Environmental concerns may make it harder for owners of older vehicles to keep their cars on the road, as they may have to comply with higher standards, thus decreasing the number of old cars on the road. Tradespeople will need to gain new skills to keep up with these changes, or risk becoming outdated. MITO recommends that either the National Certificate for Entry to Automotive Trades or the National Certificate for Motor Body Trades is completed at a polytechnic before starting an apprenticeship. Trainees then work towards a national certificate in their specialty, either through an apprenticeship or at a polytechnic. The apprenticeship is run by MITO and consists of a training plan, agreed upon by the three parties, which specifies the level to be achieved.
Apprenticeships usually take between two and a half and five years to complete.