23rd January 2024

In 2019, the UK car-making sector made a whopping £78.9 billion, but it took a bit of a dip by 4% from the previous year. On the flip side, the wider automotive sector, including things like selling and fixing cars, actually grew by 1.6% to reach £326.6 billion. That's a massive contribution of £58.2 billion to the country!

Now, fast forward to 2020, and things took a bit of a hit. In the South West, the automotive business added about £2.2 billion to the country's wallet, but that's way less than the average of nearly £3.1 billion from 2016 to 2019. The pandemic was obviously to blame, but the closure of Honda's plant in Swindon didn't help either, especially when it came to jobs.

Most people working in this sector have education up to Level 3, but now the game is changing. Instead of making cars, the focus in Swindon & Wiltshire is more on selling, fixing, and dealing with cars and the required skills are shifting towards electrification and alternative fuels.
As such, the Institute of The Motor Industry is predicting that there might be a labour shortage of about 160,000 by 2031 across the whole country. 

SKILLS NEEDED ACROSS THE SECTOR

Retail maintenance and repair – technician/ mechanic • coding and software development • CAD, simulation, VR as tool • changes to energy and fuel systems – electrification, alternative fuels such as hydrogen and potential impacts and timescales, • battery technology • high voltage systems • hybridisation • understanding of long-term sector impact • infrastructure and wider transportation sector changes • impact of 5G and fibre connectivity on Automotive technology.

CURRENT COURSES

Wiltshire College

Level 1 & 2 Automotive Maintenance
T Level Mechanical Engineering

Bath College

Level 1 & 2 BTEC Diplomas in Automotive Maintenance
T Level Mechanical Engineering

Swindon College

Level 1, 2 & 3 BTEC Diplomas in Light Vehicle Maintenance

The University of Bath

Mechanical with Automotive Engineering BEng

The University of Bristol

Automotive Engineering BEng    

31 other universities offer 119 related courses. Research here

Apprenticeships

A broad range of apprenticeships are available at Levels 2,3,4,5 and 6. Look out for experience and qualifications that include new technology to avoid having to re-skill down the line.

FUTURE PLANS 

Future plans are still in development to address these shortages but will encompass reviewing all post-16 college courses and apprenticeships. There will also be Skills Bootcamps to upskill in new technology. Partnership and collaboration will be key in assisting employers to engage with the skill system, identifying and collaborating with local authorities to develop on-going initiatives.

Not in Wiltshire?

Although Wiltshire has identified a skills shortage in this area, the automative sector across the land will be demanding these skills in the future, so take a look at eCLIPS and check out college and university courses in your area!

For more resources see our portal section:

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