NAA Member News: 3D 360 – The EV Skills Gap Is Real, Cumbria Businesses Have a Funded Opportunity to Get Ahead
There is a growing EV technician skills gap. Funded IMI-accredited EV Skills Bootcamps are now available in Cumbria, helping local garages, service centres and technicians gain the expertise they need to meet demand quickly and close the gap.
The UK’s shift to electric vehicles is accelerating, but technician training is lagging dangerously behind. Recent figures show a growing skills gap that threatens to stall progress across the industry. As of early 2025, only 26% of UK automotive technicians are qualified to work on EVs. Without a step change in retraining, the IMI projects a technician shortfall of 29,835 EV-trained technicians by 2035, despite needing a projected 175,596.
Alarmingly, the pace of certification is slowing. Q4 2024 saw a 10% drop in new EV technician qualifications year-on-year, even as EVs continue to account for more than 1 in 5 new car sales, and the growth trajectory remains strong as the country approaches its ZEV mandate milestones.
While the SMMT reports a 16% increase in planned apprenticeships and over £20 billion invested in EV transition in the past two years, technician capacity still risks becoming a bottleneck, particularly in regions like the North, where training access remains patchy and rural areas such as Cumbria face additional pressures. Cumbria based technicians are having to travel significant distances, commonly to Greater Manchester, Lancashire or the North East for certification, creating barriers to upskilling.
In direct response to this challenge, DfE funded and subsidised EV & Hybrid Skills Bootcamps are now available to garage owners, service centres, workshop managers, technicians and fleet operators based in Cumbria. These 8 day, hands-on courses are accredited by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and deliver 60 hours of practical training across Levels 2, 3 and 4 – from EV awareness to high voltage diagnostics and servicing.
Completion of the Skills Bootcamps also provides an official entry route into IMI TechSafe™ recognition and the IMI Professional Register, giving participants formal industry recognition alongside their practical skills.
Participants will gain skills they can apply immediately in the workplace, helping businesses generate new revenue streams and meet the growing demand for EV servicing with confidence.
“The industry is crying out for more EV technicians, and we’ve built the new Whitehaven Skills Centre specifically to meet that need in Cumbria,” says Lee Fogg, Director at 3D 360. “This is practical, accredited training designed for technicians, not theory in a classroom, it’s about getting people confident, safe, competent and earning from EV work straight away.”
Who is eligible?
• Unemployed or self-employed individuals based in Cumbria – Free of charge
• Cumbria based small businesses (under 250 employees) – £396 per participant
• Cumbria based large businesses (250+ employees) – £1,188 per participant
Training takes place in 3D 360’s Whitehaven based Skills Academy.
It’s a timely opportunity for NAA members in Cumbria to invest in individual career progression and business growth by gaining the skills needed now to succeed in the rapidly expanding EV sector.
Find out more and register your interest: https://3d360printer.co.uk/training,courses/electric,vehicles,skills,bootcamp/
