Transportation Service Technician/Teacher Crisis

By Fred Hines, Chairman AIPC

The Transportation/Heavy Duty industry is experiencing a technician shortage, and all predictions indicate it is going to get worse. While it is possible to export vehicle, equipment, and parts manufacturing, it is not possible to export vehicle service. Primarily, the shortages are occurring for two reasons: technician retirement and a lack of young people entering the field. Age and/or health issues are causing many technicians to retire. Other younger techs may consider a career change because health problems have reduced their efficiency. The transportation service fields are very damaging to a person’s back, knees, and hands. Typically, the problems start to appear in the mid 40’s and gradually get worse.

Why are young people not entering the field? First, is the public’s perception of the trade. Many half hearted attempts have tried to change the image. But if you work in a dirty environment, engine compartments, under vehicles, you will become dirty. “Dirty” work is not the path parents want their children to follow. Second, there are fewer places for interested young people to enter or explore the field. In the past, the vast majority of future technicians started in high school programs, but high school programs have been closing at a rapid pace. This lack of a entry point affects enrollment in all follow-on programs both public and private. As a result we are seeing an increase in the closure or reduction in size of post secondary programs.

The main reasons high school programs have been closing are under-funding and lack of teachers. Aggravating these problems was the well intended national effort to improve program quality by respective state leaders mandating program improvements. These mandates required certain levels of equipment and facilities that many small programs can not meet because of lack of funding. As is typical, little or no additional funds are made available to help with the implementation. Another issue for many single instructor programs was/is they can’t give up the time to document their compliance with the mandates. Most teach four or five classes of twenty students every day. Though well intended, these state mandates became a very effective method of closing good, mediocre, and bad programs. Transportation service programs are among the most expensive to operate and many administrators would much rather use the money for other CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs. Given the choice between automotive service and information technology programs, guess which one loses.

The lack of teachers is a root or contributing cause in most of the problems mentioned. It is also the primary factor in the low quality level of many high school programs. Many times an administrator in searching for a teacher may have to accept an individual without the appropriate background. If the teacher shortage issue isn’t addressed, it will create more and more problems for all aspects of the industry including independent shops, dealerships, and OEM training programs. The many scholarships made available by various groups for students to attend college programs, while admirable, are missing the point! Without high school and community college programs, where is the student population to apply for these scholarships and then where are those students going to use them? Consider; if scholarships are given to a 100 students,
you are helping a 100 students, if only part of the money was given to help 3 or 4 teachers/programs, you are helping 100’s or 1000’s of students.

The Automotive Industry Planning Council (AIPC) has instituted an effort to address the teacher shortage and resulting teacher quality issues. The AIPC has been in existence for 60 years as a liaison between the automotive industry and education. One of its past efforts resulted in the establishment of the national program certification group, the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation, NATEF.

AIPC believes the primary pool of potential teachers is the forty-fifty year old age group of working technicians and service managers. At this point in their lives, they have valuable experience but their bodies are starting to fail. The trade off between income and reducing physical strain is attractive to them. They have raised their families and can accept the lower pay of a new career. It is unrealistic to expect a young person in the trade to consider teaching while they are raising a family.

AIPC’s plan for new and present teachers can be read in detail on the AIPC website www.autoipc.org. The main points are:

• First, create an awareness of the shortage of teachers in the many areas of the transportation industry.
• Second, compile a reference list of all States’ requirements for new transportation teachers. This would most likely be the first information a potential teacher would need.
• Third, solicit for individuals interested in a teaching career, assist with orientation to the new career, and do some initial preparation for them to become teachers.
• Fourth, compile a list of institutions or testing organizations that will allow the potential teacher to acquire academic credits preferably through the internet. Academic credits are necessary or helpful in the majority of states.
• Fifth, pay or assist with first time NATEF certification costs to schools.
• Sixth, encourage ASE to eliminate certification test fees or dramatically reduce them for active automotive teachers in public schools.
• Seventh, serve as a focal point for information and direction. Any organization that wishes to get involved in any manner can contact fhines@autoipc.org.

Author: Fred Hines, Chairman, AIPC

Source: VOL. 21 NO. 1 WINTER 2007 NACAT NEWS

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