IMI Research: How skills profiles are shifting in automotive

The automotive sector is constantly shifting as new technologies and trends become part of the industry’s fabric. That has a knock on impact on the roles that build up the sector.

New positions are created to feed skills gaps, while contemporary job requirements adapt to the needs of a changing landscape, with demand and salaries moving too. The IMI’s latest Skills Profiles Report shines a light on the most significant changes according to the newest data.

It’s all in the numbers

There’s no hiding from the fact that automotive needs to hire a lot more people if it’s to fill the skills gap. Roles as varied as technicians, vehicle body builders, salespeople and managers are all needed and the number of job postings show just how big demand is.

According to the latest data, total job postings for Vehicle Technicians, Mechanics and Electricians totalled 17,649 in August, with companies including Halfords, Sytner Group, RAC Motoring Services, Vertu Motors and BMW all on the hunt for talent. There’s demand for other technical roles, but it isn’t the only area that more people are needed.

Between vehicle and parts salespeople as well as managers and leaders there were a total of over 3,000 job listings in August, with a variety of companies on the hunt including Sytner Group, Halfords, Marshall Motor Group, Vertu Motors and Brakes International.

There are positive signs that more talent is coming into automotive, with the number of job postings coming down – in some places by as much as 24% - meaning the skills gap could be shrinking.

Salary increases

That isn’t the only positive to take from the IMI’s latest report; it also highlights an upward trend in salaries too.

For job postings looking for Vehicle Technicians, Mechanics and Electricians the current median advertised salary was £37,600. That’s a 5.7% increase in the past year. 

In fact for the majority of roles the median advertised salary has crept up – a boost for anyone looking to either change roles or thinking about coming into the automotive sector.

Vehicle Body Builders and Repairers job postings also had a median advertised salary of £37,600, while for Vehicle Paint Technicians this figure was £40,128. Tyre, Exhaust and Windscreen Fitters roles £26,900, while for Vehicle and Parts Salespeople job postings the median advertised salary was £28,000.

That’s positive news for an industry where salary has been a talking point for a long time, and is crucial to attracting talent as automotive experiences a number of changes including electrification and an increased number of ADAS technologies on vehicles.

Head to the IMI’s research hub to find the latest reports and stay up to date with critical changes in automotive