We all start from somewhere
Column by STEFANO LIESSI
Tech shortage! Tech shortage! Tech shortage! Good grief—enough already.
This statement is not news; you have been warned countless times about industry attrition. Let us first clarify that there is no tech shortage; that is just an easy excuse and ‘buzz’ phrase used to sensationalize and satisfy the cultural need for excessive drama.
Speaking for Alberta, because that is where I am, the post-secondary institutions that house the apprenticeship programs are full and must place students on a waiting list—for the first year, which is important to note. Multiple high school programs in Calgary have autobody facilities doing very well with enrollment. Now, save your breath before you get into a tangent on the education system; that is an article for another day. This enrolment information tells me there is significant interest in our industry.
If it isn’t a tech shortage, what is it, you ask? It is a unicorn shortage. Yes, unicorn, because that is what everyone is looking for to fill the role of the techs moving into management roles or retiring. To experience success, the staff you have on hand must be of top quality, so you look for applicants that fill that criterion. However, stipulations are attached to your measure, such as wage limits, experience levels, certifications, designations, education, etc. The common consensus is that everyone wants a fourth-year tech at a first-year wage. As I stated, you are looking for a unicorn, not a tech.
Yet, the youngsters coming through the ranks from high school or first year get left behind (each intake sees a diminishing enrolment for second, third and fourth year). They become stagnant because nobody wants to put the effort into getting them up to speed. You paired them up with the employee that’s about as personable as a tree stump and views the “apprentice” as a pain in their side. Or you rationalize the lack of attention, saying, “We don’t have time for this; we can’t let them go to school this year; we are too busy, and they will mess up.” Well, guess what? You don’t have time to NOT pay attention to this. The effort applied up front —in the beginning, is directly proportional to the successes at the back end—simple logic.
When I hear of signing bonuses for new hires, I ponder how, in my mind, people are not commodities traded in markets. If you have that kind of cash kicking around to buy an employee, maybe you should consider looking after your current employees first. How about chipping in for some much-needed training, covering the revenue while someone is at school, perhaps?
I recently discussed the industry with a talented young lady who decided to hang up her gun and leave the trade altogether. Why? Because nobody wants to hire apprentices, nobody wants to put in the effort, and sadly, women in the profession are still continuously neglected. This young lady has impacted the trade; for the trade itself and for the women entering it, yet she has constantly been cast aside and beaten down. If you treat youngsters this way, what are you expecting? Loyalty? Give your head a shake. When I read her messages, it infuriates me as I know she is not alone; countless other candidates out there feel the same way. To be fair, we can’t paint everyone with the same gun; however, the stats indicate a majority here, not an anomaly.
I am putting another layer of perspective for you to chew on. I taught high school autobody for six years. I had an inadequately equipped lab of about 1,500 sq. ft. You could fit all our pulling clamps into a milk crate. At times my class had up to 25 students. I had 90 minutes every other day with my groups for five months with an average fifteen-to-one student-teacher ratio. These students comprised various learning challenges and cognitive abilities, yet they did customer work, real work on real customer vehicles with invoices, much like you do. Over the six years, we managed to put out vehicles that went into car shows, did heavy collision jobs, tri-coats, custom paint work, general minor collisions and bring home the gold from a Skills competition.
From this smorgasbord of a lab, I can account for nine students that went into the trade.
Now that you have a mental image let me elaborate when I say your excuses do not hold water. Why? Because you have one, two, maybe three engaged apprentices that want to be there, they are there every day for eight hours, with a one-to-one apprentice-mentor ratio.
Out of the nine students that I know went into the trade, three are still there. Six exited. Why? Neglect.
There are plenty of techs; there is, however, a retention issue. If you give the youngsters a chance to apply themselves, they will. It won’t be easy; I never said it was, but it will be extremely gratifying, this I know. When I see my past students doing well in places that let them, it is why they are still in the trade. When you remove the opportunity, they remove themselves, ergo, your shortage.
In my opinion, and you are entitled to my opinion, you created this mess by ignoring the attrition issue; time to be accountable. If you keep looking for that unicorn, it will never come. There is no instant fix. Young staff will stay if you nurture and develop, sometimes struggling apprentices.
The effort upfront is directly proportional to success in the end. Only some young applicants will become the star technician you have been searching for, but rest assured your current star technician was not always a star technician; they also started from the bottom.
