Pub. 1 2019-2020 Issue 4

20 Squeezing Oil Out of Turnips; Combatting the Auto Tech Shortage Les Swizer, Law Clerk I t was 2009 when I began my journey into automotive technology. The economy had just taken a nose dive and who would know it better than me, a door-to- door collector of sorts. After recognizing banking and mortgage wasn’t the place to be in the face of the burst of the housing bubble ( it turns out not everyone can afford to own a home), I began working as an independent contrac- tor, delivering foreclosure and collection notices door to door. It didn’t take long for me to recognize this would be a temporary windfall, and I would need to find another line of work before the economy bounced back. Having always loved working on cars, I decided to begin studies in Automotive Technology at American River College. At the time, ARC’s automotive program was funded largely by Toyota, with a myriad of vehicles for anxious future techs to get their greasy paws on. I chose ARC for a couple of reasons; the BOGG waiver, the Toyota funding, and ARC’s reputation for the high-quality techni- cal education it provided. The alternatives were few and far between, though, so the decision was not that hard. Wyotech, with tuition of as much as $30,000, closed its doors in California in 2015, and Universal Technical Institute could cost a whopping $50,000. On an entry- level mechanic’s salary, that number is daunting for many of those seeking this type of training. Shortly after I started at ARC, Toyota pulled funding. The investment in training dwindled in the wake of the economic collapse in 2008 and subsequent need for a bailout to the U.S. automotive industry. Between 2005 and 2013, about a fifth of small auto repair shops disap- peared, and that number just got worse and worse, leav- ing a smaller number of quality jobs for the taking. When I emerged with my training in automotive technol- ogy, the jobs were pretty scarce. I was also told I could forget about a job at a dealership unless I went to one of the high priced schools or had a few years of experience. Like many of my classmates who completed their stud- ies at the same time, I felt disappointed. I was able to get a job as a tire and lube tech at Big O Tires for just barely over minimum wage. Defeated, in debt, and desperately trying to make ends meet, I took a sales position with one of the parts stores that frequently called on the Big O I worked at. That led to a number of events that encour- aged me to finalize my bachelor degree and head to law school, in search of a different path. I imagine there were many in my position who took a differ- ent path than the one they originally embarked on, which may be a big part of why there is a shortage of automotive techs in the industry now. NADA, CNCDA, dealerships, and auto manufacturers alike have been attempting to combat the impending (and arguably present) shortage of techs through a variety of means such as scholarships, public im- age campaigns promoting the field, pay-plan adjustments, special training opportunities, etc. CNCDA’s Scholarship Foundation has worked to encourage new techs to join the industry, along with our creation of a program that