The race to fill a critical skills gap

The automotive industry is facing a massive talent crunch that could leave nearly a million technician positions empty by 2027 — and it’s sounding the alarm for urgent action.

With a predicted shortage of hundreds of thousands of automotive technicians, the industry is getting creative about attracting new talent. That’s equivalent to the entire population of a top-10 Canadian city suddenly vanishing from repair shops and service centres.

“We’re sitting about 800,000 techs short,” said Cassie Bell, senior vice president of people at NAPA, during a sit-down interview at the company’s 100-year anniversary celebrations this year. “That’s critical for all of our stakeholders, whether it’s our customers, whether it’s us or even you who drive a vehicle.”

The recruitment strategy isn’t just about filling jobs — it’s about making automotive careers look exciting. At the NAPA Now event, the company unveiled an extended reality (XR) training platform, which blends augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), to capture young people’s attention.

“We’re taking AR and VR, which is what our kids like, right? They want to be a part of that,” Bell explained. “We’re letting them see how they can work on a car through virtual reality.”

The approach goes beyond just showing cool technology. It’s about changing perceptions of what an automotive career looks like. No longer is it just about getting greasy — now it’s a high-tech career involving complex computer diagnostics and innovative problem-solving.

Interestingly, the career path might be more lucrative than traditional university routes. Industry report suggests that the median income for trade professionals in the auto care sector can actually outpace four-year university graduates eight years after graduation.

Bell noted how the industry is targeting potential technicians early — starting in middle and high schools — to reshape how young people view automotive careers. By partnering with educational institutions and offering scholarships, they’re working to close the massive skills gap.

“We’ve got to make sure that our students understand what’s out there for them,” she said. “We need to help them see this is a viable career path.”

Image credit: Depositphotos.com