WyoTech, a leading automotive, diesel, and collision trade school, can’t keep up with the need for auto technicians, as demand has never been higher.
According to Fullbay’s 2022 State of Heavy-Duty Industry Report, 65% of the auto fleet and shops surveyed admitted that the top challenge was finding and hiring qualified technicians. The average age of technicians was between the ages of 25-34, totaling 41% of technician employees.
The good news is many technicians remain loyal once with an employer. For example, technicians between the ages of 35 and 44 have been in the industry for 11 years on average and seven years with their current employer.
“America cannot run without its trucking and automotive industries, which are desperate for qualified technicians; our automotive trade school fills a need,” CEO and President Jim Mathis said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 28,000 jobs will be needed for diesel service technicians and mechanics over the next 10 years. WyoTech’s recent growth in its automotive and diesel collision trade school is impacting the auto and truck industries by training an expanded pool of experienced and skilled workforce in need of employees.
“I have been in the industry for over 20 years, and while there have been some ebbs and flows for technician needs, what we’re seeing now is something I’ve never seen before,” John Alexopoulos of W.W. Williams said.
“We don’t have an abundance of new trucks that our fleets can purchase and just get rid of their old equipment,” Alexopoulos said. “The old ones need to be fixed. So, the need for diesel technicians that are trained and able to jump right in is at its all-time high, and I only see it getting higher.”
“In the agricultural industry, the demand has definitely increased for knowledgeable technicians or technicians that are willing to learn,” Nate Balstad of C&B Operations said. “With the dollar value that agriculturalists are paying per hour for technician labor on a job and their margins being thinner and smaller all the time, there’s not a lot of room for error. So, the demand for a well-qualified, young, energetic technician who is willing to learn and be a part of a team definitely continues to grow.”
WyoTech recently hosted a career fair in Laramie, Wyoming, on Feb. 15-16, with 96 companies conducting 907 interviews. WyoTech students were hired at the fair, a testament to the company’s vision of offering the best training in the industry for auto technicians.
“More people are beginning to attend trade schools than ever before. It is really gratifying to see our graduates go through our nine months training program and then get hired by companies that need technicians,” Mathis said.
The career fair for auto technicians takes place every three months, giving students an important opportunity to display their skills and connect with potential employers.
“What needs to be addressed is how American families see the importance of trade education,” WyoTech Vice President of Marketing Ashley Chitwood said. “It is not just the transportation industry. It is in every trade this nation requires to grow and thrive. There are ample jobs and tremendous opportunities for skilled trades in the nation, but we are in a shortage.”
“COVID opened the eyes of many to supply chain issues, the importance of mechanics, drivers, and pilots to get what we have historically taken for granted,” Chitwood said.
