LKQ Academy expands EV training by 50% to help meet skills gap

LKQ Academy is increasing the number of seats available on its electric and hybrid vehicle training courses by 50 per cent in 2026 to help address the aftermarket skills gap. The country’s leading automotive training provider is adding 500 new seats across its EV courses, bringing the total to 1,500.

Recent research from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) found that only one in four (26%) UK technicians are qualified to work on electric vehicles (EVs), with skills spread unevenly across the regions. It also found the number of technicians gaining an EV qualification in Q3 2025 fell by around 13 per cent compared to Q1 of the same period [1].

The increase in availability reflects strong demand from technicians last year, with workshops looking to future-proof their businesses and stay competitive as the car parc continues to evolve. It also helps tackle the skills gap and ensures independent garages can confidently keep EV and hybrid work in-house.

The LKQ Academy offers EV training programmes at all different skill levels. Among the courses available are the Level 2 and 3 IMI Award in Electric/Hybrid (covering routine maintenance activities, repair and replacement), the Level 4 Award (diagnosis, testing and repair of electric and hybrid vehicles and components), and the 'Becoming an EV Workshop' course, which prepares office staff and the workshop for electric vehicle servicing.

Lee Chapman, Head of Support and LKQ Academy, said: “The IMI’s research highlights a growing challenge for the independent aftermarket with EV capability still limited, unevenly distributed and at risk of falling further behind. If that gap isn’t addressed, more garages will be forced to turn work away or rely on third parties – and that’s not good for independent workshops or motorists.

“We have a responsibility to help close that gap and with LKQ Academy sites located across the UK, we’re able to bring EV and hybrid training closer to workshops in every region not just big towns and city centres. By expanding EV training capacity in 2026, we’re also helping more garages build the confidence and capability to keep work in-house and stay competitive.”

The UK’s independent aftermarket faces a similar challenge when it comes to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), with two-thirds of garages lacking a technician qualified to carry out ADAS calibration and repair work [2].

To help address this gap, LKQ Academy is making its IMI-accredited ADAS AOM230 course more accessible than ever, offering it at £499+VAT – the lowest price in the UK. The one-day course equips technicians with the knowledge and practical skills required to carry out ADAS calibrations and correctly interpret vehicle-specific system data, supporting safe and compliant repairs.

Lee Chapman added: “ADAS calibration isn’t just something you think about after a big accident repair. Something as routine as replacing a windscreen, carrying out suspension work or even doing a wheel alignment can disturb a sensor, and once that happens it needs checking and recalibrating properly – otherwise you’re handing back a vehicle that isn’t operating as it should.

“All repairers should be working to the UK Insurance Industry Requirements when dealing with ADAS-equipped vehicles, but we recognise that cost and access can be real barriers for some independents. By making this course available at our lowest ever price, we’re helping level the playing field and giving more garages the opportunity to build the capability they need to carry out calibrations correctly and safely.”

With vehicle technology continuing to evolve rapidly, many garages are also finding that traditional diagnostic tools alone are no longer enough to complete certain advanced procedures.

Lee Chapman continued: “Training is one part of closing the skills gap, but ongoing technical support is just as important. Even experienced technicians can come up against complex coding, programming or calibration procedures.

“Through LKQ Remote Diagnostic, garages investing in ADAS capability can access real-time assistance from specialist technicians to complete advanced electronic procedures. It means more work can stay in-house, without the need for significant additional investment or referring jobs back to the dealer.”