When most people think about the future of transportation, they picture electric vehicles, connected cars, autonomous driving technology and increasingly sophisticated software. Few stop to consider the people who will keep those vehicles safely on the road.
Yet one of British Columbia’s greatest automotive challenges isn’t building the next generation of vehicles, it’s building the workforce capable of maintaining them.
Today’s automotive technician bears little resemblance to the mechanic of decades past. Modern technicians diagnose complex software, calibrate advanced driver assistance systems, repair high-voltage battery systems and work with some of the most sophisticated technology found in any industry. They are as much technology specialists as they are skilled tradespeople.
Unfortunately, British Columbia isn’t producing enough of them. According to WorkBC, the province will require nearly 5,000 additional automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and related repair professionals over the next decade. More than 2,000 automotive technician positions alone are expected to open over the next five years, while the Lower Mainland continues to experience what the federal Job Bank describes as a significant labour shortage for these occupations.
The reasons are clear. Experienced technicians are retiring faster than they can be replaced, vehicles continue to become more technologically advanced, and dealerships, independent repair facilities, municipalities and commercial fleet operators are all competing for the same highly skilled workers.
Consumers are already feeling the effects. Service appointments can take longer to secure, and technicians qualified to work on the latest electric vehicles and advanced safety systems remain in particularly high demand. New car dealers continue investing heavily in employee training, but manufacturer certification requirements mean technicians cannot simply move from one specialty to another overnight.
Perhaps the clearest indication of the challenge can be found in British Columbia’s classrooms. BCIT’s Automotive Technician Foundation programs are waitlisted, while several apprenticeship classes are already full well into 2027. Vancouver Community College has reported apprenticeship registrations exceeding planned capacity. Okanagan College advises prospective students to apply nine to twelve months in advance, with upper-level apprenticeship programs already filled. Similar pressures are being reported across the province.
The problem isn’t a lack of interest. People want these careers. The training system simply cannot accommodate enough students quickly enough to meet industry demand.
Through SkilledTradesBC, the province continues to support apprenticeship training and expand capacity where possible. The federal government has also invested in apprenticeship programs and Red Seal trades through the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy.
But the pace of investment is not keeping up with the pace of technological change.
BC’s New Car Dealers identified automotive skills training as one of its priorities in its submission to the provincial government’s 2027 budget consultation process. The recommendation was straightforward: if British Columbia is serious about economic growth, improving affordability and accelerating the transition to cleaner transportation, it must also invest in the skilled workforce that will keep those vehicles operating safely for years to come.
That means developing a coordinated automotive workforce strategy involving government, SkilledTradesBC, post-secondary institutions and industry. It means expanding Foundation and apprenticeship seats where waitlists exist, providing stable multi-year funding so colleges can increase capacity, recruit additional instructors, and invest in modern training equipment that reflects today’s rapidly evolving vehicle technology.
Industry will continue doing its part. BC’s new car dealers invest millions of dollars every year in apprenticeships, manufacturer training and ongoing professional development. They remain committed to creating rewarding, well-paying careers in one of Canada’s most technologically advanced skilled trades. But employers cannot solve a province-wide workforce challenge on their own.
Every British Columbian, including first responders, depends on qualified technicians to keep their vehicles safe, reliable and on the road. As governments encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and increasingly sophisticated transportation technologies, they must ensure the workforce exists to support them.
The demand is there. The students are there. The jobs are there. Now we need the training opportunities to match.
Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. He can be reached at [email protected]
