We’re at a point in the summer holidays where the giddy relief of the end of term begins to give away to boredom. From here on in, it’s a frantic search for activities to keep the kids occupied and entertained. But would £5,000, an infinite supply of Lego, and a guaranteed job in the future be enough to focus your teenager’s mind?
That’s the offer made to Britain’s budding builders by UK-based company GSF Car Parts. Created in response to a skills shortage in the automotive industry, the novel new ‘apprenticeship’ scheme aims to engage aspiring engineers aged 13 or above, and encourage them to pursue a career they might otherwise have overlooked.
“This is a chance to immerse yourself in the world of automotive excellence and represent GSF as we bring the next generation of talent into the industry,” says Steve Horne, CEO of GSF Car Parts.
“This one-of-a-kind role is designed to empower a young person with the chance to learn awesome skills in a fun and engaging way, hopefully sparking a new generation of talented pros in the industry.”
In return for all the Lego and Meccano they can take on, the successful applicant is required to build at least one car model and create a corresponding TikTok video documenting their building process each month, for the duration of the three-month scheme. On top of all that, there’s a significant pocket money top-up ‘salary’ of £5,000 up for grabs.
Beyond the benefit of filling up the long holiday period, GSF’s scheme promises to support the apprentice throughout their school studies and place them in a role within the automotive industry once they’ve reached 16.
Unfortunately for any enthusiastic teen reading this now, GSF was only accepting invitations until 9 August, with applicants asked to post a TikTok video explaining why they would like the role and show a car model they’ve created, along with the tag @gsf__offical. From these candidates, a ‘winner’ will be selected to begin working in the Autumn half-term break.
The new scheme arrives in the midst of an automotive skills shortage that threatens not only the existence of smaller garages, but which could impact the roll-out of electric vehicles.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), the association for professionals employed in the automotive sector, forecasts a shortage of 3,000 electric vehicle technicians in the industry by 2031, which is expected to continue to swell to some 16,000 by 2035 as the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars speeds up EV adoption.
“There has been encouraging growth in the number of technicians gaining EV certification so far in 2024,” says Kevin Finn, executive chair at the IMI. “However, with the expected reinstatement of the 2030 ICE ban deadline by the new government, the skills gap remains.
“Automotive businesses urgently need to prioritise training more technicians so that the expected rising number of EV owners can find a local technician qualified to work safely on their vehicle.”
It isn’t just electric cars that might become difficult to repair and service in the decades to come. It’s a similar story with conventional cars, with 70 per cent of respondents to the Autotech Recruits 2024 survey reporting that vehicle technicians were some of the hardest roles to hire for.
“There is a growing recognition of the need to invest in salary and training, but it is important to remember that no company can resolve these issues alone,” says James Mackay, managing director of Autotech Recruit. “Stakeholders from across the industry – including employers, educational providers, recruitment specialists and industry interest organisations need to work cohesively to make a real difference.”
On either side of the coin, a lack of trained mechanics poses a threat to both the numbers of EVs that are expected to be sold after the ICE ban comes in but also to those looking to extend the life of their combustion-powered car. Car parts retail giant Halfords even cited difficulties in hiring enough car mechanics as a reason behind its profit warning back in January 2023.
While smaller grassroots schemes like GSF’s holiday apprenticeship are needed to engage the next generation of technicians, there’s a more pressing need to boost the number of EV-qualified grown-ups.
For a current mechanic looking to specialise or retrain to work on hybrid and electric vehicles, the IMI offers courses ranging from a few to hours to months. For those looking to leave school and start out in the business, the CPD Certification Service says you’ll need GCSEs or equivalent qualifications in Maths, English and Science before enrolling in a training course or apprenticeship, which itself could last between two and three years.
With that in mind, GSF’s offer to get paid for building Lego and posting about it looks a rather appealing first step in becoming a proper mechanic. While it might require a little more concentration than most teenagers were bargaining for in the school break, it’s a rare opportunity to gain skills and exposure in an industry crying out for new talent, not to mention the handsome paycheck at the end of it all. And despite AI continuing to chip away at many jobs around the world, repairing cars – combustion or otherwise – looks like a safe bet when considering job options.
While cars get more complex and increasingly autonomous by the day, it seems there’s one side of the industry that will always be in need of people ready to roll up their sleeves – and scrabble around for that perfect brick.
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