Skills crisis creating self-employment opportunism

As the skills crisis within the automotive aftermarket continues to intensify, the war for talent within the sector is growing ever-more fierce.

Many independents claim larger groups are driving up wage inflation with salaries that individual businesses can’t hope to match, and now there are reports that recruitment agencies are encouraging technicians to leave full-time jobs and become self-employed in order to earn even higher wages.

Michael Ambrosio, Managing Director at M&N Services, said, “The automotive industry that we love and are so passionate about is experiencing a difficult time finding people to come into the trade and the industry is at an all-time low for technicians.

“The few technicians that do remain in this industry are being contacted [by recruitment agencies] and advised to go self-employed.”

He said these agencies then help them secure contracts at bodyshops and other businesses in the sector, and then charge a fee for doing so.

Michael added, “We are trying to rebuild our industry with apprentices and the younger generations but without their peers still in the workplace this makes it even harder than before.”