UKGBE positions skills and training as answer to rising unemployment and aftermarket shortages

With UK unemployment climbing, the automotive aftermarket is being urged to position itself as part of the solution by making careers in garages and bodyshops more visible, accessible and clearly future-facing.

Official figures show that between August and October 2025 there were 1.83 million unemployed people in the UK, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.1%.

Youth unemployment is also increasing, with 735,000 people aged 16–24 unemployed over the same period, representing a 16% unemployment rate.

At the same time, garages and bodyshops continue to report skills shortages, driven not by a lack of work but by the pace of change across the sector.

The increasing adoption of EV technology, ADAS, calibration readiness, advanced materials, modern paint systems, structural repair techniques and digital estimating is raising capability requirements across the aftermarket.

Against that backdrop, the UK Garage & Bodyshop Event is placing skills, training and career development at the heart of its 2026 event.

The show returns to the NEC Birmingham on 3rd and 4th June 2026 and will bring together more than 200 suppliers and over 5,000 professionals from across the garage, bodyshop and vehicle detailing sectors.

The 2026 event will feature more than 80 hours of free training, live demonstrations and practical sessions, aimed at helping technicians and business owners build confidence in both current skills and those required as the industry continues to evolve.