Ryan FowlerThe Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has raised urgent concerns over a growing skills crisis in the automotive sector, warning of a “perfect storm” driven by a shrinking talent pipeline and rising vehicle numbers on UK roads.
Its latest Automotive Education Report reveals that automotive qualification certifications dropped 4% year-on-year in Q4 2024, at a time when vocational certifications across all industries increased by 6%. Automotive apprenticeship starts in the first half of the 2024/25 academic year were also down 3% year-on-year and remain 12% lower than pre-pandemic levels, with a sustained average annual shortfall of 790 starts compared to 2018/19.
Emma Carrigy, head of research, careers and inclusion at the IMI, 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. And this is creating a ‘perfect storm’ for UK road safety.”
The data paints a worrying picture for future workforce sustainability. The IMI points to underutilisation of levy funding—with just 51% of apprenticeship starts in the sector funded through the levy, well below the 65% average across all sectors—as well as a lack of training staff and poor diversity in recruitment.
While 64% of automotive apprenticeship starts are by under-19s (compared to 28% across all apprenticeships), the IMI noted growth in older cohorts aged 19–24 and 25+, suggesting employers are prioritising upskilling current staff over onboarding school leavers.
The report also highlights significant drops in key apprenticeship pathways. Autocare Technician starts fell 10%, Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician – Light Vehicle dropped 2%, while Vehicle Damage MET and Accident Repair Technician starts plunged 36% and 23% respectively. Starts in Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance and Automotive Glazing bucked the trend, rising 11% and 18%.
“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,” Carrigy added.
Through its There’s More to Motor campaign and recent contributions to the House of Lords Select Committee for Social Mobility, the IMI is calling for earlier and better-integrated vocational pathways, including more robust careers advice from Key Stage 3 onwards, improved work experience access, and greater collaboration between industry, education providers and local authorities.
