Incentives call for garages to hire, train young technicians
28 August 2024 
The government should consider offering financial and other incentives to UK garages that hire and train young people for careers in the auto sector, the Independent Garage Association said yesterday.
The IGA’s call came as it congratulated the more than million students who received their GCSE and vocational qualification results last week.
An IGA spokesperson told Aftermarket it was discussing detailed proposals for a range of potential initiatives for “targeted support” with its members, and details will be disclosed when finalised.
However, the association said to tackle the skills gap in the auto sector, government support should not only focus on training young people but also on assisting independent garages that are eager to hire and train new technicians.
“Small and medium-sized garages often face financial and logistical barriers when it comes to recruiting and training apprentices,” the IGA said.
‘Subsidies’
“By providing incentives, grants, or subsidies to these businesses, the government can ensure that more young people have access to quality training environments and real-world experience.”
IGA chief executive officer Stuart James said: “The independent garage sector is at the forefront of automotive innovation, and with the right backing, we can provide the next generation with the skills and experience they need to thrive.
“By supporting garages in their efforts to recruit and train young technicians, we can ensure that our industry continues to flourish and that young people have access to rewarding careers.”
On last week’s announcement of academic results, the IGA said it marked a pivotal moment in students’ educational journeys, “opening doors to a variety of pathways, including A levels, apprenticeships, vocational-technical qualifications and the expanding T Levels”.
Separately, the CEO of Easy2Recruit, which helps garages hire overseas talent, said the independent garage sector should work within schools to encourage more young people to choose to join the automotive sector.
Ambi Singh said: “Many of those getting their exam results will already have chosen a career and, sadly for us as an industry, not enough will be looking towards the garage sector.
“If we want young people to join our industry, we need to go into schools; we need to be the ambassadors talking to them when they are forming their career aspirations.”