Hella recently welcomed two aspiring vehicle technicians from Banbury & Bicester College for a work experience placement at its Banbury facility, providing valuable insight into the realities of working in the automotive aftermarket.
Valeo Service UK recently welcomed students from Wolverhampton College to its headquarters in Redditch, celebrating their success in the prestigious Technicians Trophy event. The competition, held at Wolverhampton College, brought together teams from Wolverhampton College, Heart of Worcester College, and South and City College, with each entering two teams of four technicians.
Autogem has completed the fourth edition of Under Pressure, the UK competition for TPMS technicians to demonstrate excellence in TPMS servicing. The 25 June final was held for the third successive year at the Pirelli Performance Centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with 16 finalists demonstrating to judges the superior knowledge, engagement and passion that saw them make it through the heats earlier in the year. Kai Llewellyn, technician at four-branch Essex retailer Jet Wheel Tyre, was crowned the overall winner as well as small retailer winner, while Luke Mills of Merityre (large retailer), and Brajan Szalachta of Eden Tyre Services (under-23) scooped the other awards. Runners-up were Craig Pritchard of Protyre (large retailer), Dave Hare of Markhams Garage (small retailer), and Daniel Webster of Protyre (under-23). Autogem also launched a new award in honour of Autogem business development manager, the late Adam Livett, specifically aimed at the finalist who most impressed in customer engagement; Liam Healy, Protyre centre manager from Stockport won the inaugural Gem of the Year award.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has formally signed the Armed Forces Covenant at Automechanika Birmingham’s Motorvate event. The pledge was signed on 4 June 2025 by Mark Field, chief executive officer of the IAAF, and facilitated by Mission Community as part of its Mission Automotive campaign. This joint initiative was launched alongside the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to build pathways for Armed Forces talent to join all areas of the automotive industry. The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) also signed the covenant at Automechanika Birmingham 2025.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) signed the Armed Forces Covenant in a special ceremony at Automechanika Birmingham 2025. The public pledge reaffirms the IMI’s commitment to supporting service leavers, veterans, reservists, and military families as they transition into careers in the automotive sector. Delivered in collaboration with Mission Community, the signing marks an important milestone in the IMI’s journey to build a more inclusive, skilled and future-ready workforce. With an estimated 16,000 current vacancies and an ageing workforce, this kind of support represents a win-win scenario for the automotive industry.
Auto servicing systems and aftermarket supplier Delphi suggests that many independent garages are harbouring one of the aftermarket’s “biggest misconceptions” regarding Tesla vehicles, which could be costing them 200,000-plus servicing opportunities annually. The company addressed what it called a mistaken belief that Teslas are too complex for independent garages to service and maintain at Automechanika Birmingham 2025. Luke Garratt, UK technical services manager at Delphi, said, “We wanted to show technicians that with the right knowledge and training, these vehicles are entirely serviceable and, in many ways, easier to work on than some ay think.”
Mechanics at Hedin Mercedes-Benz dealerships will strike in June and July over pay, according to Unite the union. Responsible for Mercedes repairs, MOTs and servicing across the capital, mechanics voted for industrial action after the company declined to put forward a pay offer for 2025. Mechanics at Brooklands, Bromley, and Croydon will strike on 23, 25, 27 and 30 June and 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11 July. Unite says further dates will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.
Automotive aftermarket and garage supplier Autogem has confirmed the return of its Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) competition for technicians. Under Pressure, described by the company as the “biggest celebration of TPMS excellence anywhere in the world,” enters its fourth year in 2025 in an edition Autogem promises will be its most ambitious yet. Technicians will compete to identify, diagnose, and resolve a range of real-world issues, with qualifying rounds taking place in Spring, culminating in the grand final hosted by the exemplary Pirelli Performance Centre (PPC) in Burton-upon-Trent on 25 June.
Ahead of next week’s National Apprenticeship Week, Bosch Mobility Aftermarket has shared details of how it is investing in its Automotive Apprenticeship programme. Research from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) suggests the UK’s automotive sector will have a shortfall of 160,000 people by 2031, and a need for an additional 48,000 technicians in the next 10 years.
Cheltenham-based independent garage Cleevely Motors will host its first IMI-accredited training course on February 18-19, 2025. The course, held in partnership with Cotswold Diagnostics, is designed to equip vehicle technicians with IMI Level 2 and Level 3 electric vehicle (EV) qualifications.
The Lincoln branch of national garage chain IN‘n’OUT Autocentres has become the latest workshop to tackle its own staff shortage by taking on a technician from India through Easy2Recruit, the agency helping garages hire overseas talent.
Support for 18 to 21-year-olds in education and employment through a proposed government Youth Guarantee could help alleviate the skills crisis in the automotive aftermarket according to Easy2Recruit. However, the agency helping garages hire overseas talent believes industry backing will be crucial for this to make a difference to the ongoing skills crisis affecting the garage sector.
Lighting manufacturer OSRAM recently offered training and advice to apprentices at North London Garages GTA. With apprentices being a significant part of the future of the automotive aftermarket, OSRAM is dedicated to assisting in their education, which is why representatives from the business recently conducted a training session for 32 apprentices.
Following success throughout 2024, Cleevely Group has announced that its highly acclaimed ‘At Ease With EV’ training courses are set to return in 2025. Aimed at garage owners and technicians with IMI Level 2, 3, or 4 qualifications, the exclusive course offers a unique opportunity to build the confidence and skills needed to tackle the growing demand for EV servicing and repairs.
The first episode of the Repxpert Wrenches and Wisdom video series has been released across Schaeffler’s social media channels. The six-minute film, shot at the live launch event held in September at the North London Garages Group Training Association (NLGGTA) HQ in Enfield, features an array of famous industry faces and sets the scene for the whole campaign.
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