How To Become Service Technician For Dealerships

Show of Hands: 'Who Wants to Exist a Auto Dealership Mechanic?'

In a Wards Q&A, Toyota's Joseph Myers talks virtually the dire need to recruit and train automobile technicians. He also tells a story illustrating the large office dealers play.

Automakers and dealers are stepping upwards efforts to recruit young prospects and turn them into qualified mechanics.

Toyota, a leader of such efforts, this month begins a spinoff program to fill the auto technician ranks, which have been chronically low for years.

With 36 electric current U.S. locations Toyota'southward T-TEN ((Technician Training & Education Network) partners with schools and other organizations to offer students a take a chance to earn degrees and certificates that comply with loftier training standards in the automotive industry. Those include associate degrees, National Plant for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications and Toyota and Lexus technician preparation certifications.

The T-Ten offshoot, the Technical Teaching College Support Elite (TECS) program, expands the reach to 8 new locations beyond the land, for a total of 44.

The eight new locations featuring automotive diagnosis and repair training are:

• Andrada Polytechnic High School, Tucson, AZ.
• Cherry Creek Innovation Middle, Centennial, CO.
• Collin College Technical Campus, Allen, TX.
• Contra Costa College, San Ramon, CA.
• Fresno City College, Fresno, CA.
• Hartnell College, Salinas, CA.
• Lincoln College of Technology, Columbia, Physician.
• Vehicles for Change, Baltimore, Doctor.

TECS' level of certification would be a stride beneath T-X, yet the education would serve as an nugget for someone seeking an entry-level dealership position, says Joseph Myers, T-X's technician development manager. (Joseph Myers, left)

"Trained car technicians are in not bad need and are the key to any successful dealership," he adds. "We are grateful for the opportunity to expand the program'south attain…that not simply fulfills our needs, merely also provides stable jobs and career security."

Moreover, information technology gives vehicle owners "the most satisfying service experience possible," he says.

T-TEN training offers different programs, degrees and document options. The typical program runs two years. "We provide equipment, vehicles and the curriculum," says Myers, whose automotive career includes a xx-yr stint as a service technician.

Since it started in 1986, T-X has graduated nearly 12,000 students.

In a Wards Q&A, Myers talks well-nigh recruiting, training and needing car technicians. He too tells an anecdote illustrating the key role dealers can play. Here'due south an edited version of the interview.

Wards : Who is interested in such a program beyond apparently techy people?

Myers : Nosotros're looking for anyone who wants to piece of work on Toyota and Lexus vehicles, and has a passion for cars. In community colleges, you do have an historic period mix, only about fourscore% of people in our classes are 18 to 21.

A beauty of this new program is we're now able to take students over the age of 16. If in that location is a qualified high schoolhouse program, nosotros tin can partner with it. Previously, nosotros couldn't. Our belief is that if someone is introduced to auto applied science at an early age, we have a better run a risk of capturing them as a career employee for Toyota or Lexus.

On the other end, we have initiatives to concenter adult learners, particularly military veterans. Our program for them, M-Ten, is still in its infancy stages.

Wards : What is the current supply-and-demand situation for auto technicians at dealerships? Is the shortage of qualified technicians even so a large outcome?

Myers : Demand has been off the charts for years. When COVID hitting, nosotros had dealers pull dorsum a fleck; some technicians were actually furloughed. That was a great business organization of ours.

The verbal reports now are that these technicians are dorsum to work, yet there is even a greater shortfall. That's considering in sure markets, such as the Northeast, when COVID hit, we had several technicians who were a year or two from retirement. (When they were laid off), they ended upwardly retiring on their own. That has created a tremendous shortfall in that region. So, nosotros're scrambling in those markets.

Another issue nosotros're facing on the training side is that because of COVID, enrollments are down significantly across the land. Some schools had to limit on-campus activities. Our training is very lab-focused. Nosotros've washed things such as create lab protocols, including social distancing.

We're concerned because nosotros're at least twenty% to 30% below where we were a twelvemonth ago with enrollments. We're tying that to school limitations also as pupil – and parent – apprehensions regarding COVID.

Wards : Does it take convincing to get people interested in becoming an auto technician?

Meyers : I've worked with counterparts at other OEMs to discuss this very thing. Nosotros have factors confronting us as far as attracting people in this industry.

People don't realize how this side of the industry has evolved so much. I started out in 1985 every bit a dealership technician. The conditions were much different dorsum then. You were lucky to accept rut, let lone air conditioning. The setting was much dissimilar. Today, a dealership service department is virtually as cute as the showroom.

People don't realize how that has evolved. On top of that, they don't understand the engineering has evolved likewise. It requires someone with college electrical skills and higher diagnostic abilities. It's a best-kept hush-hush that we are trying to go out in that location.

Another affair is that a lot of other industries are competing for the students nosotros're trying to recruit. For instance, avant-garde manufacturing. A lot of our preparation parallels what it does. The electronics on a vehicle with all the dissimilar processors mirror a lot of technology that an avant-garde-manufacturing student would run into on, say, the robotics side.

Then, there is contest for students. Also, a lot of parents want their tech-savvy children to become engineers. They don't realize our top technicians' compensation rivals that of our engineers here at Toyota. Top technicians tin make six figures. We're trying to get that message out.

Wards : What are ways to reach loftier school students?

Myers : We're emphasizing to our dealers a concept called adopt-a-high school. Find out ways you tin support those schools and allow the students know virtually  opportunities your industry offers.

Years ago, when I was a T-X instructor, I did some recruiting, too. One day, I was to speak at a high school in Evansville, IN, and told the local dealer's service director about it. He said, "Practise you mind if I go with yous?" I said, "Of class not."

At the school, he stood in the dorsum of the room while I did my dog-and-pony evidence that basically consisted of showing some slides and talking about the industry and needs and what have you. I and so asked the students if any of them were interested in condign a technician at a Toyota or Lexus dealership. Virtually 2 or three hands went upward. I was happy.

I could tell the service director wasn't happy with those numbers. He asked if he could say something to the students. I said, "Come up front."

He then spoke in detail what his dealership was like. He said, "Yous can commencement at my dealership. You lot can work your way up, and I'll support you with training."

He laid information technology all out. After that, he said, "Does that sound interesting to anyone?" Literally every manus in that room went up. I realized then the importance of getting the local dealer involved.

Source: https://www.wardsauto.com/dealers/show-hands-who-wants-be-car-dealership-mechanic

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