either secure permanent employment with the employer or move on with valuable experience. During the internship employers have the chance to assess interns’ capabilities and fit within their business, offering a risk-free way to ‘grow their own’ talent.