NRMA Insurance has established an arrangement with the Australian Collision Industry Alliance (ACIA) to support recruitment efforts and workforce stability in the collision repair field. The contribution by NRMA Insurance will support recruitment activities operated by ACIA aimed at raising awareness of employment opportunities in vehicle collision repair.
Research from the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) identifies a deficit of approximately 40,000 technicians across the industry, encompassing 27,000 qualified technicians and 13,500 apprentices. The combined shortfall creates operational constraints for repair and service facilities throughout the country.
Labour market analysis further demonstrates the extent of the staffing challenge. The Job Services Australia Skills Priority List identifies nearly 35% of key occupations within the automotive industry as experiencing shortage conditions, indicating the problem extends across multiple roles and specialisations rather than isolated positions.
The arrangement addresses labour availability issues affecting the automotive repair sector. David Wilkes (pictured left), executive manager of motor repair supply chain at NRMA Insurance, explained the rationale behind the initiative. “In the future, collision repairs will increasingly become more complex involving diagnostics, software updates, battery management, with varied material compositions of vehicle structures. We need to rethink how we attract and train talent, so there’s a steady pipeline of skilled professionals ready to keep modern hybrid and EV vehicles on the road,” he said.
Paul McMartin (pictured right), director of Sydney Automotive Parts Group (SAPE Group) and ACIA board member, commented: “It’s in the interests of the motoring public who need to stay mobile, the insurance industry that requires technically trained personnel, and the collision repair community to attract young people to ensure the future of the industry.”
NRMA Insurance joins an existing coalition of organisations spanning the repair value chain, from component distributors and manufacturing equipment firms to finish material providers and repair operators.
The collaboration comes after the release of IAG’s latest Quality Report covering the 2024–25 financial year. IAG, the parent organisation of NRMA Insurance, distributed $10.2 billion across claims and executed approximately 108,000 evaluations spanning both property and motor sectors.
Motor repair operations conducted 78,022 quality checks, averaging a 98% quality score. Property repair assessments totalled 30,829 inspections with 4,856 detailed quality reviews, achieving a 92% average score. Quality review activity in the property portfolio expanded by 2,500 assessments compared to the preceding year. During this period, 4,800 repair professionals engaged in 139 educational sessions spanning 332 cumulative hours related to professional capability development.
