The rEVolution is here

According to the IMI, the automotive sector will require some 90,000 new technicians to service the volume of zero-emissions vehicles predicted to be on UK roads by 2030.

But, according to data published by the SMMT one in 11 cars rolling off factory lines are now zero-emission vehicles as their production rose 37.6% to 6,326 units. Including plug-in hybrids and hybrids, electrified vehicles already account for more than a quarter of output (27.4%) in 2021.

The future of electric vehicle production is on a massive upward trend, with several manufacturers committing to the expansion of EV production in the UK.

I don’t think the sector can afford to wait; we need to service this increasing demand and find solutions to upskilling technicians now.

It was a privilege to accompany Shadow Skills Minister Toby Perkins and local MP Dame Margaret Beckett on a tour of the Remit automotive training facilities in Derby. Our message to the ministers was simple; a lack of urgency in the government’s response to the widening skills gap is putting too much pressure on the sector and we need more investment to help training providers and employers create a more accessible model of EV – and wider automotive training delivery.

Independent training providers in the automotive sector, like Remit, do not receive any capital funding from the government to support the investment we have to make in training academies, tooling, and equipment. For many years we have seen the decline in FE provision as colleges continue to struggle to make training sustainable.

The time to act is now

In recent years, based on customer demand, having one or two technicians trained to service an Electric or Hybrid vehicle was a good balance, but as sales in the latest battery-electric (BEV), hybrid (HEV), and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles, now accounts for or more than a quarter of the new car market, surely garage owners, dealerships and manufacturers all need to switch on to the need for more EV qualified technicians.

Waiting a month, or even longer isn’t something consumers will put up with.

At Remit we already scaling up our training capacity, employing two full-time EV qualified tutors this month. Gary Campbell and Alistair Finch join the team with a wealth of experience and qualifications.

In response to employer demand, we are also looking into delivering EV training as a bolt-on or in conjunction with an apprenticeship, and again we have called for more action from the government to introduce apprenticeship standards that are more tailored to meet the demand for EV technicians.?With Standards taking around three years to complete, the apprenticeship route doesn’t offer an immediate answer to the skills gap, but for many, it provides a solution that futureproofs their business for years to come.

?As we said to the ministers this week, the EV revolution is already here, it’s not coming down the line and we are urging manufacturers and independent garage owners to train up more staff with specific Electric Vehicle qualifications. Without the specific training they could be turning business away, or through long waiting times losing it to competitors, or perhaps worse putting technicians in danger.

Having just one technician trained with EV skills will not satisfy the demand coming into workshops now and it is only going to increase.

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