The Australian automotive industry has come a long way since the end of large-scale passenger vehicle manufacturing in 2017. And now the sector generates more than $14 billion in annual revenue and employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia point toward 50,000 or more roles by 2033.

For automotive and truck dealerships across Victoria and nationally, that growth is good news but it’s also pressure. More trucks, buses, caravans, and specialist builds on the road means more servicing demand coming through workshop doors. The question I’m hearing from dealership principals is “where are all the good technicians?”

Automotive Technician Shortages Are Structural, Not Temporary

The 2023 Skills Priority List from Jobs and Skills Australia flagged Motor Mechanics, Metal Fitters, Vehicle Body Builders, and Industrial Engineers as being in national shortage. That shortage has not been resolved.

The median age of the automotive manufacturing workforce sits in the early forties. Experienced technicians are retiring or moving into lighter roles, and the apprentice pipeline is not replacing them quick enough. TAFE enrolments remain steady but are geographically limited. Apprenticeship commencements have not accelerated at the pace the market needs.

Three Pressures Facing Victorian Dealerships Right Now

Recruiting across Victorian automotive dealerships every day, I see the same challenges come up consistently.

Workshop Capacity Directly Impacts Revenue

Service departments are the primary profit driver for dealerships. Being short even one qualified technician causes productivity to drop and wait times to blow out.

Technician Turnover Is Increasing

Good technicians are being approached constantly. Pay has risen across the sector, but wages alone are not keeping people. Workshop culture, leadership quality, training pathways, and working conditions are now the big deciding factors for candidates choosing between employers.

Heavy Vehicle and EV Skill Gaps Are Widening

Truck dealerships and heavy vehicle workshops face acute shortages of diesel mechanics and diagnostic specialists. EV and hybrid technology is adding demand for updated electrical capability on top of existing gaps. Technicians with advanced diagnostic or high-voltage skills are highly mobile and selective. Victoria’s dealership network is also competing with OEM programs, fleet operators, mining contractors, and specialist manufacturers for the same talent pool.

Automotive Dealership Recruitment

Employment Growth Projections

Automotive manufacturing employment is projected to grow more than 20% by 2033. Heavy vehicle capability is expected to strengthen alongside infrastructure and mining demand. What does this mean for dealerships? Technician shortage is not a short term problem to wait out, it’s the operating environment for the foreseeable future.

Dealerships planning 12-18 months ahead are already in a far stronger position than those recruiting only after someone resigns. In this market with long fill timelines and limited candidate supply, that lead time is the difference between a workshop running at capacity and one running short.

Automotive Dealership Recruitment Requires Industry Knowledge

Automotive dealership recruitment is not general trade hiring. The sector has its own performance metrics, its own culture, and its own expectations. Understanding OEM workshop structures, technician efficiency ratios, warranty KPIs, and the operational differences between passenger, truck, and heavy vehicle dealerships is what separates a hire that lasts from one that does not.

At TRS Resourcing, the focus when partnering with Victorian automotive and truck dealerships is not just filling vacancies. It is protecting service revenue, workshop output, and long term retention. Guys, recruitment strategy matters as much as the offer itself.

The 2026 Outlook for Automotive Dealership Hiring in Victoria

If you operate an automotive or truck dealership in Victoria in 2026, workforce planning is not optional. Skilled technicians are in shortage, the workforce is ageing, and competition for capable people is growing. The opportunity is there. But only if you have the right people on the floor when demand arrives.

Talk to TRS Resourcing About Your Dealership Workforce Strategy

TRS Resourcing specialises in automotive and truck dealership recruitment across Victoria and nationally. If you need qualified motor mechanics, heavy diesel technicians, automotive electricians, or experienced workshop leaders, get in touch with me, let’s have a genuine and realistic chat and start seriously looking at your workforce planning for 2026.

Australia’s Automotive Skills Gap Is Growing, and It’s Creating Real Career Opportunities