Parents and carers are a ‘key point of failure’ in attracting new talent to the automotive sector.
That’s the key finding of YouGov research carried out by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) which found that while 90% of parents would consider an apprenticeship for their child, fewer than half (41%) would encourage an automotive pathway.
The YouGov of over 1,000 parents of 14-17 year-olds exposes a critical blind spot in automotive recruitment strategies.
Employers are competing for talent in a market where parents mentally categorise automotive alongside declining traditional trades, while placing Digital & IT (58%), Engineering (56%), and sustainability-focused sectors on their ‘acceptable careers’ shortlist.
According to the IMI report – The Apprenticeship Mindshift: How Parents Really View Automotive Careers and What Changes Minds – when presented with examples of digital, technical, sustainability-focused, and business roles within automotive, 49% of parents reported being more likely to encourage their child to consider the sector.
IMI CEO Nick Connor said: “The persistent skills shortage in automotive is not a problem of capability or opportunity, but of perception. Employers need to fundamentally rethink how they communicate career opportunities to reach the people who really influence young talent decisions: parents and carers.
“The roles automotive employers are recruiting for – cyber security specialists, sustainability officers, AI specialists – are exactly the careers parents want for their children. But parents don’t associate these roles with automotive.
“Parents aren’t closing the door on automotive careers – many have never been invited to look behind it.
“When they are, perceptions shift. Employers who understand this and adapt their recruitment approach accordingly will have a significant competitive advantage in attracting the next generation of talent. That’s the perception gap employers must close.”
