Overcoming industry shortages is one of the biggest challenges facing automotive technicians today. Due to a number of factors, finding skilled auto technicians has been harder than ever and it won’t be ending any time soon.
From the elimination of auto-shop classes in public education to the decline in car-culture amongst teens and young adults, there are numerous factors that contribute to the current shortage of auto technicians.
Although it may feel like it sometimes, finding a new auto tech isn’t impossible if you make it enticing enough.
Offer Training
One of the best bets for attracting and maintaining younger talent is to supplement their career growth. By providing young, new auto technicians with the opportunity to make advancements in their career field they’ll probably be hesitant to jump ship at the first sight of a new job.
In fact, more than half of millennials and Gen Zers report that they find it necessary to update their skills and industry knowledge regularly. Continuous learning doesn't just benefit employees either. Providing new auto techs with the skills necessary to advance their careers means they’ll be able to use that training on the job, making sure your workforce is always ahead of the curve.
Don’t Be Stingy on the Benefits
Everyone loves working somewhere they feel valued, and one of the best ways to let new auto techs know how appreciated they are is with a robust benefits package they won’t find elsewhere. When pondering what type of benefits package would attract the talent you’re looking for, consider what you would find valuable in a benefits package from a new role.
For example, would you find just one week of PTO acceptable after three years of service? Probably not. Since companies are offering perks like unlimited vacation time and flex hours, the yesteryear approach to employee benefits simply won’t cut it these days.
Thinking outside of the box can serve as a way to attract and keep new auto technicians, too. Especially, things that can have an impact on improving their work-life balance like maternity and paternity leave, or birthdays off.
Help with Tools
While tools are a necessity for an auto repair tech, they are also pricey and for new auto technicians just starting their careers, this can be a major challenge. So, give them options like a payment plan where you purchase the tools upfront and pull small payments from their check until it’s paid in full.
This also gives opportunities for more seasoned techs to replace their tools or upgrade to better equipment. And don’t forget, this is a benefit for you too as better tools are going to make the work they do more efficient. Win-win.
Partner with Tech Schools
Something that makes the auto industry stand out is that it’s a rare field that offers new professionals a promising career path right after graduation. That’s why it’s important to get in front of them as they near graduation.
Consider developing relationships with a local vocational or tech school–whether that means being a guest teacher for one of the classes or a mentor to students. This gives you direct access to new auto techs that are fresh on the job market with the latest industry expertise.
Offer an Apprenticeship
As great as your most seasoned veteran auto techs are, the reality is they’re a rarity. By allowing them to share their expertise with less experienced auto technicians, you can expand your talent pool. This type of on-the-job training also helps to make your open position more desirable to emerging talent.
The iron-sharpens-iron approach to building a talented team of auto techs can go a long way. Building an apprenticeship program can help build the skills of new technicians and develop the leadership skills of older ones all while aiding in your recruitment efforts.
Engage with the Right People
Finding new talent that makes a long-term, positive impact at your shop means connecting with the right people at the right place and time. Resources like email campaigns and mobile SMS communications can lead to connecting with the ideal pool of candidates.
Navigating creating your own email or text messaging campaign might seem like more than you can handle, but that’s where BayIQ comes in. BayIQ is a marketing automation platform built by auto repair shop experts for the auto repair industry.
Using BayIQ provides auto shop owners with a wide range of capabilities that includes email marketing, an appointment scheduler, reporting & analytics, a pre-built loyalty program, and more.
BayIQ won’t just make finding a new auto tech easier, it’ll allow you to reap the benefits of complex marketing campaigns without the hassle. Why wait? Start using BayIQ to make the connections that matter today!
