IMI open letter to Secretary of State for Transport
Published: 04 October, 2022
Recently appointed IMI Policy Manager has written an open letter to Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Open letter to Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Secretary of State for Transport
The automotive sector contributes £37 billion to the UK economy, providing jobs for nearly 850,000 people; 81% of those jobs are in the retail sector selling, servicing and repairing motor vehicles. The efforts of the sector will also make an important contribution to the government’s decarbonisation plans. There are, however, significant challenges facing automotive employers, for which there is considerable knock-on impact for both those working in the sector and the wide variety of individuals and organisations that rely on mobility for their daily lives and business. Government support would make a big difference to tackle these challenges.
The Institute of the Motor Industry hopes that the new Secretary of State for Transport, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, will examine closely, and urgently, where her Department can provide the crucial support necessary to ensure the sector remains a valuable contributor to the UK economy.
First and foremost is the question of skills. The latest Automotive Sector Employment report from the IMI found that the pandemic, decreased immigration and fewer people of working age, are all fuelling an escalating skills crisis. We believe 160,000 vacancies in the sector will need filling by 2031. Bringing young people into the workforce is critical; so too is increasing its diversity.
Government support for access to apprenticeships is vital, particularly as our most recent data shows that automotive apprenticeship starts in the first 10 months of the academic year 2021/22 are 13% lower than 2019/2020. And, while not strictly within the Department for Transport remit, it would also be significant for the BEIS review for the Shortage Occupation List to include the automotive sector.
The second big challenge is decarbonisation. Without the skilled workforce to repair and service electric, hydrogen and other zero emissions technologies, the government’s ambitions could seriously stall. Our latest data suggests 15% of the automotive workforce is now IMI EV TechSafeTM qualified - enabling them to work safely on electric vehicles. But, with a forecast of 90,000 for the right number of TechSafe™ qualified technicians to work with electric vehicles by 2030, we believe there will be a shortfall between electric vehicles on UK roads and the sufficient number of approved technicians to service, repair and MOT them by 2027.
The continued endorsement of the IMI TechSafe standards, which not only keep our workforce safe and informed but also give motorists confidence that they can access the services they need in a fair and competitive marketplace, is crucial. So too is investment in training to help the sector get ahead of the skills curve. There is also a critical need to develop appropriate standards and qualifications for those working on connected and autonomous vehicles. Again we need government support for the regulatory requirements to keep our high standards and expectations of safety for all road users as well as ensure the safe handling of sensitive information within the industry.
The automotive industry is at the heart of the UK economy and the IMI looks forward to working with the new Secretary of State to ensure it remains fit for purpose, enabling the transition to net zero, supporting the vision for Global Britain, and becoming world leaders for the much-needed demand for vocational
training.
Hayley Pells
Policy Manager, The IMI
- Broadening support on Electric Vehicles
As the number of electric vehicles continues to rise in UK, the opportunity for bodyshops that specifically cater for EVs is also increasing. Enfield-based EV Bodyshops is run by Adam Thurman and his team, launched in June 2021 to take advantage of this growing income stream. At the end of last year, EV Bodyshops gained Nissan GB approval, officially becoming the first ‘electric only’ repairer for the vehicle manufacturer.
On the workshop floor, one of the most common jobs the technicians are performing is high-voltage shutdowns and reinstating the high-voltage system once it is safe to do so. This means employing the right product for the job at hand is critical. We sat down with Adam to discuss how he went about choosing the right technology for his business.
“Prior to opening, we knew in-house high voltage repairs would be on our menu of services, so with my background as a main dealer and working with OEM equipment, I knew exactly what I wanted out of the products we purchased.
“Like any good business we did our own research. However, we were also introduced to asTech’s products and remote services by our distribution supplier. This led to a meeting with the asTech team where I explained what we required and the types of vehicles we were working on. On receipt of their answers, they made me feel comfortable that the asTech solution was perfect for us.
“We use asTech products for all our repairs, which includes pre- and post-repair scans. These enable our technicians to understand any historic errors with the vehicle and help clear any issues or errors caused through an accident or the repair process.
“Our team has benefited from the fact that they have access to IMI trained technicians that are using the latest software, and this allows us to see all the faults that other software is unable to deliver. An example of this is on a couple of occasions the software has highlighted faults that we couldn’t see, which meant we dealt with them and stopped the vehicle being brought back in. This, in turn, ensures customers receive the highest levels of service and a right first-time fix, which is what we aim to offer our customers every time.
“Overall, the knowledge, expertise and technology we have access to through asTech has provided us with the confidence needed to repair the types of vehicles that come through the workshop door each day. In addition, I also believe what we have access to will be an asset to the business because as EV vehicle technology evolves, so will the software we use.”
- EV-qualified workforce levels “should ring alarm bells” – IMI
Just 6.5% of the automotive sector workforce was EV-qualified at the end of 2020 according to analysis by the IMI, despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles.
- MP opens new RMI Academy of Automotive Skills Lincoln site
The fourth RMI Academy of Automotive Skills training site in Lincoln was officially opened today (Monday 27 September) by local MP Karl McCartney.
This new facility is part of the RMI’s aim of addressing the skills shortage in the automotive industry by providing affordable training for garages on a more local basis.
Stuart James, RMI Director commented: “As the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars approaches, the lack of technicians skilled in hybrid and electric vehicle repair is one of the biggest threats to this plan. We would like to thank Mr McCartney for supporting our efforts in this step forward to provide the skills needed for technicians in the local community to repair the growing number of hybrid and electric vehicles on our roads.”
MP for Lincoln Karl McCartney added: “I am absolutely delighted to see a new training centre for automotive technicians opening within my constituency, offering as it does a wonderful opportunity for young people in our community to learn skills that will support them for the rest of their lives. But by partnering a fantastic long-standing local firm with a dedicated expert professional body, to focus on Hybrid and EV vehicle training, this particular centre also puts Lincoln at the cutting edge of technology.This will offer a double-whammy of opportunity for trainees and the sector as a whole, at a time when only around 5% of technicians in the UK are currently qualified to work on these vehicles.”
The new training site joins established facilities in Runcorn, Winchester and Southam, where a range of MOT and technical training courses are available.
For more information visit RMItrainingAcademy.co.uk
- Ofgem to spend £300m on EV infrastructure
UK energy regulator Ofgem has announced that will spend £300 million on infrastructure for electric vehicles and other low carbon projects, including 1,800 new ultra-rapid charge points at 39 motorway service areas, with another 1,750 in towns and cities.
- Coronavirus causes 60% of garages to close
More than 60% of garages in the UK could have shut their doors since the COVID-19 lockdown began, a survey suggests.
