Skills priorities for the automotive retail sector: United Kingdom

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the automotive retail industry. This sector is vital to the smooth running of the UK economy as it is concerned with the sale, rental/leasing, maintenance and repair of the 29.1 million vehicles on the roads in England (83% of the 35.21 million in the UK), and their associated parts. The businesses within the sector are diverse and include; vehicle dealerships, independent garages, car supermarkets, rental and leasing outfits, fast fit chains, roadside assistance operations, accident repair centres and wholesale and retail parts suppliers. This paper describes the current and future skill priorities for the sector. It draws on research undertaken by the IMI and a range of secondary sources.