Automotive Sales, Parts, Administration and Management

Training snapshot

There were approximately 2,130 program enrolments and around 490 program completions in Automotive Sales, Parts, Administration and Management-related qualifications during 2020. Enrolments have decreased from roughly 2,230 and completions have decreased from around 550 in 2019.

More than three quarters of program enrolments in 2020 were at the certificate III level (78%). A similarly large proportion of qualifications were in the area of Automotive Sales (77%), with the intended occupation of Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson.

The majority of courses in 2020 were delivered by private training providers (88%), with TAFE institutes making up the remaining portion (12%). Overall, 45% of Automotive Sales, Parts, Administration and Management-related qualifications were funded by domestic fee for service arrangements, with 39% Commonwealth and state funded.

In 2020, more than half (52%) of the students were from Queensland, followed by overseas (17%), New South Wales (14%), and Victoria (11%). More than half of all training was delivered in Queensland (56%), followed by Victoria (24%) and New South Wales (15%).

Apprenticeship and traineeship commencements have increased slightly between 2019 and 2020 (approximately 460 and 520 respectively) but have generally declined following a peak in 2012 of approximately 2,130. There were roughly 170 completions in 2020, representing the lowest level recorded since 2011. The main intended occupation for apprentices and trainees was Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson. The largest proportion of apprenticeships and traineeships were reported by New South Wales (38%), with 30% reported by Queensland and 18% by Victoria.

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Industry insights on skills needs

The Automotive IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast ranks a list of generic skills in order of importance for each industry sector. The top five ranked generic skills for the Automotive Allied sector (which includes Automotive – Sales, Parts and Administration) are:

• Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN)
• Technology use and application
• Communication/Collaboration including virtual collaboration/Social intelligence
• Design mindset/Thinking critically/System thinking/Solving problems
• Learning agility/Information literacy/Intellectual autonomy and self-management.

The Automotive IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast highlights proposed updates to training products in order to address the evolving skills needs for Sales and Administration Workers and Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salespeople. This is mainly due changing consumer preferences and the growth of online car sales, and the impact this has on the industry.

In addition, the Automotive IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast suggests that relationships between this sector of workers, and suppliers and customers are becoming more digital, particularly with the increased uptake of business management software platforms such as MechanicDesk, iBodyshop and Mytrucking, all of which can be integrated into popular accounting, supplier management and point of sale systems to provide all-in-one business solutions. Other new technologies being used in this sector include online catalogues replacing large dealerships and augmented reality demonstrations being used in addition to physically test driving a vehicle. These technological advancements signify a need to ensure learners are obtaining the skills and knowledge required to undertake these more digitised tasks.

The description of work undertaken for Project 3 – Sales and Administration in the AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package Case for Endorsement states salespeople in the automotive industry require the ability to sell to diverse audiences, and digital systems have also begun to impact on business administration practices as parts interpreters, and other workers in similar job roles, now use online portals to respond to complex customer queries. The project updates units of competency to remove obsolete technology requirements, such as microfiche, and to require parts interpreters to gain the skills and knowledge required for complex client interactions.

The final Motor Vehicle Census, relating to vehicles which were registered on 31st January 2021, finds that light rigid trucks have continued to have the largest growth rate in registrations, increasing 6.0%, followed by articulated trucks with 4.6%, and light commercial vehicle registrations increased by 3.3%, rising to 17.5% of the registered fleet. Passenger vehicle registrations increased by 1.2% however, their share of the fleet fell 0.4 percentage points to 73.7%. Key findings from Australian participants in Deloitte’s Global Automotive Consumer Study 2021 include 70% expect to focus in petrol/diesel for their next vehicle, compared to 18% for hybrid electric, and 4% for battery electric, a cost/price premium (28%) and a lack of charging infrastructure (22%) are the greatest concerns regarding all-battery-powered electric vehicles, 79% still expect to purchase their next vehicle in-person, compared to virtually, and 61% would still prefer to interact with an authorised dealer. The 2021 State of Electric Vehicles reports that so far in 2021, 8,688 electric vehicles have been sold in Australia, up from 6,900 in 2020, representing 1.57% and 0.78% of all new light vehicle sales respectively. The Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy states there has been a 20% increase in the number of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles available in Australia since February 2021, and by 2030 battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are projected to make up 30% of new light vehicle sales.

The Skills Priority List includes Motor Vehicle or Caravan Salesperson, and Motor Vehicle Parts Interpreter under occupations not in national shortage, with strong future demand. Modelling undertaken by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) for their Recommended JobTrainer Fund Qualifications submission estimates a national shortage in 2019-20 of 2,495 positions for the occupation of motor vehicle salesperson, and 890 for motor vehicle parts and accessories salesperson.

Below is a list of industry-relevant research, organisations and associations. Hyperlinks have been included where available.

IRC and skills forecasts

Automotive Allied Industry Reference Committee

• Automotive IRC’s 2019 Skills Forecast
• IRC membership
• PwC’s Skills for Australia – Skills Service Organisation

Relevant research

2021 Global Automotive Consumer Study: Global focus countries including Australia - Deloitte

AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package Case for Endorsement – PwC’s Skills for Australia

Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy: Powering Choice – Australia. Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

Motor Vehicle Census, Australia – Australian Bureau of Statistics

Recommended JobTrainer Fund Qualifications – Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC)

State of Electric Vehicles, August 2021 – Electric Vehicle Council

Industry associations and advisory bodies

Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries

Motor Traders’ Association of New South Wales (MTA NSW)

Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA)

Motor Trades Association of Australian Capital Territory (MTA ACT)

Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTA Queensland)

Motor Trade Association of South Australia and Northern Territory (MTA SA/NT)

Motor Trade Association of Western Australia (MTA WA)

Employee associations

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

Department of Employment 2020, Employment Projections, available from the Labour Market Information Portal

• by ANZSCO, selected occupations, employment projections to May 2025
  
  • 6213 Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons
  • 8111 Car Detailers
  • 5311 General Clerks
  • 1492 Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017, 2016 Census – employment, income and unpaid work, 2006 Census –labour force TableBuilder. Findings based on use of ABS TableBuilder data.

• Employment level by 4 digit ANZSIC,
  
  • 3501 Car Wholesaling
  • 3502 Commercial Vehicle Wholesaling
  • 3503 Trailer and Other Motor Vehicle Wholesaling
  • 3504 Motor Vehicle New Parts Wholesaling
  • 3505 Motor Vehicle Dismantling and Used Parts Wholesaling
  • 3911 Car Retailing
  • 3912 Motorcycle Retailing
  • 3913 Trailer and Other Motor Vehicle Retailing
  • 3921 Motor Vehicle Parts Retailing
  • 3922 Tyre Retailing
  • 4000 Fuel Retailing
  • 4231 Hardware and Building Supplies Retailing
  • 4241 Sport and Camping Equipment Retailing
  • 4245 Marine Equipment Retailing.
• Selected occupations by 4 digit ANZSCO
  
  • 6213 Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons
  • 8111 Car Detailers
  • 5311 General Clerks
  • 1492 Call or Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers.

Training data has been extracted from the National VET Provider Collection, Total VET Students and Courses from the following training package or qualifications:

• AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package.
• Automotive Administration
  
  • AUR20105 - Certificate II in Automotive Administration
  • AUR20112 - Certificate II in Automotive Administration
  • AUR20116 - Certificate II in Automotive Administration
  • AUR20205 - Certificate II in Automotive Aftermarket Manufacturing
  • AUR30105 - Certificate III in Automotive Administration
  • AUR30112 - Certificate III in Automotive Administration
  • AUR30116 - Certificate III in Automotive Administration.
• Automotive Management
  
  • AUR40105 - Certificate IV in Automotive Management
  • AUR40112 - Certificate IV in Automotive Management
  • AUR40116 - Certificate IV in Automotive Management
  • AUR50105 - Diploma of Automotive Management
  • AUR50112 - Diploma of Automotive Management
  • AUR50116 - Diploma of Automotive Management.
• Automotive Sales
  
  • AUR21105 - Certificate II in Automotive Sales
  • AUR21112 - Certificate II in Automotive Sales
  • AUR21116 - Certificate II in Automotive Sales
  • AUR21120 - Certificate II in Automotive Sales
  • AUR21199 - Certificate II in Automotive (Mechanical - Natural Gas Vehicle [NGV] Services)
  • AUR22299 - Certificate II in Automotive (Sales - Vehicle)
  • AUR31005 - Certificate III in Automotive Sales
  • AUR31012 - Certificate III in Automotive Sales
  • AUR31016 - Certificate III in Automotive Sales
  • AUR31020 - Certificate III in Automotive Sales
  • AUR31205 - Certificate III in Automotive Retail, Service and Repair.

This includes superseded qualifications and training packages.

Data covers a range of selected student and training characteristics in the following categories and years:

• 2016 to 2020 program enrolments
• 2016 to 2020 program completions.

Total VET students and courses data is reported for the calendar year. Program enrolments are the qualifications, courses and skill-sets in which students are enrolled in a given period. For students enrolled in multiple programs, all programs are counted. Program completion indicates that a student has completed a structured and integrated program of education or training. Location data uses student residence. Subject enrolment is registration of a student at a training delivery location for the purpose of undertaking a module, unit of competency or subject. For more information on the terms and definitions, please refer to the Total VET students and courses: terms and definitions document.

Low counts (less than 5) are not reported to protect client confidentiality.

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. This can lead to situations where the total sum of proportions in a chart may not add up to exactly 100%.

AUR Automotive Retail, Service and Repair Training Package apprentice and trainee data has been extracted from the National Apprentice and Trainee Collection, including:

• 2011 to 2020 commencements
• 2011 to 2020 completions
• apprentices and trainees in-training October to December 2020 collection, by qualification and state and territory of data submitter.