IMI Welcomes Government’s AI Skills Drive

With the automotive sector highlighted in Skills England’s £400bn growth plan, the IMI urges a swift action to unlock funding for employers.

Nick Connor, CEO, IMI, said “The IMI welcomes the announcement today from Skills England that the UK’s AI skills gap needs addressing and it is particularly significant to see the automotive sector specifically referenced in the report, a clear acknowledgment of its vital role in the UK and it’s growth, security and net zero ambitions.” 

“AI has long been seen as part of automotive’s future in key areas such as predictive maintenance and real-time analytics. This also leads to skilled needs in digital literacy, data interpretation and understanding the ethical implications of AI.” 

“This investment in skills is both timely and necessary, with automotive’s ageing workforce, which could see a significant loss of knowledge leave the sector by 2032. The report also highlights particular issues faced by SMEs in obtaining and embedding AI training, which is even more acute in automotive due to the 92,000 businesses that have less than 250 employees. This will ensure our workforce is equipped with the right digital and AI capabilities is critical.” 

“The IMI is working alongside industry partners, education providers and policy makers to ensure that AI enhances safety and we remain committed to developing training, awareness and professional standards in this space. We now look forward to understanding how the government will support UK automotive in plugging the AI skills gap, as the sector can’t be responsible for funding this on its own.”