Motor Trades Vacancies: March 2024

23,000 automotive jobs still need to be filled

Having reached the unenviable top spot in the job vacancies chart in February 2024, the latest monthly analysis of ONS data by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) shows that Motor Trades* employers continue to struggle to recruit. According to the latest figures there are around 23,000 job vacancies across the Motor Trades industry, representing businesses in the automotive aftermarket.

The number of vacancies per 100 employees fell from 4.5 to 4.1, from February to March. However, as this mirrored the decline seen in Accommodation & Food Service activities (Hospitality), the two sectors remain tied at the top.

“We wouldn’t expect there to be a significant difference in the space of one month”, explained Emma Carrigy, Research Manager at the IMI.  “But the fact that our sector remains joint number one with hospitality for vacancies underlines just how challenging it is for employers to recruit.  

“The sector has faced a rising vacancy rate since 2021, but what is making the environment even more challenging for employers is the need for more advanced technological skills. The result is automotive is going head to head with other tech-led sectors, yet there are still deep-seated misperceptions about the career opportunities on offer.

“The IMI’s ‘There’s More to Motor’ campaign is working hard to change perceptions and encourage a broader range of jobseekers to consider a career in automotive. With support from employers, this campaign is critical as the mix of automotive technologies on UK roads – from petrol and diesel, manual and automatic, to electric and hydrogen and the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems – demands a more diverse skillset than ever before.”

Data Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) Dataset VACS02 ‘Vacancies by industry’ | Released 16 April 2024

The report can be downloaded here

The IMI Automotive Vacancies report is released monthly. To be added to the database to receive the reports please email imiteam@harrisonsadler.com

*Motor Trades, representing the automotive aftermarket (repair sector), is a sub-section of the Wholesale and Retail Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles category in the ONS data