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UK’s automotive industry facing skills crisis, says IMI

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The latest Automotive Sector Employment report from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) outlines that the culmination of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, the pandemic, decreased immigration and fewer people of working age, are fuelling an escalating skills crisis – It predicts 160,000 vacancies in the sector will need filling by 2031.

Despite forecasting a 2% decrease in the number of jobs available in the automotive industry by 2031, the report highlights that rising employment replacement demand – due to retirement, migration and occupational mobility – will significantly contribute to the expected and unprecedented number of available vacancies. The role most in demand will be the vehicle technician, which will account for 16% of vacancies.

Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI said: “The industry faces its biggest skills challenge of the last two decades. We have been lobbying government, the automotive industry and the education sector for a long time to invest in addressing the shortage in qualified EV technicians, and the majority have stepped up to the challenge. But our latest report worryingly reveals that the UK’s lack of EV skills are just the tip of the iceberg.

“An aging population is a significant contributor to the dilemma. Many of our older workers are set to retire over the coming years and fewer younger workers are joining the labour force. Without doubt, more needs to be done to attract young blood into the UK’s automotive sector.”

The IMI’s Diversity Task Force conducted a ‘Perception of the Automotive Sector’ survey to understand career misgivings and motivators about the industry. The survey was completed by over 1,600 school-aged children and young people from schools and colleges across the UK and 448 youth influencers, including career professionals.

Whilst over half of 16-18 year old survey respondents said they had a clear career plan, those in Key Stage 3 and 4 said they are particularly concerned about making the world a better place with comments made about improving the environment, better safety in the automotive sector and on vehicles, and a desire to help people. However, just 16% said they had considered the automotive sector as an option.

Over and above common misconceptions about the industry, a lack of understanding about the range of roles, qualifications needed and salary expectations was a key factor. Influencer respondents reported that a lack of local placements meant they were unable to satisfy young people open to pursuing a career in the automotive sector.

HGV driver the most in-demand role in transport and logistics

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

HGV driver and supply chain manager roles are most the most in-demand jobs in logistics, with a respective 7,200 and 4,831 available job postings.

At the end of September, there were 52,000 vacancies within the industry as a whole, analysis of Reed & Total Jobs vacancy postings and Road Haulage Association data carried out by packaging retailer RAJA UK, with the top roles identified as:-

Job title Average Salary Vacancies Job requirements
HGV driver £32,000 7,200 –        A full, clean driving licence

–        Take one of the five vocational qualifications

–        Pass the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests
Warehouse operative   £21,293 1,461 –        Ability to operate hand tools such as nail guns

–        Good physical strength, fitness and dexterity

–        Computer literacy

–        Ability to operate a forklift
Supply chain manager   £42,500 4,831 –        A foundation degree in a relevant subject or qualifications from industry-led organisations.
Transportation Planner £30,178 143 –        A degree in a relevant subject or get a Transportation Planning Technician Apprenticeship.

–        To progress, you may need to get a postgraduate qualification in transport planning.
Purchasing manager £45,231 1,978 –        A degree with business influence.

–        Be a member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) or be working towards becoming one.
Distribution manager £44,305 3,400 –        A degree with a logistics or business influence.

–        Professional certification from CIPS, Institute of Operation Management (IOMS) or the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
Sourcing specialist £48,9717 1,308 –        Bachelor’s degree.

–        CIPS qualified.

–        Experience in procurement and supply chain services or domestic/international transportation.

–        A full driving licence.

–        Ability to travel both in the UK and abroad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RAJA’s transport manager Nigel Smyth said: “When hiring for the RAJA fleet, we wanted more than someone with excellent driving skills. We wanted passionate people who could provide both road safety and a superb customer delivery experience to fit in with the RAJA ethos of ‘do the right thing’. Our drivers are inclusive members of the wider team and need to be able to work as a group to ensure our high customer service levels are always met.

“The recruitment success of our current fleet was mainly down to word of mouth. Once we had onboarded a few drivers, the rest quickly followed. Our current drivers work exceptionally well as a team and have input in developing our fleet project to expand further in 2022.”