JAX Tyres & Auto has taken a significant step toward addressing Australia’s mounting automotive skills shortage by joining the GearUP Auto Careers Initiative. The company is the first national tyre and auto retailer to participate in the program, which is designed to promote career pathways and inspire young talent to enter the automotive sector. With more vehicles projected on Australian roads in the years ahead, the demand for skilled technicians and apprentices is expected to intensify. JAX leaders say the partnership reflects a commitment to both customer needs and the long-term health of the industry.
Chief Executive Steve Grossrieder has been vocal about the opportunities the sector can offer to students and jobseekers. He noted that the industry has evolved far beyond perceptions of manual work alone and now presents diverse and fulfilling career paths across operations, technology, and management. Earlier in the year, JAX participated in the Career & Employment Expo in Sydney to showcase those opportunities directly to young Australians.
The urgency of talent development is widely shared across the automotive landscape. Ryan Davis of Mechanic.com.au has underscored the scale of the workforce gap, describing an estimated 27,000 current vacancies that could rise significantly by the end of the decade unless coordinated action is taken. He has praised JAX for acknowledging the challenge and taking steps to support an industrywide solution rather than limiting activity to internal recruitment efforts.
JAX plans to continue supporting national career expos and contributing to the development of GearUP’s digital platform as part of the partnership. The company, which began franchising in 1993, now includes 94 locations and employs more than 1,000 people across Australia, most of whom work in independently owned franchised stores. The initiative is expected to strengthen the company’s talent pipeline and reinforce its community ties, while also supporting the future resilience of franchisees who depend on a strong and stable workforce to remain competitive.
