ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS

Let’s be honest – we’re facing a skills crisis in the automotive industry. Every owner and business we speak to tells the same story: qualified technicians are harder to find than hen’s teeth, and when you do find them, they command premium wages. But here’s the thing that many businesses are missing: the solution isn’t just about poaching talent from competitors, it’s about growing your own.

With Australia’s ageing workforce and the rapid evolution of automotive technology – from electric vehicles to advanced driver assistance programs – the skills shortage isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. The businesses that thrive will be those that start developing their talent pipeline now.

An apprenticeship is a program that combines paid employment and trade-specific training, which includes hands-on experience in a workshop learning the skills needed to succeed in the industry. An apprenticeship provides an ideal pathway for individuals to enter the automotive trade and provides opportunities for up-skilling and career advancement in the automotive industry.

For a business, apprenticeships provide a pipeline of future technicians who are already trained in the systems, culture and ways of doing things in your business. From a practical standpoint, apprentices also provide operational flexibility. They can handle routine maintenance tasks, freeing up your experienced technicians for more complex diagnostic work.

Apprenticeships also future proof your business against technological change. As automotive technology evolves at breakneck speed – from hybrid powertrains to autonomous driving systems – apprentices are up for the learning challenge. While experienced technicians might resist new systems, apprentices embrace them as digital natives who adapt to advanced diagnostic equipment and software updates without batting an eyelid.