Automotive Mechanical and Specialisation

Automotive Light Vehicle Industry Reference Committee

• Automotive Industry Skills Forecast
• IRC membership
• Skills for Australia - Skills Service Organisation

Training snapshot

Program enrolments have decreased somewhat over the period between 2014 and 2016 (from 23,673 to 18,047). Program completion numbers have also decreased over this same period. In 2016, 90% of the qualification enrolments were at certificate III level. In addition, just under 90% of the enrolments were in the area of light vehicle/automotive mechanical technology. The main intended occupation for the qualification was Motor Mechanics.

Just over a half of the training in 2016 was delivered by TAFE institutes, with another 40% being delivered by private training providers. Seventy two percent of the subjects were government funded with a further 19% being funded by international fee-for-service. Three-quarters of the international fee-for-service training was with private training providers with the other quarter being with TAFE institutes. The majority of the students were from the eastern states; however, 11% of students were from overseas.

Apprenticeship and traineeship commencements have decreased somewhat since 2011. There were 4,621 commencements in 2016 as compared to 8,525 in 2011. Completions have also decreased over the same period. The main intended occupation for the apprenticeships and traineeships in 2016 was Motor Mechanics. A third of the apprentices and trainees were in New South Wales, with a further 24% in Victoria and 22% in Queensland.

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Industry insights on skills needs

The Automotive Industry Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work 2017 indicates that technological change is impacting on the skill needs of this sector. In particular, new technologies in modern vehicles have made the servicing and repair of vehicles more complex. 

The main priority skills for this sector identified by the industry skills forecast are:

• Foundation skills – Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN), employability and in particular digital literacy skills.
• Higher level skills – These are related to changing occupation roles as a result of new technology and business models. The skills are relevant to the emerging occupation of Tyre Fitting and Wheel Alignment Technician.
• Deeper skills – These relate to having significant knowledge to service and repair modern vehicles.

The top five generic skills for the sector according to the skills forecast are:

• Design mindset/Thinking critically/Systems thinking/Solving problems
• Language, literacy and numeracy
• Communication, Virtual collaboration/Social intelligence
• Learning agility/Information literacy/Intellectual autonomy and self-management
• Science, technology, engineering and maths.

The Skills Forecast indicates that there is currently a shortage of Light Vehicle Mechanical Technicians in the sector.

The Directions in Australia’s automotive industry 2017 lists projected skill shortage numbers to 2018-2019 for the following occupations relevant to the Automotive Mechanical and Specialisation sector:

Below is a list of industry-relevant organisations and associations. Hyperlinks have been included where available.

Industry associations and advisory bodies

Association of Australasian Diesel Specialists

Australian Motor Bodies Repair Association

Australian Association of Progressive Repairers

Australian Tyre Dealers and Retreaders Association

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

Institute of Accident Assessors

Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers

Motor Trades Association of Australia

Society of Automotive Engineers

Employee associations

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

Relevant research

Directions in Australia’s automotive industry: an industry report 2017 -Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce

Department of Employment, 2017, Employment Projections, available from the Labour Market Information Portal  

• by ANZSCO, selected occupations, employment projections to May 2022
  
  • Motor Mechanics
  • Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories Fitters
  • Other Miscellaneous Labourers.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017, Employed persons by occupation unit group of main job (ANZSCO), sex, state and territory, August 1986 onwards, 6291.0.55.003 - EQ08, viewed 2nd January 2018 <http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6291.0.55.003May%202017?OpenDocument>

• Employed total by ANZSCO, 2000 to 2017, May Quarter
  
  • Motor Mechanics
  • Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories Fitters
  • Other Miscellaneous Labourers.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017, 2016 Census – employment, income and unpaid work,  2006 Census –labour force TableBuilder. Findings based on use of ABS TableBuilder data.

• Employment level by 4 digit ANZSIC,
  
  • 9419 Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance.                                                                                                                       

Training data has been extracted from the National VET Provider Collection, Total VET Students and Courses from the following training package or qualifications:

• AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package
  
  • AUR20705 - Certificate II in Automotive Mechanical
  • AUR21005 - Certificate II in Motorsport
  • AUR21012 - Certificate II in Motorsport Technology
  • AUR21212 - Certificate II in Automotive Underbody Technology
  • AUR21312 - Certificate II in Automotive Braking System Technology
  • AUR21412 - Certificate II in Automotive Cooling System Technology
  • AUR21512 - Certificate II in Automotive Cylinder Head Reconditioning
  • AUR21612 - Certificate II in Automotive Driveline System Technology
  • AUR21712 - Certificate II in Automotive Exhaust System Technology
  • AUR21812 - Certificate II in Automotive Steering and Suspension System Technology
  • AUR21912 - Certificate II in Automotive Tyre Servicing Technology
  • AUR21913 - Certificate II in Automotive Tyre Servicing Technology
  • AUR21916 - Certificate II in Automotive Tyre Servicing Technology
  • AUR30405 - Certificate III in Automotive Mechanical Technology
  • AUR30612 - Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology
  • AUR30616 - Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology
  • AUR30911 - Certificate III in Motorsport
  • AUR30912 - Certificate III in Motorsport Technology
  • AUR31311 - Certificate III in Automotive Engine Reconditioning
  • AUR31312 - Certificate III in Automotive Engine Reconditioning
  • AUR31612 - Certificate III in Automotive Drivetrain Technology
  • AUR32012 - Certificate III in Automotive Alternative Fuel Technology
  • AUR32512 - Certificate III in Automotive Underbody Technology
  • AUR32516 - Certificate III in Automotive Underbody Technology
  • AUR40312 - Certificate IV in Motorsport Technology
  • AUR40412 - Certificate IV in Automotive Performance Enhancement.

This includes superseded qualifications and training packages.

Data covers a range of selected student and training characteristics in the following categories and years:

• 2014, 2015, 2016 program enrolments
• 2014, 2015, 2016 subject enrolments
• 2014, 2015, 2016 program completions.

Total VET students and courses data is reported for the calendar year. Program enrolments are the qualifications, courses and skill sets in which students are enrolled in a given period. For students enrolled in multiple programs, all programs are counted. Program completion indicates that a student has completed a structured and integrated program of education or training. Location data uses student residence. Subject enrolment is registration of a student at a training delivery location for the purpose of undertaking a module, unit of competency or subject. For more information on the terms and definitions, please refer to the Total VET students and courses: terms and definitions document. 

Low counts (less than 5) are not reported to protect client confidentiality.

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. This can lead to situations where the total sum of proportions in a chart may not add up to exactly 100%.

AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package apprentice and trainee data has been extracted from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection, including:

• 2010 to 2016 commencements
• 2010 to 2016 completions 

• 2016 apprentices and trainees in-training October to December 2016 collection, by qualification and state and territory of data submitter.

Priority skills data have been extracted from the Automotive Industry Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work 2017.