Our industry has an amazing story to tell and the time has come for us as an industry to tackle the challenge of industry perception together.
Last year Capricorn asked our Members to name the biggest challenge they faced in running their business. Fifty-four per cent said it was finding good staff and apprentices.
It was the top response.
The skills shortage has hampered the automotive aftermarket for more than a decade. With the nearly 28,000 technician vacancies across Australia, our Members report being run-down, burnt out, and missing valuable family time.
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The lack of apprentices is a significant part of that story.
In 2022, 14 per cent of Capricorn Members identified finding apprentices as a major business challenge. By 2023, that figure had jumped to 22 per cent.
Why aren’t young people flocking to automotive careers? According to research from the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance, it’s largely about perception.
Almost two-thirds of high school students and nearly half of career starters aged 17 to 25 don’t know about the potential careers available in automotive. They view the industry as low-tech, male-dominated, and physically demanding – and from their perspective this made the industry unattractive.
But there’s hope. Lots of hope.
In need
The study found that exposure changes everything. High-schoolers who know someone in the industry show a 15 per cent point increase in considering an automotive career. Those who have discussed automotive career paths with industry insiders show a remarkable 54 percentage point uplift in interest.
That’s why in 2024 Capricorn partnered with the Motor Trades Association Queensland (MTAQ) to host automotive careers expos across the state. This roadshow brought hundreds of students directly into contact with industry opportunities. It was so successful we’re now rolling it out across the country.
It’s just one area where Capricorn is stepping up. We’re also enhancing our Rising Stars program, expanding recognition of outstanding young apprentices to each of our zones. This creates a pool of next-generation leaders and powerful industry advocates — like Chelsea Bowers, who now works with MTAQ on the Women in Auto Trades Apprenticeships Program, or Megan Toia, whose dedication to drive hours for TAFE training exemplifies the passion the industry inspires and wants.
Careers expos and our Rising Stars program are just two pillars of Capricorn’s strategy to address the skills shortage. We’ve identified a number of key areas where we can make a real difference, from skills development to knowledge sharing. But the key to long-term success is ensuring that pipeline of apprentices.
All in
Members aren’t sitting idle either. Last year, two in five reported they were likely to take on an apprentice — up from 35 per cent in 2022 and 31 per cent in 2021. Members recognise their responsibility in building our industry’s future workforce.
And that’s something I love about automotive. Despite it being challenging to run a business in this sector, the industry always finds a way to move forward. New technology and new challenges mean we must continually adapt and grow.
Capricorn is committed to supporting our community to ensure businesses don’t just survive but also thrive. We’re always looking for ways to make Members’ lives easier — including tackling the skills shortage and encouraging more young people into apprenticeships.
Today’s automotive sector is far from the grease-covered stereotype many young people imagine. With the advancing technology in electric vehicles, driver assistance systems and digitisation, we need tech-savvy minds as much as mechanical aptitude. We should be an incredibly attractive industry for young people and it is just a matter of using every opportunity we get to spread the word and talk about the amazing industry it is.
That’s why I’m confident we can rise to the moment. We all just need to do our bit.