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The automotive aftermarket led the entire automotive industry in positive employment change last year compared to the year before, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Employment levels in the automotive industry as a whole are up, narrowing a gap that emerged at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023. Still, the industry is about 21,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels.
But breaking it down by segment, the aftermarket has essentially recovered, DesRosiers noted. Automotive parts and accessories stores were up 5.4 per cent at the end of 2022 compared to December 2021.
Just behind was the automotive repair and maintenance segment, which saw a 4.6 per cent increase for the same period.
“The overall picture for employment in the auto industry was positive for 2022 despite some setbacks in certain segments,” said Andrew King, managing partner at DesRosiers. “Whether this employment recovery continues unabated throughout the broader economic uncertainty of 2023 remains to be seen.”
Other segments that saw an increase included dealers (2.3 per cent) and parts and accessories manufacturing (1.2 per cent) and motor vehicle manufacturing (0.3 per cent).
As King mentioned, some areas saw a drop. Parts and accessories wholesale (2.8 per cent) and metalworking machinery manufacturing jobs (1.3 per cent) fell in 2022 fell from 2021.