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10 February 2026
Halfords analysis reveals young people starting motoring apprenticeships has fallen 14% in three years
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Halfords analysis of apprenticeship data published by the ONS has revealed that while the number of young people (aged 16+) starting apprenticeships has increased by 4% year on year, the number starting motoring apprenticeships has fallen by 14% over the past three years.
The ONS data, published in November 2025, shows that in 2024/2025 3,200 young people aged 16+ started motor vehicle apprenticeships in the UK, down from 3,730 three years earlier*.
Halfords has recently highlighted the importance of equipping young people with real-world, transferable skills, particularly in areas like engineering, mechanics, and digital technology. It has called for a review of vocational course content as part of the AI Skills Framework launched in October 2025, and urges the Government to put practical training and vocational education at the heart of its AI and skills strategy.
Recent research conducted by Halfords among 1,000 UK parents, and 1,000 children, revealed that two thirds (66%) of parents say they are concerned about how AI will affect their children’s job prospects, with one in four (24%) very concerned.
Half (50%) of parents now place more importance on practical, hands-on skills than they did two years ago, a sentiment felt most strongly among younger parents (61% of those aged 18–34).
With UK industries such as engineering, construction, and vehicle repair facing skills shortages, the vast majority of parents (74%) say they find such practical careers appealing for their children.
Nearly four in ten (37%) of the 1,000 children surveyed by Halfords, via their parents, still think AI will make it harder for them to get a job. As a result, three quarters (76%) of children said they felt it is important that their future job involves practical, hands-on skills such as working with tools, machinery or technology, outstripping the expectations of their parents.
Six in 10 children said they would be attracted to a job that involved fixing or maintaining technology such as vehicles, robotics or electrical systems.
Henry Birch, CEO of Halfords, said: “The skills gap has been growing for years and, to future-proof the next generation, we need more education and greater incentives for young people to pursue vocational and practical careers.
In the years ahead, skilled trades and technical expertise will remain essential. That’s why we’re calling on Government and industry to work together to make hands-on careers more accessible, more visible, and more valued and reverse the decline in motoring apprentices before it begins to affect Britain’s ability to keep moving.
We’re also pleased to be announcing the opening of our Training Academy for our future apprentices as we look to expand our apprenticeship intake and tackle the growing need for more hands-on automotive skills.”
Halfords has long championed young talent through its apprenticeship scheme, which gives young people the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications while working in one of its UK Autocentres.
Across the UK, Halfords has currently enrolled 420 apprentices to work in its garages and across its support centre, management and leadership programmes.
The company is soon to open its new training academy in Dunstable, Hertfordshire and is aiming to recruit up to 250 new autocentre apprentices over the next year.
Halfords also recently announced the renewal of its Gold membership of the Automotive 30% Club, reinforcing the company’s long standing commitment to championing gender balance and inclusion across the automotive industry, including supporting more women to enter the industry (currently close to 1 in 10 apprentices are women) and strengthening their career development and progression.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Source: ONS November 2025 Apprenticeships, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
Survey conducted by Opinium on behalf of Halfords, October 2025.
Sample: 1,000 UK parents and 1,000 children aged 11–18
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About Halfords
Halfords is the UK’s leading provider of motoring and cycling services and products. We operate via 370 Halfords stores, two Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz), 498 consumer garages and a network of 92 commercial fleet locations nationwide. Customers also have access to c.250 mobile service vans (trading as Halfords Mobile Expert and National) and c.500 commercial vans. Customers can shop at halfords.com and tredz.co.uk for pick up at their local store or direct home delivery, as well as booking garage services online at halfords.com. Through its subsidiary Avayler, Halfords also sells the Group’s bespoke, internally developed software as a SaaS solution to major clients worldwide.
www.halfords.com www.avayler.com www.tredz.co.uk www.halfordscompany.com