While waiting for my panel to begin at the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week SOLD event in January, I had the pleasure of spending some time with Mike Betts, CEO of Betts Spring Co. in Fresno, Calif. Mike is extremely active in the independent heavy-duty aftermarket and a passionate champion of making more training available to independent heavy-duty service and repair facilities. In fact, he was the driving force behind the creation of the Service Opportunities and Learning Day (SOLD) presentations at this year’s HDAW.
As you might expect, our conversation focused on the need for making more technical training available to the aftermarket heavy-duty repair community, which also happened to be part of the panel discussion I moderated. We agreed that, while there were training opportunities out there, much more needs to be done. The rapid pace of technological change in every transportation segment presents a challenge for both technicians and training managers. Staying current on the latest in emission and powertrain technology alone is a full-time commitment. While the vehicle manufacturers and organizations like the ATA Technology and Maintenance Council do a great job of providing technical training to their constituents, if you are an aftermarket service operation, you may not have access to these resources.
The SOLD panel offered attendees takeaway information which identified existing training opportunities that they may not know about, such as NATEF-accredited post-secondary programs and aftermarket training providers, but it was clear we need to do more as an industry. It also was clear that this is an opportunity knocking for those training providers out there who may not be servicing the aftermarket as much as the demand would suggest.
The success of the first SOLD program identifies a need—and I’m sure future programs will address this issue head-on— but in the meantime, it’s important to take advantage of what training opportunities are out there. While most involve traveling of one kind or another, there are some good training programs available if you know where to look.
Regular readers of this column already know that I’m a fan of trade shows. Aside from the endless networking opportunities, the heavy-duty market is unique in having some of the best technical and management training available as part of that experience. The latest examples are the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Work Truck Show, held in Indianapolis this year March 4-8, and the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting, scheduled for Nashville March 11-14. If you have the chance to attend either or both, you’ll find answers to some of your training needs.
The dialog on filling the heavy-duty aftermarket training needs has begun in earnest, and with the enthusiasm of individuals like Mike, I have no doubt that solutions will be found. But it’s going to take a cooperative effort from all of the heavy-duty segments to address what remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the industry. It’s time to get involved in the conversation.
