CARS Proposes Study for the Automotive Repair and Service Industry

The Canadian Automotive Repair and Services (CARS) Council is, once again, reaching out to industry for guidance and direction in formulating its strategic action plan in support of its continuing mandate “to address on a national basis the human resource and training development needs of the automotive repair and service industry.”

Since its establishment in 1988, CARS has repeatedly consulted with industry in the development of a national human resource strategy for the automotive repair and service industry.

In fact, CARS was established as a result of a sector-wide study completed in 1987. The study, entitled “Canadian Automotive Repair and Service Industry — a Human Resource Study”, revealed a number of key issues affecting the industry’s ability to attract and retain sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled individuals to meet future labour force needs.

The recommendations and information provided in this study and a subsequent 1999 study “Bridging the Gaps” have provided the background and rationale for all CARS projects initiated over the last several years.

CARS now plans to undertake a new, comprehensive examination of the training and human resource planning needs of the automotive aftermarket including the service and repair sector and the collision repair, motorcycle repair and parts distribution industries.

The labour market information gathered and recommendations of this national sector study will provide the basis of CARS’ strategic plan and future project areas and establish priority areas of activity for the CARS Council.

This continuing dialogue with key industry stakeholders including manufacturers and suppliers, employers and individual technicians is essential to ensure that training and development initiatives are industry led and training solutions are truly industry responsive.

The overall objectives of the project will be:

1. To obtain current labour market information on which to base project activity to address human resource and training challenges facing the Canadian automotive repair and service industry.

2. To obtain a baseline of labour market information that can be used in future sector studies and evaluations of project activities.

3. To review prioritized recommendations with the CARS Board of Directors and identify a strategic direction for CARS that would address recommendations from the final report.

CARS proposes to undertake two distinct research initiatives concurrently. Information on industry demographics, labour, training and wage trends will be gathered and documented by one team of researchers while a second team will focus on the potential impact of environmental legislation on the workforce. The research will require consultation with manufacturers, government representatives and environmental organizations.

An advisory committee will be formed to provide overall direction to the project.

CARS will invite representation from various stakeholders including, employers and employees from the automotive service, repair, collision repair, motorcycle repair and parts distribution industries, training, apprenticeship, federal government departments (e.g. HRSD, Industry Canada, Environment Canada), and those who work with newcomers regarding employment/training.

As well, industry and education stakeholders will be represented on project-specific committees and advisory boards to ensure that the project benefits from industry and subject matter expert knowledge and experience and to ensure that there is buy-in by all stakeholders.

CARS will validate its research findings and recommendations with industry in a series of workshops to be held regionally across Canada. Here all stakeholders will have an opportunity to review the findings and recommendations and to prioritize the recommendations.

Based on feedback from this coast to coast consultation with industry stakeholders, CARS will develop a strategic action plan to address the recommendations. This project is funded by the Government of Canada sector council program.

Visit our website at www.cars-council.ca