Feb. 8, 2021—Vehicle maintenance and repair apprenticeships fell 95 percent during the first academic quarter last year, Motor Trader reported.
The latest Department for Education data on apprentices released at the end of January shows that there were 1,575 automotive apprenticeships in the August to October period last year, the first quarter of the academic year.
“It is hugely disappointing, albeit not very surprising, that automotive was one of the worst hit sectors for apprentice recruitment in 2020,” Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, told the publication. “The first quarter of the 2020-21 academic year saw a 63% drop compared to the same period for 2019-20. And this is a concern for a sector that faces one of its biggest challenges in a century as it prepares for the electric vehicle revolution.”
Maintenance and repair apprenticeships accounted for almost half of the falling automotive apprenticeships overall, according to the data. Automotive apprenticeships saw the fourth largest fall behind only travel and tourism, manufacturing technologies and creative arts.
