How to grow your own technicians

April 25, 2018
You must get involved with local technical schools — either high school and/or post-secondary levels — in order to grow your own techs.

The technician shortage is here and will be for some time. In this article, we are not going to look at the cause of this shortage. Instead, we are going to explore one opportunity to help solve the shortage for your shop, helping you get the technicians you need.  

If you want to keep your bays full of good employees, you need to grow your own! What that means is to get involved with local technical schools — either high school and/or post-secondary levels. Become part of a student program so that you not only have input into how it is structured, but you can also discover any talent that comes through and guide those individuals to a successful career at your shop. 

I recently spoke with George Stahl, the automotive instructor at Eastern Center for Arts and Technology located in Willow Grove, Penn., to get some insight into the Automotive Technology program at the school. Stahl has been a part of the automotive program at Eastern for 9 years. Currently, he has 40 total students, with a waiting list of 22 students.

With a waiting list of students, I asked Stahl if he thought that it was the result of local schools pushing the program. 

George Stahl, the automotive instructor at Eastern Center for Arts and Technology located in Willow Grove, Penn., stands in his classroom.

“I think it is more student-driven. The kids are passing the word that, if you like cars, you should apply to the class,” Stahl stated. “I had 20 returning seniors, which is the highest amount in years,” He added. 

Checking with other local automotive programs, I found that they also have full rosters of students. It seems that Stahl isn’t alone.  

I asked Stahl about what certifications the students will graduate with. “They will be prepared to take their ASE 1 through 8 certification tests and be prepped to take the [PA] state inspection and emissions licenses. However, most of the students are not 18 years old yet, so they can’t take the certifications," he said. "We do run them through the state inspection manual, give them quizzes, and provide them with some training and questions for the emissions program also; so, we can test their knowledge of the subjects.” 

Stahl has found that the current generation of students has difficulty focusing and needs more hands-on time than book time, so he has adjusted his approach to take advantage of that, rather than fight it. Currently, he assigns tablets to his students for them to complete tasks. Having success with this method, Stahl has requested additional tablets for the school.  

Stahl added that when students graduate from the program, they have basic knowledge of safety, tools and system functions. Proving the success of the program, Stahl has a 75 percent placement rate for students going to a post-secondary automotive education.  

When asked if any local shops are reaching out to the program, Stahl said “yes” and that the list was mostly dealerships. I had to ask if there were any independents. He again replied yes, naming only a few when compared to the dealerships. 

I questioned Stahl if he could ask for anything from the shops around him, independent and dealership, what it would be. 

“More programs for 17-year-old students. Getting them in the shops to see what the business is like. Let them shadow techs to get experience,” he said. 

Before I started with BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, I also taught automotive technology in a post-secondary school. I can relate to what Stahl is sharing. I can also tell you that there are students that will make good techs if given a chance. With support from local shops, I feel that any program can, and will, produce more, better-trained, individuals to fill those empty bays.  

I’ve found that taking the students on field trips to different shops, dealerships and independents really made an impression on the students. If I had a student or two that showed real promise, I’d tell them to bring their resumes. Pointing them out to the right people either got the students hired or helped build their confidence so that they would try harder in class. Of course, there were students that realized how dirty and dark a shop can be and reconsidered their decision to be a tech. 

What I’m suggesting is not a quick solution to filling your bays with great technicians, but like most things in life, the more time you spend with it, the more you’ll get from it. What makes this method unique is that it demands your time, and not your money. You’ll get to ‘try before you buy’ which, in and of itself, will save you time and money in the long run. 

Across the country, there are hundreds of automotive technical schools, both high school and post-secondary level, that are NATEF certified.  

The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) website states that they have existed since 1983 with the mission to improve the quality level of education in automotive programs across the country. Schools that meet this certification must abide by the required standards set by NATEF. These standards affect every aspect of the school from equipment, student skill sets, instructor training and more. The school certification process is repeated every five years, maintaining the adherence and consistency with the required standards.  

A NATEF certified school is where you want to start your search for new technicians. Once you locate a school, I recommend that you go and visit it to see what the program is like. I highly recommend that you reach out to the school before stopping by to avoid any possible issues. Just going and meeting the instructor and seeing what equipment the school has is a great start. This should help determine if this school is a good fit for you.  

Some of these programs have top-of-the-line equipment, including the latest tire balancers, scan tools, and alignment equipment. Having experience on this equipment will make the transition to tech even easier. 

One of the requirements for a school to be NATEF certified is that they maintain an Advisory Committee made up of individuals that include business owners, technicians, industry representatives, program graduates, and more. This committee is charged with watching over the program and making sure it teaches everything students need to complete their training. 

Sometimes referred to as an OAC (Occupational Advisory Committee), this committee is the perfect way to become part of a training program and see what exactly it is doing. As a committee person, you would have input regarding the direction of the program.  

If you want to involve yourself more, volunteer to help at school events, such as an open house or help monitor some testing. Offer to open your shop for class trips. When the students arrive, watch them, challenge them, learn who they are, and what they know. With this knowledge, you can make an informed decision of who you would like to give a chance to find success in the industry. You could be the one that helps the 17-year-old student get the experience they need. 

This will not fill your empty bays today. It is simply a way for you to fill empty bays for years to come. This is a win-win situation for all involved. You grow your own techs, molding them to your needs, and you help the school deliver more tech-ready candidates by assuring that the automotive program is top notch and stays that way for years.

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