Thatcham Research survey reveals ‘critical skills shortage’
Thatcham Research has warned that a critical collision repair skills shortage is driving up insurance costs, extending repair times and undermining consumer confidence.
Its survey, carried out in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), found that 73% of repair and salvage professionals identify skills as a growing issue.
The survey further found that 41% believe new technologies like electric vehicles and ADAS have driven up the demand for specialist skills, while 43% said the gap is being exacerbated by skilled workers moving to other industries and 31% said an ageing workforce is also contributing to a lack of skills.
The survey also highlighted clear ways to address the current skills gap, with 61% arguing for greater visibility and promotion of apprenticeships within the education sector and 41% calling for increased investment in technical training.
Benefits
Closing the skills gap could have significant benefits for the industry according to Thatcham Research.
These include:
- Reduced insurance costs through faster, more accurate repairs that minimise turnaround times
- Improved customer experience and increased trust in the repair process with access to more skilled, certified technicians
- Sustainable career pathways in a sector vital to the UK economy.
Dean Lander, head of repair sector services, Thatcham Research, said: “The automotive repair sector stands at a crossroads. As vehicles become more sophisticated, the gap between the skills our industry needs and the talent available is widening. This directly impacts insurance premiums, repair times and customer satisfaction across the UK.
“As an industry, we have a responsibility to take action. Through our Automotive Academy, we’ve trained more than 5,000 technicians over the past five years, equipping them with the cutting-edge skills needed to handle today’s increasingly complex vehicles.
“We need industry-wide commitment to invest in training, creating and promoting sustainable careers to attract the next generation of talent into this vital sector.”
Repair costs
This comes after Thatcham Research data has revealed that the average repair cost following a collision increased by 50% between 2019 and 2024.
Jonathan Hewett, CEO Thatcham Research, concluded: “This is an opportunity to transform our industry. Young people today are passionate about sustainability, technology and making a tangible difference. A career in automotive repair offers all three. We invite them to explore the exciting opportunities available in automotive repair and help shape the future of motoring.
“Skilled technical roles in collision repair should be more widely recognised as a great career choice that will never be replaced by AI or automation.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to improving skills and training across the automotive sector outlined in the Motor Insurance Taskforce report. The engineering skills package, which will provide £100m investment over three years to support engineering skills in England, working with Skills England, represents a significant step forward in increasing the pipeline of talent our industry needs.
“Thatcham Research’s Automotive Academy is poised to support and fill this future pipeline of talent with our diverse range of courses, ensuring the next generation of technicians has the skills and expertise required for the evolving automotive repair landscape.”
