Offering apprenticeships is a good idea but at the end of there training if u dont pay them the going rate for that area they will leave for more money.Anybody that has been a mobile engineer knows that when your out and about fixing customer trucks and if that person is good at there job they often get offered jobs buy the customer or the engineer hears of jobs going at that place and if its more money which it often is there off.
But what i would say the biggest problem there is a shortage of skilled workers due to people leaving the trade or companys not training apprentices the only way to rectifiy it would be if all the garage took on apprentices that would help to reduce the shortage of mechanics.
You have read me going on about low wages but working in a happy workforce is worth more than moving to another job for a pound more an hour.