What’s really contributing to the tech shortage

The automotive aftermarket isn’t necessarily facing a shortage of technicians, according to a shop coach. Instead, there’s a shortage of good workplaces for them.

Bill Haas, president of AIM Auto Ignite Management, questioned the common claim that there is a simple technician shortage in North America during a presentation at the MEMA Aftermarket Technology Conference in Springfield, Missouri recently.

He pointed to public comments from Ford’s chief executive Jim Farley, who said on social media that Ford dealers need hundreds of thousands of technicians and that customers are waiting two weeks for service.

Haas told the audience his experience on the ground does not always match that picture. Instead, he said pay structures, benefits and working conditions at many dealerships and shops are driving skilled people away.

As an example, he cited a young technician at a dealer who has spent five years there since leaving school. The technician has completed all Stellantis training and certifications for the vehicles he services and is now the second most senior person in the shop.

Haas said the technician raised concerns about an upcoming campaign on the Pacifica minivan that required replacing both side curtain airbags. If the work were paid for by the customer, the technician would flag 6.2 hours. Under the factory warranty campaign, the job will pay less than two hours.

Haas said that kind of gap makes it difficult for technicians on flat-rate pay plans to support their families, even as they gain more training and experience.

Survey results presented earlier in his session showed many technicians share concerns about pay and structure with 70 per cent of respondents identifying higher pay as the most urgent issue in the industry. Half (49 per cent) said they would recommend a job at their current shop to a friend. Less than 20 per cent said they prefer flat rate pay, even though it remains common in the sector.

Haas said that rather than focusing only on attracting more people into the trade, shops and dealers need to improve how they treat the technicians they already have. That includes better pay systems, stronger benefits packages, climate-controlled workspaces and more respect for the role.

“Maybe there’s a shortage of great shops,” Haas wondered, adding that the real shortage lies there — great places for talented people to work.

If businesses fix that, he said, technicians will be eager to join them.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com