Easy2Recruit has expressed concern over the government’s plan to reduce the English and Maths requirements for apprentices aged 19 and over. While this change could potentially increase apprenticeship numbers, Easy2Recruit argues that it would not be in the best interests of the automotive sector.
“Reducing educational requirements for apprentices over the age of 19 will of course mean more people could join our industry,” said Ambi Singh, Easy2Recruit CEO. “Unfortunately, while the sector has been experiencing a massive shortfall in technician numbers for many years, the pace of technological change means what we actually need is higher qualified staff.”
Ambi believes that the automotive industry requires a highly skilled workforce to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving technological landscape, including the rise of electric vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
Recent research from the Institute for the Motor Industry (IMI) has highlighted a significant shortage of ADAS-qualified technicians in the UK. With only 2% of technicians currently holding the necessary IMI TechSafe certification, the industry faces a critical skills gap. This means there are just 4,425 ADAS-qualified techs working in the UK.
Easy2Recruit argues that lowering entry requirements would send the wrong message and hinder the sector’s ability to attract and retain the highly skilled workforce needed to thrive in the future.
Instead, the company advocates for a collaborative approach between the automotive industry and the education sector to attract and nurture young talent with a passion for technology.
Alongside the core offering, the company’s Student2Skill programme pairs international students studying in the UK with garages looking for part-time workers. At the same time, the company is also running the Student2Skill international graduate placement programme.
To find out more about Easy2Recruit’s staffing solutions please click here.