Have your say on training requirements for motor mechanics and repairers in NSW.

The NSW Government is proposing new qualifications and repair classes for motor mechanics and repairers.

Advances in motoring technology require tradespeople to learn new skills to service and repair our vehicles and keep us safe on the road.

We propose seven new repair classes, including:

• light electric vehicle motor mechanic
• heavy electric vehicle motor mechanic
• level 1 electric vehicle depower and reinitialise
• light internal combustion engine vehicle motor mechanic
• heavy internal combustion engine vehicle motor mechanic
• tyre fitting
• automotive locksmithing.

For more information, refer to the overview of proposed changes, or the consultation paper.

Your feedback will help protect consumers and ensure the future of the motor repair industry in NSW.

Submissions close Sunday 23 June 2024.

Thank you for your feedback.

We thank everybody for the high level of participation in the consultation on training requirements for motor mechanics and repairers in NSW. The call for input ran for five weeks closing on Sunday 23 June 2024.

You made 1,264 contributions:

• 1,212 survey responses
• 32 written submissions uploaded here
• 17 more submissions emailed
• 3 stories shared.

Almost a quarter (24.7%) of survey respondents were employers and over half (55.5%) were workers. This represents strong engagement with industry and several industry associations wrote to us with in-depth analysis.

Submissions with permission to publish on the consultation website are now available.

The range of feedback ensures the reforms are robust and considerate of industry and consumers.

The community also engaged in the consultation through:

• industry roundtables held on 30 and 31 May 2024
• an inter-Governmental meeting held on 7 June 2024
• a public webinar held on 13 June 2024.

The majority of proposals were supported and feedback was incorporated to bring some proposals more in-line with industry and community expectations.

The introduction of electric vehicle repair classes represents a significant reform to the regulation and was supported in the responses to ensure the safety of workers and consumers.

Several respondents reported on skills shortages that are occurring across industry which are having a detrimental impact on businesses. For this reason, the Department determined not to proceed with the introduction of the following repair classes:

• light and heavy internal combustion engine vehicle motor mechanics
• locksmith
• tyre fitter.

While these repair classes would allow for greater specialisation within industry, it was recognised that they may worsen current skills shortages.

Fair Trading will publish guidelines for automotive locksmiths to clarify the tasks they are able to perform which do not require a tradesperson’s certificate, such as key cutting or minor automotive locksmith repairs. Work that involves the removal and replacement of vehicle components that impact the security and integrity of the vehicle must be performed by a certified tradesperson.

Feedback indicated that changes to underbody work were unclear. The change will not impact those already performing underbody work under the Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology. They can still perform the repair work. The change is intended to clarify that for those who only wish to undertake underbody work, a Certificate III in Automotive Underbody Technology is sufficient.