The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has issued a stark warning to Downing Street: the Prime Minister’s vision for a high-skilled UK workforce risks being “left in the pits” unless the government overhauls a failing apprenticeship system.
While welcoming the Prime Minister’s recent commitment to ensuring young people can reach their full potential through “Technical Excellence Colleges” and increased investment, the IMI argues that the current framework is actively hindering the automotive sector.
The numbers tell a troubling story for independent workshops.
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Despite the rapid acceleration toward electric vehicles (EVs) and increasingly complex ADAS technologies, apprenticeship starts in the automotive sector have plummeted by 30% over the last ten years.
“The Prime Minister’s pledge to go ‘much further’ in investing in apprenticeships… is exactly what our sector needs,” said Nick Connor, CEO of the IMI. “However, the system is not working for our sector. We need reform now.”
IMI’s Five-Point Roadmap for Reform
Safeguard Quality: Ensuring apprenticeships remain the “gold standard” with robust, hands-on assessments specifically for safety-critical roles.
Employer Flexibility: Giving garages the power to spend levy funds where they are actually needed—whether that’s a full apprenticeship, modular training, or CPD.
Simplify for SMEs: Cutting the red tape for small businesses with clearer rules and easier levy transfer processes.
National Alignment: Embedding IMI standards into “Skills England” and regional LSIPs to ensure training scales effectively across the UK.
Attract New Talent: Launching inclusive campaigns that promote the modern, tech-driven reality of automotive careers to a new generation.
A significant sticking point for the industry is the Apprenticeship Levy. The IMI highlights that automotive levy funds are consistently underused compared to other sectors.
This lack of uptake limits the pace and scale of training at a time when the “skills gap” in EV maintenance and high-level diagnostics is becoming a chasm.
Related: £19m EV training hub set to deliver 650 new technicians to the trade
For the independent garage owner, this translates to a dwindling pool of work-ready talent capable of handling modern, technology-laden vehicles.
The IMI is calling for the government to view the automotive industry not as a legacy trade, but as a modern, sustainable career path.
With the right reform, Nick Connor believes “Technical Excellence Colleges” offer a genuine opportunity to embed automotive pathways into the heart of the UK’s national skills architecture.
1 comment
I KNOW EVERYONE NEEDS MONEY TO LIVE BUT THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO PAY AN APPRENTIC DOES NOT MAKE IT WORTH WILE FOR A GARAGE OWNER
IT WILL COST THE GARAGE OVER 3 YEAR TERM, AND THE CHANCES ARE THEY WON’T MAKE THE COMPANY MONEY BUT COST THE COMANY WHICH NO ONE CAN AFFORD