Published 02 Sep, 2022
Mind the gap: Cut the skills shortage, by taking a fresh approach to recruiting talent
Scottish employers are feeling the impact of the skills shortage. The automotive industry is feeling the pinch when it comes to a lack of skilled technicians
According to reports, Scottish employers are feeling the impact of the skills shortage. * While reflective of all sectors, the automotive industry is certainly feeling the pinch when it comes to a lack of skilled vehicle technicians.
While this shortage has been exacerbated by a lack of training and investment in apprenticeships, in such a rapidly evolving sector, immediate action is needed to safeguard its survival. This means thinking outside the box and widening the net to recruit a new generation of talent.
Worryingly, every year 10,000 newly qualified automotive students reportedly end up finding roles in other industries as they struggle to secure a position within the motor sector – it’s a loss the industry simply can’t afford.
While armed with the theoretical knowledge, college leavers can lack practical experience to hit the ground running, and this can be a deterrent to time poor employers. But these newly qualified students are low hanging fruit ripe for picking and it is vital that we give them a chance.
There are currently hundreds of newly qualified Level 3 automotive students out there looking for work and offering them an internship is a viable option.
An intern is not the same as an apprentice. With apprenticeships, garages have a young person with no qualifications or knowledge who will need weekly day release to attend college, but an intern doesn’t. They can be working independently very quickly and will immediately be an additional pair of hands to manage workloads as they will have already completed their college learning.
Taking on an intern is also a great way to see the potential in someone. While they will be paid for their time, it’s effectively a trial period over several months, during which their ability, skill set, and work ethic can be evaluated before any decision is made to employ them on a permanent basis. If the internship is managed successfully, a garage or dealer group manager could find themselves with a fully qualified, brand-loyal, trained vehicle technician within months.
Striking the gender balance
Among the scores of newly qualified vehicle technicians currently seeking employment, there are many women looking for their first automotive role too. Time and again women have been overlooked within the industry. This has improved but, while making up half of the UK population, females still only account for around 10% of the automotive workforce. With a widening skills shortage it’s a talent pool which needs to be tapped into. As the number of females opting to take automotive college courses increases, employers need to ensure that they are maximising all recruitment opportunities across both genders, as recent college leaver, Tori-Leigh Adams, explains: “When I completed my three year Level 3 course, I was the only female, however, in comparison there were five female intakes starting their first year when I left. I really do think this demonstrates how there are no gender divides with our generation, and the industry needs to sit up and take notice of this.
Nineteen-year-old Tori-Leigh, who has a life-long passion for motor racing, comments: “I am conscious that, as a female, there may be some who will think that I am not able to carry out specific tasks that a male might be able to do such as lift heavy loads. But, as with everything in life if you think you can’t carry out a task you find ways to do it. Similar to all the women I know who have joined the industry, we wouldn’t be in it if we didn’t have a passion for the motor sector. We just need to be given a chance.”
Autotech Academy provides qualified college leavers paid internships. Collaborating with colleges, Autotech Academy vets and interviews potential interns to find the right internship position, which can vary from 3-12 months depending on the employers criteria. Each intern is equipped with a toolbox (worth over £1,000 which they get to keep if they make the transition to full time employment following an internship) and a uniform.
For more information visit www.autotechacademy.co.uk
* Open University’s 2022 Business Barometer
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