The growing car repair crisis that could leave you off the road
The article below is an excerpt from The Independent’s Steve Fowler delivered straight to your inbox, simply enter your email address in the box above.
Imagine having a minor knock in your car – it happens – and then discovering that you just can’t get it fixed. Not in days, not in weeks, not ever. That might seem a bit extreme, but the UK’s car repair industry has a crisis on its hands, and something needs to be done.
This isn’t a story about the lack of parts that has been blighting some new Chinese car makers. I’ve heard reports of early cars being written off by insurers simply because some basic but crucial parts – like a wing mirror – weren’t available. It’s clear that the myriad new brands have been working to ensure a strong supply of parts in warehouses, just in case, to counter these problems.
This is about a lack of people to actually fix the cars in an industry reportedly valued at around £35 billion, with the value of crash repairs said to be around £9 billion.
Like many other businesses in the UK, rising costs – especially employment costs – have made life difficult, while new technologies mean the skills needed to repair today’s cars stretch from traditional paint and bodyshop trades to advanced electronics expertise.
As I’ve discovered recently, the car repair industry is an exciting, high-tech world – far removed from its “under-the-arches” reputation.
Persuading young people that it’s an industry to aspire to – with surprisingly good salaries that can be well above the national average – is proving difficult, though. The average age of a bodyshop technician, despite the tempting pay for younger workers, is 55.
I recently met some of the most inspiring young people who have completed apprenticeships in the sector and were working together to show what a fantastic place the car repair industry can be to build a career.
These talented individuals were channelling their creativity and passion for cars into jobs that are crucial for keeping Britain moving. Their backstories were vastly different – and sometimes challenging – but they were united in their excitement at sharing their experiences: about their training, their mentors, and the fun they have at work.
I met these impressive people at an event organised by the charity AutoRaise, which exists to address the skills crisis in the industry and promote apprenticeship programmes and careers in the automotive repair sector, with support available to businesses to help bring new talent into the field.
It was fitting that AutoRaise used National Apprenticeship Week to launch its AutoYouth Alliance, designed to give apprentices and young technicians the opportunity to shape the future of the automotive repair industry.
As AutoRaise’s managing director, Emma Speed, said: “The AutoYouth Alliance exists because the people entering our industry have insight, experience and ideas that matter. If we want apprenticeships and careers in automotive to evolve, we need to listen to those living it right now, not just speak on their behalf.”
The automotive repair industry plays a huge role in keeping millions of vehicles safe and roadworthy. Without it, Britain could literally grind to a halt. The industry itself – and the government – should sit up and listen to the young people on the AutoYouth Alliance to help them spread the word.
This is a vitally important part of the wider automotive community that doesn’t get the credit, or the headlines, it deserves. The young people I met filled me with great hope that the sector could rise from the shadows and become a fantastic destination for careers – helping to keep us all safely on the road for many years to come.
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