Car Dealer News: The UK's electric vehicle (EV) industry faces a worrisome challenge as the number of technicians trained to work on EVs is declining, with forecasts indicating a further drop. The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reported that in the first quarter of this year, there were 42,400 technicians trained for EVs, accounting for 18% of the country's total technicians.

However, the number of newly qualified EV technicians actually decreased by 10% compared to 2022. The IMI predicts an even more significant decline of 31% in securing an EV qualification for the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2022.

Several factors contribute to this shortfall, according to the IMI. Firstly, as the average age of the vehicle parc increases, the time needed for technicians working on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles also rises, leaving less available time for retraining on EVs. Additionally, the sector's significant skills gap forces employers to prioritise current customer demand over investing in new skills training. Many businesses are redirecting their training budgets to manage the current economic pressures, hindering EV technician training.

The IMI raises concerns that this situation could severely impact the government's decarbonisation ambitions. They estimate that by 2030, the country will require 107,000 IMI TechSafe-qualified technicians to meet the growing demands of electric vehicles. This number is projected to rise to 139,000 by 2032. However, if the current trends continue, there might be a shortfall of 25,000 technicians.

Several factors exacerbate this issue, including training for newcomers to the sector, attrition rates, the vacancy rate, and retraining needs after a three-year continuing professional development cycle.

IMI CEO Steve Nash expresses serious concern over the high number of job vacancies in the automotive sector and the diversion of budgets away from training. He stresses that meeting the government's decarbonisation targets will be challenging if the shortage of qualified technicians continues. As the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in the UK increases daily, the lack of trained technicians to maintain, service, and repair them poses a real issue and creates disparities across regions.

Nash calls for urgent attention to address the skills gap, improve training initiatives, and ensure a sufficient supply of qualified technicians to meet the demands of the rapidly growing EV sector. If the shortage of skilled EV technicians persists, it could hamper the country's progress in achieving its environmental goals.

These statistics and projections highlight the critical need for the industry to prioritise EV technician training and development. Cardealermagazine.co.uk, the original source of this article, aims to raise awareness of this issue and promote measures to bridge the gap in qualified EV technicians, ensuring a sustainable future for the automotive industry in the UK.