The Apprenticeship Mindshift Report

The Apprenticeship Mindshift: How Parents Really View Automotive Careers and What Changes Minds

Parents are not closing the door on automotive careers, but many have never been invited to look behind it. This research shows that when they are, perceptions shift.

Apprenticeships are widely supported by parents and guardians in the UK. Around nine in ten parents of children ages 14-17, 90% would consider an apprenticeship route
for their child, indicating that vocational pathways are now broadly accepted alongside academic routes. However, this support does not extend evenly across all sectors, and automotive apprenticeships face a distinct perception challenge.

As the professional body for individuals working and learning in the motor industry, we have commissioned new YouGov research to help us better understand how parents and guardians perceive apprenticeships and automotive careers, and how those perceptions influence skills supply and workforce sustainability. This research forms part of the IMI’s wider commitment to ensuring the automotive workforce is recognised as modern, professional and future-facing.