Aftermarket April 2022

APRIL 2022 AFTERMARKET 11 www.aftermarketonline.net businesses playing a waiting game. They are waiting for EV charging to become easier and more cost-effective to access across the UK because they believe without that, motorists en masse are not going to make the switch. If motorists are not making the switch, then there’s a question mark over the value of taking technicians off their day job to undertake EV training. “That brings us onto the other factor that is making the upskilling challenge an even bigger hurdle to overcome. Right now, many businesses are just concentrating on the here-and-now because the sector is facing a recruitment crisis unlike anything we have seen for several decades. “At the start of 2022, government figures estimated that there were 23,000 vacancies in the motor trades sub- sector, the highest level in 20 years. That represents approximately 4% of the workforce, with automotive having the sixth highest vacancy rate of all industry sectors. In February 2022 there were 15,600 job postings for vehicle technicians, the highest rate in a February since 2018. This is making it difficult for employers, especially those in the independent sector where there is less band-width for forward-thinking investment, to look to the future and make the commitment now to training that will ensure they can play in the EV space.” What’s the answer for Steve? “Collectively as a sector we must work together to ensure we’re creating the right working environment to attract new talent, as well as retain the talent that has already been invested in. The IMI will also continue to lobby government to provide funding to underpin the training that is absolutely critical to ensure the UK is ready for the EV revolution.” Upskilling IGA Head of Member Services Frank Harvey observed: “The whole world is aware that globally we need to take action to limit climate change and equally, as an industry, we are aware that the UK government plans to ban the sale of new ICE cars and vans after 2030. Achieving this target, which is a little over seven years away, will rely on a vast number of things falling into place. Some predict that come 2030, there will be around 9.3 million plug-in vehicles on UK roads. There are currently around 32.6 million cars and light vans registered in the UK, and at the end of 2021 only around 1.4 million of these were plug-in of some description. To achieve the expected 9.3 million by 2030, an average of almost a million new plug-in vehicles will need to be registered every year from now, which is something of a tall order. “Couple the required sales figures with a woefully inadequate charging infrastructure, causing the ever- present range anxiety, and it is clear to see why some sceptics feel that the 2030 target for the ban on sales of new ICE cars is likely to be missed.” The independent garage sector will have a big role to play, observed Frank: “The upskilling of technicians in the independent sector to be EV ready has historically being a slow burn, however it is clear that the pace of this upskilling is beginning to pick up, as the sector anticipates their traditional customer base migrating to a plug-in solution for their daily commute. “As independent service and repair garages outnumber their franchised counterparts by almost 7:1, it is clear that those in power need to support and encourage the independent sector to prepare at a much greater pace. This will ensure that customer mobility remains available for the future owners of the currently new EVs, as they find their way into the hands of their second and third owners.” With the infrastructure issue being a big part of the problem, could garages be part of the solution? Frank commented: “In order to deliver the level of service consumers have become used to from their local independent garage, those investing and expanding into the EV service and repair arena will no doubt be looking to install charge points. However, the government is slowly but surely reducing grants for such charge points, when in reality now that the plug-in market is finally gaining some momentum they should be enhancing them.” Frank concluded: “Second and subsequent EV ownership is vital to supporting the migration to wider EV adoption. As well as the charging infrastructure, the availability of affordable, accessible service maintenance and repair for these vehicles is vital for consumer confidence. To enable this, local garages businesses need access to centrally funded support to help them with the continued upskilling of their work force, so the current absence of support has the potential to hinder the wider adoption of plug-in mobility.” If motorists are not making the switch, then there’s a question mark over the value of taking technicians off their day job to undertake EV training ” ssociation ent A quipm ge E a e Gar Th 5 e 194 c ds sin dar y stan dustr s of In older e Uph d ! r ation c ed it r or his ac f gin our e n y Ask eer c a IS Y . Y ent A For peace of mind always use a Garage Equipm ssociation member. GEA accredited engineers work to an industry code of conduct our assurance their skills and knowledge have been independently assessed. OUR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER GEA ACCREDITED? Th www.gea.co.uk GEA ACCREDITED ENGINEER Name Company Discipline ExpDate IDNumber XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456