Hamilton, Ontario — Daniel Trevisanutto, owner of CARSTAR Thunder Bay has recently become an active participant in Ontario’s Level Up career fair initiative to connect with the future talent of the industry.
Trevisanutto recently attended one of Ontario’s Level Up events, a multi-day series of career fairs that brings together skilled professionals from across varying trade industries. The event series provides interactive, hands-on experience to connect with prospective workforce members and highlights what a career in the trades would look like.
“With an aging technician demographic, it is imperative for us to connect with a younger demographic to prepare for the future of our business,” said Trevisanutto.
“Connecting with these workers who are just entering the workforce provides an opportunity for our long-term employees to pass on ‘trade secrets’ to help with the training process and ensure the quality of work our shop produces continues.”
For CARSTAR Thunder Bay, the Level Up program has already yielded positive outcomes. Through the program, Level Up facilitated a connection between an interested student and CARSTAR Thunder Bay, evolving into a school co-op placement and an apprenticeship.
“The value that is available at these shows is fantastic,” said Trevisanutto. “It provided us the ability to talk directly about what we do, and why we feel that this is a great career choice. Students with a genuine interest can learn first-hand that entering a trade isn’t something to be ashamed of and a career in one of them can provide them with an enriching career and good quality of life.”
However, working with and developing top talent go beyond recruitment. Recognizing the challenge of staff retention in the industry, Trevisanutto shares insights into how he keeps his team motivated and engaged.
“I believe our strongest feature for motivating and engaging employees is our commitment to supporting our community,” said Trevisanutto. “Our involvement in several charitable and sporting events throughout the year gives purpose to the work being done on the shop floor. Our goal is to have staff be proud to work for our organization by proving that social stewardship can be a viable part of running the business.”
In addition to community engagement, Trevisanutto places value on fostering a culture of continuous learning within the shop. Rather than viewing errors as opportunities for discipline, they are seen as chances for learning and open dialogue.
In an industry constantly in motion, Trevisanutto focuses on the long-term benefits of reaching out to younger talent to pave the way forward.
“In the short-term, apprentices cost money and may initially produce work at a slower rate. However, these greener technicians will ultimately grow into productive members of the team that will pay dividends in the long run. Producing repairs that everyone is proud to present creates a business model that will retain staff who appreciate the quality of work as a factor alongside a quality paycheck.”
