Teachers work to prepare their students with the metaphorical tools that they need to find success in their lives and careers, but there’s an opportunity to use physical tools to do just that. Sonic USA Education Sales Manager Bailey Pearson and Director of Sales Colin Speer presented “From classroom to career: Equipping the next generation of technicians,” where they covered some of the options available to educators to better equip their students with both the soft skills necessary to succeed in a professional environment and the hard skills required to actually do the work of a technician.
The industry has some major paradigm shifts to make on the employer side, with shops needing to invest more in their technicians, their working environment, and their tools to address the needs of current and future technicians. That’s a tall task, but at the very least, automotive educators can help start the shift.
By partnering with local dealerships and independent shops, schools have expanded the opportunities and tools available to their students. Sonic Tools saw the gap between schools and shops and is now working to establish a new kind of relationship between the two.
“My goal is to teach you how to mend the bridge between schools and shops,” Pearson said.
Asking local partners to serve on advisory boards, donate used equipment and components, provide feedback on tool lists, or allow students to visit and job shadow can further grow the relationship.
These partnerships are a form of early investment on the part of the shops battling the ongoing technician shortage. Working with dealerships to better equip the schools and educational facilities with professional-grade tools and equipment is going to be one of the key parts of improving the industry long-term. Starting the investment at the schools and proving to shops that investing is critical to fill those empty bays is just the first step, but it makes a huge difference to the students right away.
“Starting out with something that is a professional standard in a dealership or an independent shop is a good way to start getting students more involved, but also to say, ‘This is what is going to be expected of you when you do get there,’” Pearson explained.
“Make it look professional. Getting people excited about coming to the classroom, especially getting students excited about not only coming to the classroom and wanting to learn, but also wanting to use the equipment that you have available.”
Key insights from automotive educators:
The technician shortage and what’s missing
The industry is facing some of the same challenges it faced 20 years ago—a shortage of technicians that need to be grown because they can’t be found. Hiring quality people requires quality pay, which isn’t happening enough. There needs to be more mentoring and leadership at shops.
Finding a solution
The ASE Education Foundation is playing a key role in addressing these issues, with ASE program accreditation and the Department of Labor Approved Apprenticeship Program ensuring that students and starting technicians are being properly and comprehensively trained. By providing students with the opportunities, experiences, education, and tools necessary to thrive in the automotive industry, they can enter the field fully prepared as professionals.
About the Author
Griffin Matis
Associate Editor | PTEN & Professional Distributor
Griffin Matis is an associate editor for the Vehicle Repair Group. A graduate of the University of Missouri's School of Journalism, Matis works with Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN), Professional Distributor, and VehicleServicePros.com.