Feet on the Street: by Bud Rice

Where have all the Technicians gone?

It has become abundantly clear that the pipeline for new technicians is down to just a trickle.  It clearly isn’t enough to keep up with the vast numbers of current technicians who over the next few years are going to retire.  It clearly isn’t enough to keep up with the needed rates for business starting up and trying to get a foothold in this very competitive industry.

You may have noticed that the auto shop classes we all grew up with in high school have been abandoned and closed.  Any that remain are not supported in a way that makes sense.

Secondary colleges have been a great resource for students looking to enter the industry but they too are under fire from budget constraints. 

There are private technical trade training schools which are trying to fill the gap and they have made a difference.  The problem there of course is that there is not the feeder system of the past which helped bring new people into the trade.

What was once a pathway that an interested potential technician could see, and a roadmap to follow there is now only frustration and uncertainty in trying to find available resources to enable them to learn a lifetime trade.

We need to make that roadmap easier to see.

CalABC has been at the forefront of this battle in working for funding for secondary education earmarked for technical training.  CalABC is trying to represent the industry in this important area but need to have your help too.  Check us out on www.calabc.org and see what we are up to.There are many challenges facing us on many fronts. How we respond to them will impact us and our future for years to come.

The California Business Coalition – CalABC has a number of legislative issues on the radar screen that the membership needs to be made aware of and have listed a couple of them below.

AB 1925 Eng (D): Would enable the Franchise Tax Board to suspend or withhold professional licenses, certificates and registrations if a licensee fails to pay taxes for which a notice of state tax lien has been recorded.

If this passes it would make it extremely difficult for someone who has gotten behind to catch up when they will be restricted from working.

AB 2063 Parra (D): This bill would subject all vehicles registered in the state to biennial inspections.

Many vehicles have been able to avoid the smog check program because they are in rural areas of the state. This would close that loop-hole and make the entire state subject to the biennial testing regimen.

With the rising price of fuel you may have noticed a decrease in shop revenues as consumers are forced to decide between filling up their tanks and maintenance services.

Don’t fall into the trap of failing to provide good recommendations to your customers based on your belief that they won’t be interested in keeping their cars properly maintained. Remember your job is to use your skill and experience to provide your customers with good information so they can make good decisions based on what is right for them and their cars.

Customers are looking for solutions to their problems (car running rough), a fair and reasonable price, and someone they can trust. Make their visit to you a pleasant one, and be a resource they will want to interact with again and again.

However there are other considerations and issues to be concerned about too.
Our industry is under siege from many angles including regulatory, pending legislation and market conditions and you can make a difference.

How?

By making sure, you are up to date with the latest information at www.calabc.org. The web site is your new portal for what is happening in Sacramento.

CalABC is another tool in your toolbox for helping your business stay in front of the action so you can make good decisions.

Keep the faith – stay informed and get involved. The industry is stronger when we all work together to make things better.

Spread the Word!

-Bud

Bud Rice is Secretary on the CalABC Executive Board of Directors and is President of Side B Corporation the Franchisor for Quality Tune-Up in the North Bay, Peninsula, East Bay and Napa Valley with 19 locations. You can contact Bud at budr@sidebcorp.com or 408-374-2001.