Is Apprenticeship Dead, or should it be? Why is Apprenticeship not Working for Some People.

Jim Anderton, SSGM’s Technical Editor, claims Apprenticeship should be dead. I am not sure of his experience with any of the following: as an apprentice, as a journeyperson technician, with the ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification, nor his involvement with the apprenticeship system. But I do know that many people and dealers in the U. S. envy the Canadian apprenticeship system.

Rather than blaming the apprenticeship system for the employee shortage or the lack of skilled technicians, you should start with a look at the employer -employee relationship. How many new employees/entry level apprentices are forced to work for an endless amount of time in the quick service area or lube bay?

Jim Anderton is correct with the reasons he describes in how the time is right for young people to get into the automotive service technician trade. Unfortunately, apprenticeship is not a recruiting system. Jobs in other sectors seem to be attracting the same people we would like in the automotive industry. Employers will need to be more creative in attracting young people because there are fewer of them to pick from and everyone else is looking for them as well. Employers need also to start listening to their techs and begin to understand the daily challenges they face if they wish to attract and retain techs.

The concerns I commonly hear from apprentices and journey status techs is consistent. They all like working on cars, but many are upset with the trade and are planning to leave or change employers for the following reasons.

Wages and the flat rate pay system are usually at the top of the list. Low take-home pay, no guaranteed wage, low wages comparative with other trades with the same skills, and the lack of pay for diagnostic time. Why do menu pricing, labour discounts and sales promotions offered by the employer force the technicians on a flat rate to provide discounts for their labour?

The second reason is the cost of tools required by technicians to do the job. No other trade or occupation requires employees to provide such an extensive outlay of money for tools in order to get the job done. The third reason is the lack of benefits provided for technicians such as sick leave, a pension plan, tool insurance and a minimum guaranteed wage, wages that you could live on.

The fourth, especially for the aftermarket, is usually poor access to new technology training materials. In order for technicians to do their jobs, they require that information to keep them current with the constantly changing technology so they can perform diagnostics and repair procedures in a timely fashion.

When I began working as an apprentice in the late 60s, flat rate journey status technicians were upset because the door rate had gone up and the technicians received nothing. I vividly remember technicians making 46 per cent of the door rate and the door rate increase would then drop their earnings to 42 per cent. Experienced techs told us they used to get 50 per cent of the door rate and with every door rate increase, the percentage dropped. Currently the technicians get approximately 25 per cent to 30 per cent (flat rate) of the door rate depending on the location of the

business. If this industry wants to attract the brightest and best young people and retain their experienced technicians, the automotive industry as a whole

will need wages competitive with other trades. Flat rate or straight time is not the real issue. It’s the employees take home pay. The cost of tools and tool insurance should be addressed by the employers and or the federal government. Tax exemptions may help, but it won’t resolve the problem.

Ask any experienced technician you know if they would recommend the automotive repair trade to their children, and listen to what they say: “Never,” and “Not in your life,” are the common comments. Ask trades people in other trades the same question and you may be surprised to hear the exact opposite.

The real problem is the how apprentices are valued. Deskilling or segmenting the trade will only lead to lower wages, an eventual loss of diagnostic skills because of the integrated automotive systems, and a further decrease of employees. You only need to look at the occupations where young people are waiting and wanting to enter, and ask yourself why there and not here! SSGM

Have something to say to our industry? Let us know with the Last Word! tom@ssgm.com