Motor Trades Vacancies: February 2024

The sector hits top spot with 24,000 Vacancies

The monthly analysis of ONS vacancies data by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reveals that Motor Trades achieved the unenviable Number 1 slot in February 2024.

Sharing the top spot with Accommodation & Food Service activities (Hospitality), Motor Trades, which represents businesses in the automotive aftermarket, continues to struggle to recruit the right talent. For February 2024, the sector recorded a rate of 4.5 vacancies for every 100 employees compared to an average across all sectors of 2.9 and 55% above the average for all sectors.

Data Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) Dataset VACS02 ‘Vacancies by industry’ | Released 12 March 2024

As Emma Carrigy, Research Manager at the IMI explained, achieving top spot is not good news for employers. “The pace of change in automotive technology is at its fastest for decades. Now more than ever we need new talent to work alongside the fantastically experienced workforce we already have. Yet it seems there are multiple barriers to individuals choosing a career in Automotive – something that the IMI’s ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign is working hard to change.”

The sector is facing a complex set of conditions, from technological evolution to shifting consumer preferences, all of which are making it challenging to attract and retain the right talent. 

“The skills gap in the automotive workforce – which currently is only getting bigger – is a serious concern”, added Emma Carrigy.  “If people and businesses can’t get from A to B because they can’t rely on a competent workforce to maintain and repair the private and commercial vehicles on UK roads, there’s a serious risk to the transportation that underpins the country’s social and economic infrastructure.”

The report can be downloaded here