New study identifies changing nature of automotive jobs
A new study has assessed which automotive jobs will rise in popularity in the future and which will face severe shortages.
According to Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, the most acute skills shortages will be electric vehicle technicians, HGV drivers and delivery drivers.
Based on its own analysis, vehicle technician jobs in the UK could face a complete shortage by 2047. Although there are currently 245,000 technicians in the UK, only 24% of these are qualified to work on EVs.
It said the growing number of EVs on the road is outpacing the upskilling of technicians, while an ageing workforce and low apprenticeship numbers will only exacerbate the issue.
Key areas
To better understand the challenge, the study identified four key areas that are placing a strain on EV repairer roles:
- Specialist training and investment: Servicing EVs requires specialised training and equipment. This investment may deter smaller service businesses, and with reduced servicing needs, both labour hours and parts revenue will decline.
- Rise of IT-based maintenance: EVs rely heavily on software, allowing manufacturers to update systems and adjust vehicle settings remotely, reducing the need for traditional service technicians. As a result, there may be a greater demand for IT specialists rather than mechanics.
- Changes in manufacturing: EVs require fewer mechanical components, reducing the need for heavily engineered parts. Therefore, manufacturers will use more plastics and lightweight composite materials.
- Battery disposal and re-use: In the UK, currently, a combination of both reusing and recycling is used for EV batteries, depending on their suitability, as UK law bans landfilling or incinerating EV batteries. A new industry must be prepared to manage the increased number of batteries and ensure efficient end-of-life disposal and repurposing of EV batteries.
Meanwhile, the challenge is even greater in the HGV sector, with the study warning that there could be a complete shortage by 2029. With many HGV drivers on the road today nearing retirement age, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts suggests that as many as 200,000 HGV drivers may be required by 2029, with vacancies last year already at 20,000.
Delivery drivers is another area where recruitment and retention is not matching demand. There were 135,000 vacancies for delivery drivers in April, a 793% surge in just 12 months.
