Hi Tom

I think you are spot on. The school leavers of today are just not interested enough in our trade. We have about 2 or 3 letters a month from school leavers asking about a job/apprenticeship, they list their interest such as tinkering with an old motorbike, learning to play the guitar or helping their dad restore an old camper van etc, they don't realise that modern vehicle technology is now on a different planet to themselves

When I started I was working weekends and holidays in a garage helping out at 14, left school and did an apprenticeship in electro mechanical engineering for 4 years before starting my own business at 21, still going 39 years later . They used to give me jobs like a de-coke on a HA Viva van, could you imagine pointing the new apprentice in the direction of the Range Rover in the corner and asking him to change the two turbo's

Several issue arise now in our trade:

Probably around 20,000 Independent Garages in the UK, I would say around two thirds are like myself, sole traders or just 2/3 employees. We have all worked up from the early 1970's so most of us will be thinking of retiring in the next 5 to 10 years, do we really want to train ourselves up to all the new technology? and all the expense of new equipment to connect to modern vehicles and manufacturers websites.......existing vehicles will see us through to the end

So with two thirds of Independent gone in 10 years, that leaves the young guns between 30 to 50 years old to invest in training and equipment and have the motivation to carry on (if the manufacturers allow). But they will be up against it with manufacturers making them jump through hoops, eCall, Telematics, Advanced Hybrids and all electric vehicles

This is another reason why licencing is not necessary in our trade because all the old Independents will be gone, the Independents left will require more training and investment than we have now, the training on new vehicle systems will probably come with some sort of qualification or certification, Independents will probably have to have some vetting to be able to access dealer sites for technical information, so garages will be under more scrutiny than they are now

If a school leaver does want to get into our trade then it will have to be through the dealer route and probably specialise in a particular brand, they will have the resources to train him up (or her) and pay a decent wage when they are qualified to retain them

As James mentions in his post title "Electrical Diagnostic Training" that's all well and good, but fixing modern vehicles is not always about diagnostics, they also need good mechanical skills and an understanding of basic engineering principals (not taught anymore), no Independent is going to employ an apprentice to stand around all day with a scanner in one hand and a scope in the other, they have got to get stuck in and pay their way like the rest of us (and make the tea) I must admit that this is a little gripe of mine, when people talk about a "Technician" we always assume they are a wizz with a scope and a wiring diagram, but fixing modern cars is also about diagnosing / fixing complex mechanical problems, I suppose you would just call them a "Mechanic"?......but changing timing belts and pulling heads off some modern vehicles requires as much skill as tracing a broken wire or dodgy sensor

So all the old boys will be gone, having retired or sold their properties to a housing developer, the smart Independents will survive in limited numbers, dealers will retain more work from telematics, and the fast fits will just continue to put dash lights out and fit brakes and tyres

Just my view of the future

Peter