A team from National Windscreens are participating in the Autoraise Rally across South Wales this September. The Rally aims to promote the vehicle repair industry as a viable and lucrative alternative to further education. The event will see repairers, training providers, work providers come together to find effective pathways of encouraging young people into the sector as technical apprentices.
Launched in 2016, Autoraise is the sectors’ only charity that directly addresses the technical skills crisis and involve all stakeholders across the industry. The mission of Autoraise is to create a sustainable pipeline of talent for the long-term security of the sector. The charity promotes a range of technical apprenticeship paths to bring new blood into the industry today, ensuring the qualified talent of tomorrow. Autoraise also looks to address the public perception of the industry and the mechanisms of the nationwide funding for apprenticeships.
Over recent years, the pool of young talent has decreased significantly due to many factors including Brexit, an ageing workforce and the challenges and complexities of technological advancements to the current workforce, thus making the aims of Autoraise even more prescient.
In just six years, the charity has had a notable effect on the industry, delivering tangible results with several supporting initiatives. Here are some figures regarding the progress made:
- Engaged 1200+ Autoraise cadets with the industry
- 124 Affiliated repairer sites committed to address the industry’s issues
- 20 stakeholder partners funding the efforts of Autoraise
- 186 Apprentice starts in the industry
- 12 Training providers delivering technical apprentice training programmes
Apprentices such as Matthew Turner and Jessica Lawrence are fantastic examples of the Autoraise project. Their hard work and dedication can inspire other apprentices to become industry leaders in the future. National Windscreens is passionate about bringing young talent into the automotive glazing industry. The business operates a continuous training programme for young technicians and experienced employees to develop their skillsets and improve their opportunities within the business.
The Autoraise Rally is held from 21-23rd of September, if you would like to support our fundraising efforts, please visit the donations page.