Australian car owners are facing lengthy delays for routine servicing and minor repairs as the nation grapples with a severe shortage of mechanics.
This issue, simmering beneath the surface for years, has now reached a critical juncture. Motorists find themselves enduring extended wait times for basic services, compounded by rising repair costs.
The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce highlights that mechanics remain among the most challenging trades to staff adequately.
The shortage is particularly acute in several specialized roles, including automotive electricians, general motor mechanics, diesel motor mechanics, panel beaters, vehicle painters, parts and accessories fitters, and auto glaziers.
Peter Jones, CEO of the VACC, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Australia can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to this problem.”
“These skilled positions are essential for keeping workshops operational, ensuring vehicle safety, and maintaining the mobility of Australians,” Mr. Jones continued. “Yet, they remain exceedingly difficult to fill.”
‘The pressure on automotive businesses is real. Repair wait times are increasing, costs are rising for consumers and small family-run workshops are feeling the strain.’
One in three automotive businesses have reported technician vacancies going unfilled for more than six months.
Australia’s shortage of mechanics is causing wait times to blow out to six months
Upskilling the existing workforce to work on electric vehicles will be vital in the coming years
At the start of the year, wait times to book a mechanic were estimated to be around two months, not including the additional time required for more complex repairs.
Director of Government Relations and Advocacy at the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, Lesley Yates, told Drive that the problem wasn’t just about convenience and cost, but also a danger to road safety.
‘Given that your brake pads and steering systems are all part of the regular service that affects road safety,’ she said.
‘And inevitably supply and demand means that the price goes up, wait longer, you’ll put off critical repair and the price goes up for that too.’
Mr Jones said that to address the problem, the industry needed to change the perception of mechanics, upskill the existing workforce to work on electric vehicles, and attract more women to the field.
Data from the Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance revealed last month that women made up 20 per cent of the industry’s workforce, with just 2.6 per cent in trade roles.
CEO of the AAAA, Stuart Charity, said: ‘Women are a largely untapped resource within our industry.’
‘We know that increasing female participation isn’t just a matter of equity – it’s a practical and urgent response to near-term labour shortages. Even a modest rise in the number of women enrolling in automotive trades could make a substantial difference,’ Mr Charity said.
Statistics show that women made up just 2.6 per cent of mechanic trade roles
CEO of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association Stuart Charity wants to get more women involved in the trade
By 2030, it’s projected there will be 3.4 million hybrid and electric vehicles on Australian roads, but at the moment there aren’t enough people to service or repair them.
‘Today’s automotive technicians work with advanced electronics, software diagnostics and zero and low-emissions vehicle technology. This is a sophisticated, high-tech career,’ Mr Jones said.
‘We must position automotive as a first-choice profession for young Australians, not a fallback.’
Jones suggested the Federal Government’s $10,000 payments for construction apprentices should also apply to people training to become mechanics.
‘If we fail to invest in training and workforce development now, Australia risks falling behind just as the global shift to low-emissions transport accelerates,’ he said.
In September 2024, Daily Mail reported on Ryan Nightingale, 24, a fourth-year light vehicle mechanical apprentice who was considering quitting the job he loved because of cost-of-living pressures.
His wage of $850 after tax was too low to live on in Sydney, and a whopping 60 per cent of automotive apprentices were abandoning their training, according to a report by industry body Capricorn.
