Pub. 18 2019-2020 Issue 1

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S I S S U E N O . 2 , 2 0 1 9 12 new jersey auto retailer NJ CAR launched its workforce development initiative in January 2019 with the goal of addressing the technician shortage facing dealers in New Jersey. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, new car dealerships across the country will need approximately 76,000 technicians per year, through 2026, to fill anticipated job openings, as more experienced technicians retire or leave the industry. New Jersey dealers alone will need as many as 12,000 new technicians over the next seven years. Unfortunately, fewer students are choosing to pursue a career in automotive repair, which keeps the demand for skilled technicians extremely high. NJ CAR is going to work to promote the many benefits of a career in automotive repair, similar to what NADA is doing on a national level through their workforce development campaign. Just a few weeks ago, NJ CAR was awarded a $907,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor ( NJ DOL ) to aid in developing its Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Pro- gram ( ATAP ). Breanna Datello-Esquilin, NJ CAR’s Director of Workforce Development and ATAP Program Manager, has also secured partnerships with technical schools throughout the State to recruit automotive students into ATAP and connect them with their local dealers to begin their apprenticeship. Through the grant, NJ CAR will be able to cover the costs associated with training and mentoring its apprentices and offer partial wage reimbursement to dealers who employ them. ATAP will serve as a school-to-work pipeline, helping facilitate relationships between job seekers and job creators. The program will help place new entrants into the profession with dealerships, continue their education through related technical instruction, provide guidance and mentoring and provide them with a de- fined career path, while monitoring and supporting their growth within the organization they select for their apprenticeship. NJ CAR has enlisted the help of subject matter experts, mainly Service Directors and Managers, to help create job-specific train- ing that meets the needs of new car dealers. Beyond the techni- cal, theory-based instruction, ATAP will also educate apprentices on liability and safety, how to conduct a proper and thorough multipoint inspection, repair order write-up/documentation, warranty and recall repairs, and shop neatness and organization. ATAP will also help build the soft skills of each apprentice, in- cluding professionalism, work ethic, teamwork, communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and time management. ATAP will take aspiring auto technicians, no matter the level of training they have, and put them through a comprehensive automotive repair program while they are working full time. This way, the dealer has the benefit of a full-time employee and the employee has the benefit of a full-time pay check. ATAP will help apprentices achieve “Level C Technician” status within the two-year program. Upon completion, the tech can choose to continue growing his or her skills through their employer at BY BREANNA DATELLO-ESQUILIN NJ CAR Tackles The Skilled Technician Shortage Head-On Launches Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program