Whether you believe there is a technician shortage or not, the fact is that many fleets are becoming concerned over where the future technicians are coming from.
Many more are having trouble replacing their most qualified individuals when they retire.
Finding qualified technicians is only going to get harder down the road. Consider that, according to the Department of Labor (DOL), about half of all working technicians employed today will be eligible for retirement in the next seven to twelve years.
So what do you do? The first step is to look around your own shop and determine which members of your staff fall into that DOL statistic. Planning ahead is always a good idea, particularly if it involves developing existing employees for higher-skilled roles within your business. Moving a good C tech up to the next level means having a training and certification plan built around the skill set you’ll need within your own organization.
We’ve covered the long-term benefits of establishing a career development program previously in this column, but what about immediate needs? Let’s say your top technician walks in and announces that he’s decided to relocate or retire. Typically, you might begin by placing an ad in the employment section of a local newspaper. While this is a good place to start, you likely need to expand your focus.
Finding a qualified individual may require advertising in other cities or states to attract new talent. It goes without saying that you need to have a compelling compensation package to convince someone to relocate. Accentuate the positive in your employment copy. If you’re offering top dollar, don’t be afraid to put qualifiers into the ad, like ASE Master with L2, to limit the number of unqualified applicants.
There are a number of websites for employers seeking technicians and technicians seeking a change. The most obvious are Monster.com, autocareers.com, and autojobs.com, but try googling “jobs for techs” or other permutations of job descriptions and see what websites come up on the search. You might also try posting on technician websites such as the International Automotive Technicians Network (iATN). Remember, that using the Internet will expose your job listing to a worldwide audience, and an applicant having to relocate is likely.
Don’t forget the military as a potential source for new recruits. Auto-motive Retailing Today sponsors a program called “Hire the Heroes,” which connects repair shops needing good technicians with recently discharged military personnel. In many instances, these individuals already have achieved ASE certification and generally come well trained in vehicle maintenance. About the only caution here is the likely need to educate any new hires on the realities of a production shop. However, the advantages of hiring a veteran include getting a motivated and disciplined individual who has a connection to VA programs that will pay for ongoing professional certifications, like ASE, as part of the veterans benefits.
Whatever your shop needs are today, the key to maintaining a qualified service staff is to plan ahead. Anticipating personnel changes as much as possible will allow you the luxury of time in finding a suitable replacement.