How much auto repair employment has grown

Employment levels in the auto repair sector are higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to data from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.

The automotive aftermarket showed robust growth in 2023, with the automotive repair and maintenance sector reaching 121,000 employees by December, surpassing 2019 levels by 4.8 per cent. Similarly, employment in automotive parts and accessories stores came in at about 5 per cent above pre-pandemic figures.

However, other sectors lagged behind. Motor vehicle manufacturing remained 11% below 2019 levels, while automobile dealers were still slightly short of returning to pre-pandemic employment numbers.

“The overall employment picture in the automotive space was positive by the end of last year,” commented Andrew King, managing partner at DesRosiers. “With the manufacturing side of the industry transforming, the retail aftermarket led in employment growth.”

The broader automotive sector saw continued employment growth throughout 2023, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels with 604,000 recorded employees by December, just 0.7% below December 2019.