A1 Clutches addresses skills gap by recruiting overseas technician

Midlands garage highlights national shortage of qualified mechanics

A1 Clutches addresses skills gap by recruiting overseas technician

A1 Clutches, a Midlands-based garage chain specialising in clutch and gearbox repairs, has addressed the national shortage of qualified mechanics by recruiting a technician from India. Nidhin Morath joined A1’s Tipton site in November 2024, bringing 12 years of experience from a multi-brand workshop in the United Arab Emirates.

“Nidhin has joined us at just the right time and has already proved himself to be a great addition to the team,” said A1 Clutches CEO and founder Amrik Singh. “He is quickly learning our speciality and is taking on more work every day.”

A1 Clutches’ decision reflects a wider challenge within the automotive sector. The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reports a significant staffing shortage, with over 20,000 vacancies identified in September 2024. This translates to roughly 3.5 unfilled positions for every 100 existing roles. The situation is further compounded by a decline in job postings, with a 38% drop observed between July 2023 and July 2024.

A1 Clutches, operating across four locations in the Midlands, faces an even greater challenge due to their specialised service. “We require mechanics with a focus on clutch and gearbox work,” explained Amrik. “The lack of qualified local candidates prompted us to explore overseas recruitment.”

A1 Clutches partnered with Easy2Recruit, an agency specialising in connecting garages with overseas talent. Easy2Recruit facilitated the recruitment process, identifying potential candidates, managing immigration paperwork, and assisting with Nidhin’s accommodation.

“The whole process was incredibly smooth,” said Amrik. “Now Nidhin is working with us, and he has quickly adapted to A1 Clutches’ fast-paced environment, bringing knowledge, enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic to the team.”

A1 Clutches’ success story exemplifies a growing trend of garages seeking overseas talent to address the domestic skills gap. “Nidhin is one of many success stories we are now able to share,” said Easy2Recruit founder and CEO Ambi Singh. “Amrik and the team at A1 Clutches have been able to bring a truly competent technician into their team, and he is already helping to boost output from the site after just a few months. Studies continue to show that there are just not enough mechanics to meet industry demand, so more garages are looking to our solution to solve their own shortages.”

To find out more about Easy2Recruit’s staffing solutions, please click here.

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