Autotech Academy to link interns with industry

The Autotech Group has introduced a new division, Autotech Academy, to help newly qualified technicians get onto the automotive career ladder.

Providing qualified college leavers with a gateway into the industry through a paid internship, Autotech Academy hopes to help hundreds of young people gain valuable work experience, and make the transition into full-time automotive employment within just six months.

Complementing existing apprenticeship programmes, it will equip interns with their first toolbox, uniform, and safety workwear where applicable, while also continually monitoring the intern’s progress and providing ongoing technical training. This will either be delivered through a vehicle manufacturer’s own training facility, or through equivalent OEM standard training. Every intern will also be trained to Level 3 IMI Electric Vehicle accreditation.

Gavin White, Autotech Group CEO, said: “Every year, around 10,000 Level 1 to 3 automotive students are lost to the industry after qualifying because they struggle to secure a role. Couple this with the fact that investment in future technicians has significantly dropped, particularly during the pandemic where there has been an 87% fall in apprentice recruitment, the industry is reaching a critical point.

“Through Autotech Academy we are offering the industry a ‘grow your own’ concept which will help create the steady stream of young talent it vitally needs to thrive.”

Working in partnership with further education colleges and automotive employers, Autotech Academy will collaborate with colleges to identify current and recently qualified students with the right qualities, skills and attitude to then find them the right paid internship position.

The company will work with individuals qualified in Levels 1-3 across a range of automotive courses; light vehicle and heavy vehicle maintenance and repair, motorsport maintenance and repair, motorcycle maintenance and repair, vehicle accident and repair – body/paint, and motorsport engineering.

Garages, or any maintenance repair employer, will pay an hourly rate for a fully vetted, and fully equipped, intern, and at the end of the six months, the employer can either decide to employ the intern free of charge on a full-time basis, or not – effectively a ‘try before you buy’ solution.

Autotech Academy has already received widespread backing from across the industry including, The IMI, IAAF, NTDA, The Automotive 30% Club, MENable, The IMI’s TechSafe Sector Advisory Group, Bosch and Teng Tools.