MAY 2024 AFTERMARKET 19 www.aftermarketonline.net perhaps transitioning into this late phase of their working lives by becoming less hands-on in the workshop and taking on more mentoring and training responsibilities. At the other end of the spectrum, it’s clearly also essential to attract more young people - and a more diverse worker profile, including women – into the industry. Research shows that 44% of women have felt uncomfortable visiting a garage simply because of their gender, and 40% of women would trust a garage more if there were more female mechanics. The IMI’s Perception of the Automotive Sector survey found that only one in six 16-18 year olds had even considered the automotive sector as a career option. Much more needs to be done to put automotive jobs on school leavers’ radars. Attracting diverse talent More targeted outreach with schools and colleges to demonstrate the variety of opportunities on offer is a good place to start, using positive role models to explain where a career in the motor industry could take them. It’s encouraging to see so many employers investing in their apprenticeship programmes and graduate trainee schemes, but could more places be offered? How to access those placements often needs to be clearer too. Employers must also think strategically about how best to retain their talent and enable staff to progress long-term. Investing in regular training will form part of the solution, but other factors such as fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture can also be a big tick in the box, especially for young people, women and other under-represented minorities. That may mean re-thinking how to source job candidates from a wider pool or new ways to build camaraderie within teams. It might include offering more flexible working options, to give staff a better work-life balance, something that could ultimately benefit the business by enabling it to be more flexible about its opening hours. With environmental concerns featuring prominently on people’s consciousness (and particularly amongst the young), another potential selling point is how much greener the industry is becoming, and it’s a revolution that they can be part of. It’s worth shouting about the fact that materials and products used within the industry are becoming more eco-friendly, from more sustainable engine oils and fluids which improve fuel efficiency. For instance, TotalEnergies recently launched its new QuartzBox, ecoefficient packaging designed to meet the requirements of garage technicians and the modern motor industry. Addressing the carbon footprint of lubricant production, distribution, storage and disposal is essential to making incremental environmental improvements in the motor industry as well as encourage a diverse pool of people to take part in the journey to net zero in their own garages and workshops. A world of possibilities? The rise of EVs and other technological developments in the automotive sector is both a boon and a problem in skills terms. On one hand, it broadens the range of technical skills the industry requires, from mechanical and engineering capabilities to digital expertise, making it a potentially appealing career choice for a more diverse spectrum of people. The industry is already making plans to invest in EV training for staff with 44% independent garages and franchise dealer workshops in the UK looking to do this as soon as this year, according to the Motor Ombudsman’s Independent Garage and Franchise Dealer Workshop Survey Report. However, these are areas where such skills are already in high demand from other sectors not just the motor industry, pushing up competition for good candidates and putting upward pressure on salary expectations. The Social Market Foundation report, A vehicle for change, have projected that by 2027, there will no longer be enough qualified technicians to maintain Britain’s EV fleet. This feeds into the issue of how well equipped some parts of the motor industry are to take on the EV challenge. After all, there’s a huge amount involved in looking after an EV in a workshop, with many associated safety and security considerations as well as specialist skills required. As things stand, around a quarter of independent motor traders do not offer any services for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and more than four in ten do not do so for BEVs. If the skills shortage isn’t rectified – and soon – it’s hard to see how this situation can improve. Given that the Government has pledged to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in just over a decade, the rapidly growing EV market cannot be ignored. Data from the SMMT shows that last year, 16.5% of all new car sales were BEVs. Skills shortages could result in lost business and higher wages; A toxic combination for any company, but it is possible to tackle the problem. This is especially true if steps are taken now to keep hold of the experienced and talented workforce that is already in place, and to encourage more people into the sector by showing them it is an industry with plenty of opportunity for all, today and in the future.
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