“A recent trend in the UK shows that the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market is being impeded not only by consumer hesitance but also by a significant shortage of qualified repair technicians. This skill gap is causing insurance companies and repair providers to take drastic measures, such as totaling cars with even moderate damage, particularly when it involves complex components like the battery.
Repair costs for electric vehicles have risen as mechanics with the expertise necessary to handle advanced EV fixes are in short supply. The Institute of the Motor Industry has indicated that less than 10% of mechanics in the UK are qualified to work on EV batteries or their housing. This skill gap is elevating repair expenses and consequently pushing up insurance premiums.
The safety risks associated with repairing EV batteries, such as the potential for electrocution, mean mechanics require substantial training. Some repair companies like the AA are starting to develop their staff, but the supply of skilled workers is not keeping pace with the growing number of EVs, which has already reached 1 million on UK roads.”

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(c) Marcin Frąckiewicz & EM Productions

The United States is grappling with a shortage of maintenance workers in the aviation industry, with baby boomers retiring and others changing jobs during the pandemic.
This comes as the global fleet of commercial aircraft is set to balloon a third by 2034, involving more than 36,400 vessels, according to a recent study by consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
In its wake, spending in the maintenance, repair and overhaul market is projected to grow almost 20 percent by 2034.
But the sector suffers from a shortfall of qualified manpower — and an inadequate pipeline of talent.
It lacks some 24,000 aviation maintenance technicians in North America, a figure due to reach nearly 40,000 by 2028, Oliver Wyman notes.
In the United States, around 4,000 maintenance, repair and overhaul companies employ some 185,000 aviation maintenance technicians and engineers. This forms around 44 percent of the global total, according to the Aeronautical Repair Station Association. In a 2023-2042 outlook, aviation giant Boeing forecasts “strong” long-term demand for newly qualified aviation personnel.
There is a need for some 690,000 new maintenance technicians to help maintain the global commercial fleet over the next 20 years, according to Boeing.
The maintenance, repair and overhaul sector is “under-capacity, and hangar maintenance slots are in high demand, especially as aircraft manufacturers’ delivery delays mean that older aircrafts are being flown for longer periods, requiring more maintenance,” Fabre added.
The two major aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, are fully booked until almost the end of the decade and are accumulating delays.
Employers you can get further help and Information by messaging us here or email SkilledMigrationGroup@protonmail.com

The AAAA is cautiously optimistic about the government’s long-awaited skilled migration strategy, expected to be revealed shortly.

But soon, we may get a solution for one of our industry’s major headaches, with a much-needed reform of our skilled migration system on the way.
With the release of recent statistics from the Department of Home Affairs, many will think we have finally turned the post-COVID corner, with a 200 percent increase in skilled migrant visas for motor mechanics in 2023 compared to 2022, and some might say that the system is finally improving.

Our independent workshops, the backbone of our industry, are often restricted by this system, lacking the resources to cut through the red tape.
However, in the next 50 days, we will finally see the government’s long-awaited skilled migration strategy, a strategy they have forecast will be a shift to focus on real needs and our sector’s skill shortages.

We do not expect the government to have a magic fix with this strategy, but it needs to get the basics right so that our skilled migration system addresses the underlying issues with the program rather than merely increasing the numbers. Rest assured, we are constantly talking to the government and arguing for a simpler and more cost-effective system.”

Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA)

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(c) Matt Brogan GoAuto

INDEPENDENT research commissioned by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) and research partner Fifth Quadrant has revealed the true extent of the skills shortage facing Australia’s automotive workshops.

The numbers equate to a shortage of more than 40,000 workers across the automotive service and repair industry nationally or every workshop in the country being short one technician and one or two apprentices.

According to the AAAA, apprentice turn-over and vacancy levels are higher than at any time in the past with nearly a quarter of workshops (22 per cent) reporting the loss of an apprentice over the past 12 months, and 29 per cent saying they are currently seeking to hire at least one apprentice.

“The skills shortage is our industry’s most pressing issue,” said AAAA director of government relations and advocacy, Lesley Yates.

Ms Yates said the industry wide skills shortage comes as the number of automotive workshops across the country has increased. Nearly 3000 additional automotive service and repair workshops have joined the market over the past two years (+11.5 per cent), bringing the total number to 27,620.

Master technicians earn an average salary of $83,000 excluding superannuation, while the average salary for a first-year apprentice is $36,000.

“On the apprenticeship side, things incredibly difficult. The pool of talent is no longer there. I work closely with a major training provider and what we have learnt is that schools are not really talking to Year 10, 11 or 12 students about this industry as an option. As a result, we have a very low intake – it just isn’t on their radar.

“I have been in a management position for 16 years, and I can honestly say I’ve never seen the industry this bad. We are now paying a minimum of $70,000 a year, and for a good technician $95,000 a year – that’s just unreal. But with the ‘quality’ of staff coming into the trade we just must be very careful about who we hire because they are a danger to themselves, to other staff, and to our customers.

“The other way to look at it is from the financial side. A dealership has to make money to survive, and there is an expectation that a good technician should generate around $18,000 gross per month.

“If we are three technicians down, we’re tearing up $54,000 a month, and that simply isn’t sustainable – and in my view, a lot of that is what is driving this desperation for automotive workshops to employ those who don’t fit an acceptable industry standard.”

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From coffee pots to bridges, welders have a hand in many aspects of everyday life. With a growing shortage of welders impacting the nation, a west Kentucky school is looking to make the career more accessible for those who already have full-time jobs.

The American Welding Society predicts the U.S. will see a shortage of about 360,000 welding operators by 2027. West Kentucky Community and Technical College is working to help bring more workers in by offering classes at nontraditional times.

Night classes aren’t new, but WKCTC is working harder to spread the word for those who might be interested in enrolling. Their goal is to make courses more accessible for nontraditional students and those who have to work during the day.

WKCTC Welding Technology Program Coordinator Virgil Holland said welding can open many doors for students.