IMI Vacancy Tracker reveals growing EV skills demand
The latest IMI Vacancy Tracker has revealed there were around 17,000 motor trade vacancies in June to August 2026 compared with 16,000 in May to July.
Over the same reporting periods, the UK total fell from 706,000 to 702,000.
Meanwhile, the sector’s job openings rate, which compares vacancies with the number of employee jobs, rose to 2.8%, the joint second-highest rate among UK industries.
Vehicle technicians, mechanics, and electricians accounted for 72% of postings, with adverts for this group up by 22% compared with August 2025 and by 17% compared with August 2024.
Postings for vehicle valeters and cleaners rose by 49% compared with August 2025, while posting for vehicle body builders and repairers and paint technicians rose by 41% and 38% respectively.
Among the 10 leading job-title groups, service technician postings grew by 155% compared with August 2025, with 10,180 roles advertised. Meanwhile, postings for body repair technicians increased by 59%.
The data also found that heavy vehicle technician postings increased by five per cent.
In terms of electric vehicle skills, demand rose by 83% from 1,167 positions in August 2025 to 2,135 in August 2026. The IMI’s latest EV TechSafe Technician Forecast now projects a shortfall of more than 43,000 EV-qualified technicians by 2035.
