The latest data from The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) reveals significant regional disparities in the proportion of technicians trained to work on electric vehicles (EVs) across the UK.
The East of England leads the nation with 18,073 technicians, representing 9.5% of the region’s automotive workforce trained in EV skills. The West Midlands follows closely with 18,428 technicians or 8.2% of the workforce.
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Scotland also ranks highly, with 12,071 technicians, or 7.9% of its workforce, certified to handle EVs. In contrast, London and the South East, despite having a higher proportion of EVs, show lower percentages of EV-trained technicians at 6.1% (12,265 technicians) and 6.4% (22,123 technicians) respectively.
The South West has 6% of its automotive workforce trained in EVs, totalling 15,427 technicians. Wales follows with 6,910 technicians, or 5.9%.
The North West, East Midlands, and Yorkshire & The Humber each report between 5.0% and 5.6% of their technicians trained in EVs, with technician counts of 17,657, 16,247, and 16,740 respectively.
The North East and Northern Ireland have the lowest proportions of EV-trained technicians. The North East reports 4.4% (6,367 technicians), while Northern Ireland lags significantly behind with only 3.7% (4,343 technicians) of its automotive workforce trained in EV skills.
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By GlobalDataLooking at the UK as a whole, the IMI has reported that 58,800 technicians are now qualified to work on electric vehicles (EVs), representing 24% of the UK automotive workforce. However, with the anticipated rise in EVs on UK roads, the IMI predicts a shortfall of 3,000 technicians by 2031, increasing to 16,000 by 2035.
Kevin Finn, Executive Chair at the IMI, remarked on the positive growth in the number of technicians gaining EV certification in 2024. However, he warned that the skills gap remains a significant issue, especially with the potential reinstatement of the 2030 internal combustion engine (ICE) ban deadline by the new government.
"Automotive businesses urgently need to prioritise training more technicians," Finn stated, emphasising the necessity for qualified local technicians to meet the growing demand from EV owners.
