Jean-Marc Julien is the collision instructor at the Canadian Collision Repair Academy (CCRA) in Milton, Ontario.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORSHIP IN THE COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY
Story by MICHAEL VAVAROUTSOS
Leadership is critical in our industry. Being properly trained and prepared for a role is one of the biggest contributing factors to ensure a shop’s success. Finding the right people to mentor and train staff is essential to any facility looking to ensure long-term profitability and viability.
Collision Repair magazine spoke with three mentors in the collision repair industry to see what it takes to become an effective mentor. Jean-Marc Julien, collision repair instructor for the CWB Group’s Canadian Collision Repair Academy, believes that the key qualities or characteristics of an effective mentor in the collision repair industry can be summed up using just one word: Passion.
“If you’ve got somebody with passion for the industry and that wants to make a difference, that’s the key to being a good mentor.” Julien made it very clear that being able to actively foster a positive learning environment for new hires or apprentices can’t be run independently. He said there has to be a set plan in place in which somebody can work with a technician for a certain amount of hours a day to learn on specific aspects of their repair process.
Rather than spending 10 to 15 minutes with an apprentice, Julien says that they should schedule a time in their day where they can spend time with an experienced technician.
“Apprentices don’t really learn like that. They should be able to spend an hour or two with an experienced technician to concentrate on the steps that they’re doing,” he said.
“They need to focus and concentrate.”
Julien became a mentor because he wanted to support the industry in the same way it supported him during his beginnings. He says that it is his passion.
“The industry has been very good to me in my career, and I love being able to help people. He added that there are some technicians out there that really don’t like to communicate with their apprentices. This is what makes an entry level person today so valuable to add to an experienced technician.
Agreeing with Julien, Bill Davidge, CARSTAR Director of Innovation and Technology, also plainly said some people aren’t meant to be mentors.
“The problem is that the shops think that they’re going to get their most experienced tech and he’s going to be able to teach him or her how to repair a vehicle. The thing is, the best technician isn’t always the best mentor.” To be a good mentor, Davidge explained that your communication and listening skills have to be good, as well as being patient and understanding the generational gaps that may be in place.
“To be a good technician, you have to put yourself in their position. You have to help them understand the full picture, like what they are doing, why they are doing it.”
Cecile Bukmeier, the Chair of NAIT Auto Body Program, said a good mentor must be able to challenge the apprentice to be able to hone in on their skills, while also not letting them get complacent.
“You have to listen to them and watch them to see how they learn. Not everyone learns the same way, so getting to see the person that you’re training and seeing their learning styles and matching your mentorship to that is helpful for them,” Bukmeier said.
Bukmeier also says that giving them time is an important aspect towards success. “Giving them space and opportunities to develop is very important. As a journeyperson, you do have to kind of put yourself in that mentorship role and allow them to oversee some of the work. It’s important to give them opportunities, but then also listen to them and understand their goals,” she said. The most important piece of advice that Bukmeier wanted to give to people trying to become a mentor is to try to get to know the people that you’re going to mentor. Seeing how your skills can be applied to give this person the best shot at success will allow them to have the best experience. The structured format of an actual mentorship program is a much more effective method to train apprentices today. It helps to foster a smoother and faster learning experience for the employee into the job, while also making them feel more confident in their roles and allow them to learn new skills more quickly, which can contribute to safe collision repairs.
Both Bukmeier and Davidge brought up how colleges have mentorship programs and internships connected with collision repair shops. Davidge says that the best mentorship program they have now is in the network’s CARSTAR London Center, which has a relationship with Fanshawe College in London, Ontario.
“What makes this mentorship effective in comparison to other places is the disassembly and education,” Davidge said.
A mentorship program can also operate alongside a training program from sources like I-CAR Canada. This approach can strengthen the mentor’s skills development efforts and establish a solid foundation for the employee’s future roles.
