Can’t find someone to fix your car? It could be down to declining motor apprenticeships

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.

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”.

Carrigy said such a scenario is “creating a perfect storm for UK road safety”; fewer available technicians means owners are more likely to drive around in damaged and potentially dangerous cars.

So what’s going on? Well, the IMI says that the main drops in technical qualifications lie in the areas of mechanical, electrical and trim (MET), as well as accident repair. 

Conversely, the majority of focus now appears to be on EV training, with electric and hybrid car qualifications making up almost half (44 per cent) of certifications in the final three months of last year. That said, the total number of EV qualifications fell by six per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, which is far from ideal when you consider the significant number of new EVs hitting the roads.

Garages are now also subject to the recent increase in National Insurance contributions, meaning fewer are able to find the funds to employ more technicians. Things are made even worse by sky-high energy and equipment prices, which ultimately places car maintenance firms under further strain and at the risk of closure.

Things could be set to improve, however, because the Government recently announced a shake-up to its funding for training schemes; Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP said that there will soon be as many as 120,000 new apprenticeship and training opportunities across all sectors before the next general election – which is crucial, given that IMI figures suggest firms are currently focusing on upskilling existing staff, rather than employing and training new personnel.

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