AutoRaise Partnership Alliance calls for unified skills strategy
The AutoRaise Partnership Alliance has called for a collaborative approach to the growing skills crisis, warning that piecemeal solutions are no longer enough.
It argues that the skills gap is still widening, and fears that new technologies such as electric vehicles, ADAS and digitalisation will only exacerbate the challenge.
The Alliance claims that only by working together, developing industry-wide solutions and ‘turning talk into action’ will the sector attract the next generation of talent that is critical to repairing cars safely.
The warning comes after the Alliance met with industry leaders from bodyshops, manufacturers and suppliers at it latest ‘Back to the Future’ roundtable on 26 September.
Attendees agreed that the automotive skills crisis is acute and demands an urgent response, with six clear areas of action identified:
- Collaboration, not silos – creating a unified network where employers, OEMs, and training providers share best practice and align efforts
- Modernising education – updating curricula and building vocational pathways that reflect industry reality, with young people’s voices at the centre
- Closing the gaps –targeting recruitment into specialist roles and building training resources to match
- Changing perceptions – from job titles to media presence, the industry must work harder to show itself as aspirational, diverse, and future-focused
- Smarter funding – optimising levy use, pooling resources, and expanding bursaries so smaller repairers can invest in apprentices
- Policy advocacy – taking a united message to government: reduce NEETs, recognise the sector, and back public-private partnerships for skills growth.
Action plan
Another key challenge identified was visibility, with attendees agreeing that the automotive aftermarket is too often overlooked as a future career, with many young people unaware of its cutting-edge technology and progression routes.
The group has now agreed to map where each organisation could contribute, establish a working group to lead collaboration, and build an action plan to keep the momentum going.
An AutoRaise spokesperson said:
“This is not about one-off initiatives. It’s about building a movement. The energy in the room showed that while the challenges are significant, the will to act together is stronger.”
