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.
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.
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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”.
