Government and industry in £30m project to boost auto sector skills

The government is collaborating with the leading UK vehicle manufacturers in an initiative to boost skills across the automotive sector and to help inspire the next generation of vehicle makers. With the challenge to cut carbon and other emissions and rapid technical advancement in, for example, autonomous vehicles, the collaborative approach aims to avoid what could otherwise be serious skills bottlenecks.  

 

The Business Secretary Vince Cable announced £11.3 million of government funding alongside a £2.8 million cash investment and £16.4 million in-kind contributions from industry.

 

The project, which has been developed through the Automotive Council’s Business Environment and Skills Group, brings together major automotive businesses to ensure future skills needs are met for UK vehicle manufacturers and supply chain companies. 

 

The Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "This investment puts our automotive sector in the driving seat to design the skills our manufacturing companies need. There is a risk that without adequate investment in skills, the industry will run into serious skills bottlenecks.

 

"Through our industrial strategy we are working in partnership with the automotive sector as it goes from strength to strength. We are providing businesses with the confidence to invest and to create high skilled jobs.

 

"Employment in the automotive industry is set to grow in the coming years, with multi-billion pound investments taking hold and production volumes on course for record levels. With developments such as connectivity and advanced manufacturing taking the sector into exciting new territory, recruitment is a major challenge facing the industry."

 

Some of the biggest industry names including Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Ford, General Motors, GKN, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota will work together with the government, SEMTA and SMMT through the Automotive Council to boost workforce skills, now and for the long term. 

 

A report commissioned by the LowCVP and published last summer - 'Investing in the Low Carbon Future' - found that the UK automotive industry has flourished, in significant part, due to a consistent and maintained policy focus on low carbon innovation. The report did warn, however, that potential skills shortages could limit the UK industry's future potential.