Explore the insights
Our research into the perceptions of automotive careers, developed in partnership with Fifth Quadrant, aimed to understand current perceptions of the automotive industry and the opportunities to engage and retain a skilled workforce.
This repirt was the result of market research gathered for the Perceptions of Automotive Careers Research Project, conducted throughout 2024.
We gathered qualitative and quantitative data in two phases:
- In phase 1, we surveyed the prospective and current workforce to identify opportunities for enhancing the appeal of automotive trades. We segmented our research by high school age (years 7 to 12), career starters (ages 17 to 25) and existing worker groups.
- In phase 2, we fed insights from phase 1 into discussions with core audiences where we explored opportunities for attracting, engaging, and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce.
Almost two-thirds (61%) of high school students and almost half (47%) of career starters aged 17 to 25 are unaware of the potential careers available in the automotive industry.
There’s a clear gender disparity in interest towards the automotive sector. Interest among male high school students remains consistently high compared to females.
Among high school students, male interest remains consistently high, hovering around 55 to 59% across Years 7 to 12.
In contrast, female interest is much lower, ranging between 22 to 29% at different points in their schooling.
"I don't see many females in this industry, so my thought is that it’s a hard industry for a woman to get into/stay in."
Year 9-10, female, WA
First Nations high school students are much more likely to find a career in the automotive industry appealing (56%) compared to the broader population (30%).
47% of First Nations career starters find the automotive industry appealing, compared to 28% of all career starters.
72% of First Nations high school students and 66% of First Nations career starters considered a career in the automotive industry. This level of interest suggests a strong potential for tailored programs to attract and retain First Nations individuals in the automotive workforce.
The appeal of automotive careers varies by location. For example, 72% of regional males in years 11 and 12 have considered an automotive career, compared to 56% of those in metropolitan areas.
"Because I think learning about cars/motors would be interesting."
Year 9-10, Male, NSW
Both high school students and career starters are interested in exploring new technologies, particularly in areas related to electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced vehicle technologies.
Both high school students and career starters indicated a clear enthusiasm for cutting-edge developments in the industry, particularly in areas related to electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced vehicle technologies.
44%of career starters are keen on learning about EVs, and 43% are interested in advanced vehicle technologies. This group was also more interested in the opportunity to move into business management (47% vs. 39%).
58% of high school students consider the automotive industry crucial to Australia’s economy, while 50% recognise its role in achieving net zero climate targets.
Career starters reflect a similar sentiment, with 57% identifying the industry as important to the economy and 52% to climate targets.
Current workers are more likely to focus on the industry’s economic value, with 90% rating it as important to the Australian economy.
“I would picture the industry to be mainly for engineers. Need to make clear the variety of jobs."
Aged 20-22, Female, NSW
