2025 is set to be a pivotal year for the automotive sector and the IMI is committed to ensuring that its members and the wider automotive community are properly considered and represented in government policy.
As a cornerstone of the UK economy, the sector is facing a critical challenge in attracting and retaining talent, whilst also being reshaped by new technology with future skills requirements emerging and shifting at a rapid pace. In this context, at the end of last year, we published our manifesto outline, representing the interests of our 110,000+ members and the wider employer community.
We have three key priorities:
- Attract and Recruit, including engaging with employers to remove barriers to apprenticeships and collaborating with government on addressing qualifications gaps
- Retain and progress, including supporting upskilling and continuous professional development
- Skills for the Future, anticipating emerging skills needs and partnering with like-minded organisations to future-proof the sector
This year we will take our manifesto to government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the right support and funding is provided to equip the sector with the skills essential to underpin UK economic and social infrastructure.
As part of this effort, we are closely monitoring the government’s Industrial Strategy, announced last autumn, which focuses on skills for green technologies and digital transformation. Representing the interests of our members, the IMI’s response to the Green Paper provided insight into the critical skills and technology adoption necessary in automotive.
We believe it is vital that the role the automotive sector plays in the UK’s industrial and economic landscape is a key consideration of the strategy. Working together with our members and partners, we aim to collectively help shape policy that aligns with the sector’s growth needs and emerging technologies to support the government’s economic ambitions.
However, addressing these ambitions requires urgent action to close the skills gap. With 20,000 jobs still vacant in the sector at the turn of the year, we believe it’s crucial to help policymakers understand the barriers to attracting, recruiting and retaining the talent that is essential to keep the UK moving.
We have, therefore, launched a survey for members, employers, educators and industry professionals. This will provide insight into the challenges being faced in recruiting ‘work-ready’ learners from Further Education and apprenticeships as well as exploring employer views on the Apprenticeship Levy.
The findings from the survey will be taken to government ahead of the Spring Forecast in March, in order to inform the policy that will better prepare learners and apprentices for the future.
The survey, can be completed here. It takes just 15 minutes, and responses are confidential.
We firmly believe employers must be empowered with flexible, clear pathways to implement apprenticeship programs that align with their operational needs. Retaining existing members of the workforce and upskilling them with the requirements of today’s technologies and those that are fast emerging, is also critical. Helping influence government policies that better support these skills needs is, therefore, at the heart of our Policy Agenda for 2025.
Our policy work is summarised on our Insights by IMI podcast with Hayley Pells, Policy Lead for the IMI. You can watch that podcast here.
