Green Skills for a Greener Future
Britain needs a new generation of engineers, designers, fabricators and many other skills to deliver the transition to electrification, decarbonisation and digitalisation.
Delivering a highly skilled workforce
Almost 200,000 people already work directly in automotive manufacturing – and with production shifting dramatically towards electric vehicles over the next decade Britain needs a new generation of engineers, designers, fabricators and many other skills to deliver the transition to electrification, decarbonisation and digitalisation. A laser sharp focus on attracting new talent and up- and reskilling the existing workforce is key.
While the UK is expected to produce just over 30,000 BEV cars and vans in 2024, this could increase by 30-fold by the start of the next decade. As well as manufacturing vehicles, the UK also needs skills to maintain the ever-growing number of EVs in use. By the end of 2023, the UK had around 45,300 technicians qualified to work on EVs – around 20% of the total vehicle technician pool.
The Plan
Enable a Net Zero automotive workforce that develops future domestic talent, retains and upskills the existing workforce, and continues to attract global talent and expertise.
Champion the delivery of a long-term, online National Upskilling Platform to allow automotive businesses of all sizes to join the upskilling drive.
Reform the Apprenticeship Levy to support upskilling of existing workers in priority training areas such as electrification, decarbonisation and digitalisation.
Elevate STEM in further education and promote automotive and manufacturing as life-long career opportunities, contributing positively to green growth.
Regularly review skilled visa routes and shortage occupation lists to reflect business needs as technology evolves at pace to attract international talent to the overall benefit UK industry.
The Prize
Success will give the UK the skills it needs to continue compete internationally and keep at the forefront of the EV transition.
Reforming the Apprenticeship Levy to encourage non-apprentice training and championing the long-term future of the Automotive Upskilling and Reskilling Platform would encourage employers to invest in training the estimated 80% of existing workers involved in powertrain roles which need to be upskilled.
Investment in the creation of modular, short-course training content for advanced manufacturing will create productivity gains for the sector, as the
industry can better take advantage of innovative new technologies for manufacturing processes – with research showing that businesses that upskill increase turnover by 3%, providing a vital contribution to the economy.
Elevating STEM teaching at an earlier age in schools would support a talent pipeline into the sector. At present, the industry has 7% labour shortages in supply chain production roles. Establishing a better understanding of the automotive industry and its contribution to green growth would improve the sector’s attractiveness, via schools, at a young age and ultimately help diversify the industry’s prospective talent pool.
And ultimately, success will deliver a highly skilled workforce, empowered to contribute to economic growth in all parts of the country.
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