EV technician shortage “must be addressed” urgently, IMI warns

IMI data reveals significant difference in EV skilled workforce compared to growth in BEV, PHEV and HEV sales

EV technician shortage “must be addressed” urgently, IMI warns

Latest SMMT data shows that EV sales represented 23 per cent of the new vehicle market in May but analysis by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) suggests that by the end of 2020 just 6.5 per cent of the automotive sector was EV ready.

It marks just a 1.5 per cent increase on previous IMI analysis of the workforce and underlines what it describes as “the gaping chasm” in the proportion of the automotive sector skilled to work on electric vehicles.

Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, said: “There is no question that government, industry, and consumers are all switching on to the idea of electric motoring.

“The growing representation of BEV, PHEV, and HEV in overall new car sales is clear demonstration of that.

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“And the manufacturers and their franchise networks are certainly leading the way in giving customers more support and information as well as upskilling their workforces.

“However the fact that our analysis shows such a big deficit in the EV skilled workforce should ring alarm bells for government, with its big ambitions for 2030.

“The recent House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report into the transition to zero-emission vehicles highlighted the need to train and retrain the workforce required to service the new car fleet.

“But highlighting the need and actually committing to investment in the upskilling are two very different things.

“And the current skills gap right across the UK economy, exacerbated by a combination of COVID-19 and Brexit is adding a further dimension to the challenge.

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“The lack of thought given to the training needs of the swathe of businesses and individuals in the automotive ecosystem – from the distribution chain of car dealers to service and repair and even accident recovery – could severely hamper the government’s ambitions.

“If the new parc of electric vehicles can’t be serviced and repaired safely, consumer confidence could be severely undermined.

“The ramp-up plan for all those who are likely to work on electric vehicles – from service and repair technicians to those working in the roadside recovery and blue light sectors – now must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

“And that means some of that £12bn investment promised by the Prime Minister needs to be put towards skills training.”

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Home Page Forums EV technician shortage “must be addressed” urgently, IMI warns

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  • #213776 Reply

    Latest SMMT data shows that EV sales represented 23 per cent of the new vehicle market in May but analysis by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI
    [See the full post at: EV technician shortage “must be addressed” urgently, IMI warns]

    #213778 Reply
    Meat-Head
    Guest

    Utter fuds, they are incapable of anything except making money.

    On about environment etc, there hq is a listed building- dont think it got double glazing. Needs flattening and rebuilding with new stuff

    FACT CHECKER:-

    You ring the imi and say “your uncles engine light has come on is his honda hybrid is there anybody in <town> name that can look at it”. You get told “no sorry,”. Knowing full well 3 garages in that location were imi approved!

    #213782 Reply
    graham cox
    Guest

    can somebody in power please wake up to the fact most garages in the uk are unable to find mechanics or indeed any staff of any quality due to years of under investment within the training system the collages use out dated material and out dated staff

    #213785 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    I agree totally with Graham. To train the mechanics of tomorrow you need the mechanics of today (in dealership). The training of the mechanics of tomorrow by the mechanics of yesterday (in college) has never been successful.
    The local college now promotes a school leaver course in ‘Motorsport Engineering’ .
    Can you earn a living fitting wide wheels, bodyside stripes and spotlamps ?

    #213786 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    To return to the subject of the IMI report.
    When the first EVs came to market it was said minimum maintenance would be required, brakes would last forever due to regeneration, lights would be laser lasting forever and MOT tests would be mainly just a matter of checking for illuminated warning lamps.
    It is cannot be a surprise that there is a reluctance to spend major money training to do work which will not be needed.

    #213816 Reply
    Spanner Man
    Guest

    Training training training or as Mr Blair would have it “education education education” the problem is historical the IMI, the Insurance Ind and others of like, have continually let the industry down by lowering the levels of skill established through apprenticeships all to supposedly to reduce costs for customers but in reality to increase profit. The IMI study is a study and an indictment of their historic failure to up hold standards of training in our industry. EVs are not that new. Lets not forget that big vehicle manufacturers produced EVs in the 90s for the Californian market but some along with dealers also signed up to stopping California’s goal of zero emission vehicles on their roads. So until recently when some organizations feel the need to show their green creds, hardly a peep has been heard about training. Presumably it conflicted with their wedlock to fossil fuel and support of the manufacturing industry that thought it could litigate the threat of EVs away. Do me a favor do they think we are stupid. The IMI should grow a pair and be a bit more introspective about their roll in an industry they have failed for many many years.

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