Autotech Recruit has celebrated a milestone as Geoff, the company’s oldest contract MOT tester, recently turned 80 years old.
Still actively working, Geoff’s career is a reminder of the value of experience and the evolving role of older professionals in today’s workforce.
With a career spanning decades, Geoff has witnessed first-hand the transformation of the motor industry, from the catalytic converter to electric vehicles, from clipboard checks to digital testing. Since joining Autotech Recruit in June 2018 as a contractor, he’s been a trusted presence in workshops across East Anglia.
His attention to detail and depth of practical knowledge reportedly ensures every vehicle he inspects meets the highest safety standards, and his willingness to share wisdom is shaping the next generation of vehicle technicians.
Geoff’s story is said not to be a one-off. He is part of a broader shift; a workforce phenomenon dubbed the Great Unretirement. Driven by a mix of rising living costs and a desire to stay active, a record number of older people in the UK are returning to work or choosing to delay retirement. Today, nearly 1 million more people aged 65 and over are working compared to the start of the millennium, and around 11.5% of the UK population now works past the age of 65, double what it was in 2000.
Among those returning, self-employment and contracting are said to be proving popular options, offering flexibility without the rigid demands of full-time roles. Autotech Recruit is seeing this trend up close: more than 30 of its contractors are aged 60 and above, using the freedom of contract work to shape careers on their own terms.
One of them, John, spent 25 years running his own MOT centre before selling the business and stepping into full-time contracting. He said: “After selling my garage I found it difficult to settle in one place. When I heard about contracting, I felt it was the perfect solution. My weekends are my own now. I enjoy working in the garden most weekends, and I still get to do the work I love.”
As technology in the motor trade continues to evolve at pace, there’s a growing concern that some experienced technicians are exiting the industry rather than retraining and taking their skills with them. The flexibility of contract work is reportedly proving to be one solution. It’s giving seasoned professionals a viable way to stay in the trade, contributing their knowledge and mentoring newer recruits, without sacrificing their work-life balance.
Simon King, CEO, Autotech Group, said: “Geoff’s ongoing commitment at 80 is more than just a feel-good milestone, it’s a call to action for the automotive industry to rethink how it supports and retains older workers, not just for their productivity, but for the deep reservoirs of insight, reliability, and mentorship they bring.”
