Help Wanted: Auto technicians in demand

As high school graduations wrap up and many seniors set their sights on traditional four-year universities, Roanoke’s auto repair industry faces a “Help Wanted” sign epidemic.

The local need for specialized auto technicians highlights a broader national trend. Technical programs such as automotive repair sit in the shadow of a growing college undergraduate population. From 2000 to 2010, the number of full-time students enrolled at degree-granting institutions rose by 45 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. While graduates scrap for jobs, technical positions in the auto repair field are becoming increasingly vacant.

“There’s definitely a shortage,” said Bob Warren, service manager of Duncan Ford in Rocky Mount. “Every auto dealer I’ve talked to — we all need qualified technicians.”

Warren said employers struggle to find competent replacements for retiring workers with decades of experience.

The problem multiplies as automotive technology advances. Computers and electrical equipment now dominate the auto industry as automatic doors, rear-view cameras and built-in navigation systems become increasingly commonplace. Mechanics now need a highly specialized set of skills.

“Everything is controlled electronically now. It’s not just turning wrenches,” Warren said. “It used to be that if Johnny wasn’t doing well in school but he was bright, you sent him to work on cars. Those days are over. They need to type. They need to know computers. They need to basically have an electrical engineering degree.”

Warren said dealerships and independent repair shops need to reach out to high school students to attract employees and stay competitive.

High school auto programs rely on whatever cars and equipment they can get their hands on, sometimes working with out-of-date vehicles that are no longer on the road. Dealerships donate cars to these programs to keep training practical and to spark student interest in a particular brand.

Warren recently gave a new Ford Focus to Franklin County High School’s automotive program. He also gave a 2008 Ford Explorer to the auto department at Roanoke County’s Burton Center for Arts and Technology.

“These kids should be working on something new. I don’t want them working on some junk car,” he said.

The relationship between employers and technical schools is symbiotic. Warren relies on Burton to produce competent future workers as much as the school depends on Warren’s donations and financial backing. Steven Hoback, an auto instructor at Burton, said the school’s automotive programs spent $35,000 this year alone.

“Some of that comes from [national grant] funding,” said Hoback, “But we get a lot of support from dealerships and local shops.”

Similar programs dot Virginia. Kathy Duncan, principal of the Roanoke Technical Education Center, said all Virginia automotive programs must now receive accreditation from the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. Statewide NATEF certification means all Virginia auto students come out of high school with roughly the same technical training.

“This summer we’ll be going through the accreditation process,” Duncan said. “We’re trying to serve a need in the community.”

Additional training

Many technical school graduates pursue some secondary training or education in their field after high school, Duncan said.

Community colleges such as Virginia Western have auto programs that prepare students for Automotive Service Excellence certification. ASE-certified technicians come out of school with a broad repair skill set. The certification is a minimum requirement for employment at most independent shops, said Mike Dudley, manager of Roanoke Auto Service Center.

Dudley said potential employees also must meet state inspection standards and obtain separate licenses from the Virginia State Police’s Safety Division before he can seriously consider them as job candidates. He said ASE certification and state licensure give technicians at independent service centers enough experience to handle major and minor repairs on a variety of vehicles.

“We do run the computer scans and that type of thing. We can handle repairs, replacements, anything of that nature. But most independents can’t program. Dealerships kind of have a lock on that,” Dudley said. “Like if a check engine light comes on for a specific reason on a certain model, the dealerships can program the vehicle with a computer update.”

Warren said ASE certification does not provide enough brand-specific experience to prepare graduates for more technical programming positions at major dealerships without extra training. Companies such as Ford started their own training programs to prepare employees to fill more specific openings, he said.

“You have to grow them. You won’t get them coming to you, no matter how much you headhunt and advertise,” he said. “If I don’t bring up guys I can count on, I don’t have a paycheck.”

Technical training

Magic City Ford technician Jason Tuck graduated from Botetourt Technical Education Center in 2001. He then enrolled in Ford’s program to become a certified Ford technician. The extra training prepared Tuck for Ford-specific repair work, and for more technical, higher paying positions earlier in his career. He said his experience in the two programs was vital to his eventual success in the auto repair industry.

“These programs are a good foundation and a starting point to come out and go into a field. They’re really increasing technical training and career readiness,” he said. “Coming out of high school and getting into something like a Ford program right away gets you technical training and sets you up to be a specified tech.”

Dealerships encourage high school graduates to enroll in brand-specific technical training to help foster specialized future employees. Greg Cash, service manager at Magic City Ford, said most auto shops and dealerships are constantly on the hunt for qualified technicians.

“We’ve been really struggling to find some good techs. But we were fortunate over here and have some great candidates coming in,” he said.

Cash looks for graduates from programs like Burton, Botetourt Tech and Salem High School’s Auto Service program. He said that with a strong high school background and two or three years of technician training, mechanics can see money sooner — and rack up less debt — than their former classmates still in college.

“It’s a very good financial situation for these kids to get into. There’s very good potential for a good career,” he said.

The median annual salary for service technicians is $36,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and more specialized auto workers can expect higher pay. Brand-specific technical programs are not free, but students in these programs generally receive an hourly wage for their auto work, and their earnings can offset the costs of enrollment, books and equipment.

Compare this with the $41,000 that the average business administration major is expected to earn as a starting salary, as listed by Payscale.com. English majors can expect $38,000, education majors $37,000 and chemistry majors $45,000. Many four-year grads have an edge in starting salary, but they face an average of $35,000 in student loans and debt, according to a recent Fidelity survey of 750 colleges and universities.

However, going to trade school and getting a college degree are not mutually exclusive. Warren said students can enroll part time or take night classes while they go through auto technician training. From 2000 to 2010, the number of part-time students enrolled in undergraduate universities rose by 26 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Warren said this trend lets students double dip in technical and undergraduate studies.

“These guys can come out in two years, and, if they take night classes, too, they can have two years of [undergraduate] schooling. I’ve had guys do that,” Warren said. “If the kids or Mom or Dad really want that piece of paper on the wall, it’s definitely doable.”

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