News 12 www.aftermarketonline.net September 2024 Proposals to reform the apprenticeship levy have been unveiled as part of the legislative agenda of the new Labour government, outlined in the king’s speech. Reform of what auto industry leaders have described as the “flawed” levy, along with plans for a Skills England Bill, was announced as King Charles set out the government’s legislative programme in July. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association, welcomed the proposed overhaul of the apprenticeship levy, but said it was crucial ministers tackled a range of issues affecting the automotive retail sector. Robinson said the government must also “restimulate” the private EV market and hold talks with the NFDA and the wider automotive sector on any major policy changes related to the ZEV mandate and business rates. “The intensifying skills shortage continues to detrimentally impact the automotive retail sector,” she said. “Increasing investment in training EV technicians is essential, particularly as more electric vehicles hit our roads. In an NFDA survey conducted in the run-up to the general election (see the July/August issue of Aftermarket), 82% of respondents said technicians were a key concern in terms of skills shortages affecting their business. More than 53% identified sales executive shortages. The CEO of the Independent Garage Association, Stuart James, said: “The creation of Skills England and the reforms to the apprenticeship levy are particularly important for our sector. “We are eager to continue our discussions with the new government, hoping to advance positive changes and support for our industry.” 20,000 auto vacancies ‘still ELJ JDS WR ᎮOOૼ VD\V ,0, The UK’s automotive sector is continuing to “chip away” at the significant skills gap – but employers still face a huge task in filling vacancies, the Institute of the Motor Industry has revealed. The IMI’s latest vacancy rate tracker for June 2024, using data from the Office for National Statistics, shows a reduction from 3.7 to 3.6 vacancies for every 100 employees. However, the automotive sector remains No.2 on the ‘vacancies by sector’ chart — behind the hospitality sector at 3.8 vacancies per 100 employees, the IMI said on July 26. Having dropped by 0.1% on the previous month, the automotive industry now has around 20,000 vacancies, across more than 200 varied roles. IMI executive chair Kevin Finn said: “At the half-year point we can see clear evidence of a steady chipping away of the skills gap in the automotive sector. “One of the most significant challenges is the technological advances in automotive, which means each vacancy is competing against tech roles across a wider range of industries. It’s critical that we do everything we can to change perceptions of what a career in automotive offers to effectively attract talent from other sectors.” Finn said the IMI’s ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign is helping to shift perceptions and encourage more people at all levels to consider a career in automotive. Meanwhile, the Autotech Academy, a division of the automotive sector’s training and recruitment specialist, Autotech Group, said more than 1,000 newly qualified young mechanics are looking for work — despite IMI figures showing the sector could see a shortage of 51,000 vehicle technicians by 2030. “The core of this issue lies in the difficulties newly qualified vehicle technicians encounter when trying to secure their first roles within the motor trade,” the academy said. “This challenge not only prevents the career growth of these promising professionals but also widens the industry’s skill gap, threatening its future sustainability.” As part of its paid internship programme, each intern is provided with a complete tool kit and uniform, ensuring they are ready to work from day one, the academy said. Interns receive hourly pay from the academy throughout their 6-12 month placement, alleviating any employment or PAYE issues for the employers. At the end of this period, they either secure permanent employment with the employer or move on with valuable experience. During the internship employers have the chance to assess interns’ capabilities and fit within their business, offering a risk-free way to ‘grow their own’ talent. .LQJૼV VSHHFK SOHGJH WR UHIRUP ૻᎯDZHGૼ OHY\
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