Tangible support from employers, higher pay across the board and clearer career progression are all critical if the automotive sector is going to attract and retain young talent, Laser Tools suggested as it launched its Future50 initiative to the sector this week.
“We need to encourage people to come into the industry,” said Laser Tools National Sales Director UK & Ireland Mark Blackbourn. “Once they are qualified we need to make it more lucrative for them too. If we want to get people into this industry, we’ve got to show them they can build a career for life.”
The tool provider is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026 and is using this as a springboard for a number of support programmes intended to encourage younger people within the sector, including Future50.
Through Future50, garages will be able to put forward an apprentice who, if selected, will be given a special Laser Tools Apprentice Tool Kit. Those chosen will also be in with a chance of winning one of three pairs of VIP passes for a British Touring Car Championship race at Brands Hatch on 11 October.
Successful candidates will also continue to receive a wide range of support from Laser Tools including training and accreditation opportunities to facilitate growth in their career within the sector.
For a garage to put an apprentice forward for Future50, they must already be enrolled in training and actively working within the business. The initiative will be promoted directly to garages and via the Laser Tools website, with the 50 qualifying techs being selected later in the year.
Skills gap
“The skills gap is a very real issue,” observed Blackbourn. “Here at Laser Tools we also find it really difficult to recruit and retain staff. We decided to go down the trainee route and that’s been really successful. We've got four fully employed trainees now, three more in the system, and three more starting in two weeks time. That’s great for us, but we want to help our customers to do the same. This is what inspired us to launch Future50.
Support will continue: “We're teaming up with training companies and parts companies over the next two to three years. Our 50 candidates will receive with on-site training, and come here to be trained too. There's also an opportunity for some of them to go to BTCC racing, where they can meet the mechanics that work on the sports cars.”We will help bring 50 apprentices along with tooling, with training, and everything else. That's the goal.”
Tools
At the special event, Laser Tools also lifted the lid on 50 new tools, including hand tooling, spanners and ratchets for all vehicle types, all of which comes with a 50-year warranty. “All of the tools are branded with a special Laser Tools 50th anniversary logo,” said Laser Tools Technical Director Mark Softley.
He continued: “The quality of the tools is second to none, but we have added additional features to make them easier to use.”
Some of the items have been introduced specifically with younger techs in mind: “The hammer set is a nod to a set that Laser Tools offered nearly 50 years ago. We suddenly realised we didn’t sell that hammer set anymore so we needed to bring it back. There are air tools as well, which we haven't got in our current range.”
There are also a number of VM-specific engine timing tool master kits. “We're number one in engine timing tools, so we've taken our offerings from the last decade and put them into VAG, Stellantis and other VM master kits. We did similar kits years ago, but their popularity waned over time.”This is no mere retread though: “New engines seem to need these tools sooner,” observed Softley . “The golden rule used to be don't do tools for an engine before it was three years old. Now the moment you see that engine, you do the tools for it.”
Encouraged
The new initiatives align with other programmes the company is running. “We've sponsored 50 apprentices to attend to Schaeffler’s Repxpert Conference, taking place on 14th May,” said Blackbourn. “We are also collaborating with Autotech Training in their efforts to bring apprentices into the trade.”
This continues attempts to plug the skills gap undertaken by Laser Tools when it was part of the Original Equipment Suppliers Aftermarket Association (OESAA). “We’ve always been conscious about where the next generation of technicians will come from,” noted Blackbourn, “because ultimately they're the people that are going to use our tools.”
On why younger people are choosing other sectors, he said: “It starts at school. Everybody has been encouraged to not get their hands dirty, and that's quite a big problem. However, the trade has gotten a lot cleaner.”
Early specialisation is an issue too: “Businesses are struggling to find techs who are complete mechanics who can do the whole job from tyres up to cam belts to electronic diagnostics and beyond. I've got no problem with people who specialise, but we need to encourage the younger generation to get involved and get out there and get a set of tools together. That’s where our new programme comes in.”
Blackbourn concluded: “I started here as a salesman 25 years ago. Our M.D Eddie Altham started in the warehouse. He actually had his interview sitting on a box. A lot of other people in the business also started at the bottom. Martin Smith, our founder, was passionate about bringing young people through and training them. This looks to the next generation, because that's what he was interested in.”
To nominate a candidate for Laser Tools Future50, visit: http://lasertools.co.uk/future50apply
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