Hands-on, growing

Motor mechanic

27.6K UK workers · typical pay £32,000 · entry route GCSEs grades 4-9 (A*-C). Projected growth of +6% to 2035.

How AI is actually used here · measured · Anthropic Economic Index

Thin signal. Only 24% of the Claude usage mapped to this job is actual work. The rest is personal or study use of the same skills. Read the figures below as indicative, not precise.

32%

Augmentation

AI mostly does the task

3.2×

Time compression

~1.1h → ~20min

2.52/5

AI autonomy

how hands-off it runs

68%

Automation

of measured usage

How the collaboration splits · the six measured modes

directive 32.7%feedback loop 28.5%learning 17.6%task iteration 11.7%unclassified 8.3%validation 1.1%

What people make with AI here

explanation / answer39%advice / recommendation23%plan / strategy10%

Real Claude.ai usage mapped to this occupation's SOC group, Apr+May 2026, CC-BY. Claude users only; task times model-estimated; augment/automate is how AI is used, not a count of jobs lost. Method →

Facts · ONS + NCS

UK workers (2024)

27.6K

Median pay

£32.0K

Our scored call · a labelled hypothesis, not a measurement

AI exposure

2 / 10

Elasticity

6 / 10

2035 outlook

+6%

Exposure · 2/10

Why AI can do the work

The core of this role involves physical manual labor, tool manipulation, and hands-on repairs in a garage environment, which AI cannot replicate. While AI-driven diagnostic software is increasingly used to identify faults, the physical replacement of parts and maintenance of mechanical systems remain highly resistant to automation.

Elasticity · 6/10

Gated by saturated

Whether demand expands when it gets cheaper

Lower repair costs would unlock significant deferred maintenance and encourage the restoration of older vehicles, though total volume is ultimately constrained by the UK vehicle fleet size.

Trajectory to 2035