UK automotive industry urges Brexit rethink
Published: 26 June, 2018
The SMMT today (Tuesday 26 June) called for swifter progress on Brexit and a deal that, as a minimum, maintains customs union membership and delivers single market benefits.
The call came as the organisation published figures showing record turnover, but amid growing concern that progress could be reversed.
UK Automotive’s 19th annual Sustainability Report reveals the manufacturing sector turned over a record £82 billion in 2017, marking an eighth consecutive year of growth. The sector’s economic contribution now stands at £20.2 billion, although a recent SMMT study showed its impact on adjacent sectors as significantly larger, at around £202 billion – some 10% of UK GDP. Jobs in the UK automotive manufacturing sector rose 2.8% to 186,000, with employment across the wider industry reaching 856,000.
Despite this positive performance last year, the first six months of 2018 have been less encouraging. Production output has fallen alongside slowing demand in the new vehicle markets; job cuts have been announced and investment has stalled, with just £347.3 million earmarked for new models, equipment and facilities in the UK – almost half the sum announced in the same period last year.
Speaking at the industry’s annual Summit, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Today’s figures show the critical importance of the automotive industry to the UK economy. There is growing frustration in global boardrooms at the slow pace of negotiations. The current position, with conflicting messages and red lines goes directly against the interests of the UK automotive sector which has thrived on single market and customs union membership. There is no credible ‘plan B’ for frictionless customs arrangements, nor is it realistic to expect that new trade deals can be agreed with the rest of the world that will replicate the immense value of trade with the EU. Government must rethink its position on the customs union.
Mike added: “There is no Brexit dividend for our industry, particularly in what is an increasingly hostile and protectionist global trading environment. Our message to government is that until it can demonstrate exactly how a new model for customs and trade with the EU can replicate the benefits we currently enjoy, don’t change it.”
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- Temporary is contemporary
The shortfall of skills in the UK automotive industry is not new, but with the industry poised for continued growth coupled with the fact vehicles are becoming increasingly computerised and more electric cars are entering the market, the situation has become more pressing.
No longer is the career path of a vehicle technician a matter of looking over the shoulder of a patient mentor. Progressing in the motor industry today demands digital skills — a diagnostician who can solve puzzles without physical clues, like an engine knocking or an oil leak.
This is all putting tremendous strain on an industry which is already struggling to find the talent it needs and, while in 2016 pockets of the country were feeling the pinch, in 2017 garages across the whole of the UK were left feeling the pressure as the skills crisis deepened. Significantly, the impending Brexit is likely to deepen the shortage as, according to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), at least 10% of all people employed within the UK automotive industry are from elsewhere in the EU.
Highly skilled
Consequently, garage owners and dealerships are increasingly seeking to recruit the most highly skilled technicians, and there is a growing pool of proficient candidates ready to fill workforce shortages on a temporary basis.
As the economy thrives on supply and demand, and we are functioning within an industry where the demand is high, but the current workforce supply is straining under the weight of it. For the temporary contractor, there are plenty of opportunities for work. However, the pendulum swings both ways. For the aftermarket business owner, who is looking to increase productivity and ensure they do not suffer any financial losses due to empty ramps through staff shortages, relying on temporary contractors can provide an extremely efficient, quick win solution.
From reducing the administration requirements, to having less payroll responsibilities, hiring contractors consumes less of a business owner’s time than hiring full-time employees does, and there is growing evidence to support this. With two of his permanent workforce due to attend training days last September, Krunel Patel, managing director of Cambridge Coachworks, a member of the AutoFirst Network, realised that he could face a potential loss of £2,000 per day without cover. “Initially, the thought of taking a temporary worker on was impractical. While I realised the financial loss I would make, and also the fact that my customers would go elsewhere, the prospect of vetting candidates to work on such a short time scale was daunting. However the whole process from requesting support from Autotech Recruit to the arrival on site of the technicians was seamless. Both technicians were not only a pleasure to have as part of the team, but worked extremely hard
and helped immensely during a busy period.”
Forward planning
When should owners be tapping into this growing pool of highly-skilled contractors? Quite often it will be a reactive call, and temporary technicians are frequently being called upon with just a few days notice to cover shortfalls. However, for garage owners who want to run at optimum capacity with the flexibility to meet periods of high demand, forward planning is essential to cover any anticipated workforce shortages.
While all businesses experience economic highs and lows, demand will generally follow a similar pattern each year. For instance, March and September are traditionally both busy months for MOTs and last year there was a 10% increase on MOTs due to the 2014 car sales boom, which, through consecutive annual sales, is forecast to be repeated this year. Relying on temporary technicians to plug the gap requires deliberation to ensure the right person fits the bill. Therefore it is essential that recruiting temporary technicians is built into an annual business strategy.
Investment
For temporary technicians, to ensure the work flows in, it is vital that they continue to invest in training and up-skill to be proficient in all areas of vehicle maintenance. While this requires an investment in both time and money, inevitably it leads to greater flexibility when taking on new work opportunities, allowing them to hit the ground running. Significantly, when faced with reports that the number of jobs in the automotive aftermarket sector expected to rise by almost 17% to 400,000 roles by 2022, there is plenty of scope for work. Couple this with the fact that many of the present workforce do not necessarily hold the required skills to carry out the work, temporary workers can help bridge this gap.
It is vital that training becomes an integral part for all automotive workers in 2018 to ensure the industry has a flexible, highly skilled and productive workforce. Garages need to stay one step ahead of the game and ensure that any shortfalls in manpower are identified early enough so they can take on highly skilled contractors to safeguard efficiency, and maintain the
bottom line.
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