New plea to end skills crisis in EV repair sector

A skills crisis in the repair of electric vehicles could hold up their adoption, Thatcham Research has warned. To combat the threat, Thatcham is calling for an increase in the Apprenticeship Levy funding cap.

The levy, capped at £15,000 per apprentice, has remained unchanged since 2019, failing to keep pace with inflation and no longer meets modern training standards, according to Thatcham.

It’s warning that the Government’s mobility agenda will be put at risk if the cap is not reviewed, with potential significant knock-on effects for UK fleets, including increased insurance premiums and challenges around the safe repair of EVs.

Jonathan Hewett, chief executive at Thatcham Research, said: “The automotive sector is facing a perfect storm of rapid technological change, a reduction in upskilling and recruitment and an ageing workforce. Revisions to apprenticeship levy funding must be addressed as a priority by Skills England and IfATE, unlocking funding to deliver much-needed technical training to the repair sector.”

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