Working Together in Technical Education to Close the Skills Gap

Activating Our Untapped Capacity to Drive Change

To say that most young people today have an aptitude and passion for technology is an understatement! So much so, in fact, that they are not willing to consider a lifelong career in which technology doesn’t play an integral role. Through no fault of their own, many students have no idea that technology is transforming every facet of the collision repair industry, and continue to equate automotive jobs and similar skilled trades with tedious manual labor.

Although the increasing role of technology in all things automotive is slowly starting to shift this perception, there is much that can be done to speed the process along. If you are involved in the automotive industry in any capacity, there is plenty you can do to make prospective students aware that choosing a career in collision repair is a secure, rewarding path that will provide endless opportunities to leverage their talents for technology.  

In this article, we’ll take a look at the various factors that combined to create the skills gap in the first place, followed by suggestions for specific, actionable initiatives that we can and should be putting into practice to drive meaningful change. 

Deconstructing the Skills Gap: How Did We Get Here? 

Let’s take a look at some of the drivers that have contributed to the current shortage of skilled automotive and collision repair workers.

Avalanche of IT Career Options

Due to a variety of changing conditions and factors, a shortage of skilled collision repair technicians has challenged the industry for decades. Beginning in the late 1990s, technology opened up hundreds of potential new career paths, many of which were regarded by students as much more interesting and glamorous to pursue than anything automotive. They were eager to capitalize on their love and knowledge of technology to make a great living, and collision repair was not seen as a viable option to make that ambition a reality. As a result, enrollments in automotive training programs declined. 

Aging Workforce & Lag in New Skills Acquisition

Many experienced collision repair technicians are on the verge of retirement without anyone next in line for them to transfer their knowledge to. Currently employed technicians are scrambling to master the new skills that their jobs now demand. Although many shops are attempting to address the need for upgraded skills and continuous training, they often lack the manpower, money and resources to support their employees to the extent that is necessary to remain viable and competitive.

In combination, this perfect storm of factors has culminated in one of the most serious issues our industry is facing today. However, we must maintain perspective; it took a long time for the situation to get to this point, and it’s not going to be fixed overnight. 

Breathing New Life into the Skilled Trades Workforce, One Student at a Time

If you think that there’s nothing you can possibly do to help turn things around, you are mistaken. Next up, we’ll take a look at some real-life, actionable steps you can take to help reframe the way students view the industry and generate fresh interest in joining our ranks.

Bring our Message to Students — Wherever They Are

We must ramp up our outreach efforts to connect with high school students (and perhaps even elementary school kids) in the physical and virtual places where they congregate—specifically those who already have the spark of an interest in cars and/or skilled trades. Career fairs, school visits, and social media campaigns are just a few of the powerful outreach tools that we have to leverage at every opportunity.  

Create Fun, Engaging Environments to Educate Kids About Cars

Online games, skills assessments and similarly interactive, gamified tools with an automotive focus will catch the attention of students and make them aware that they already have many of the requisite skills necessary to pursue an automotive career.

Emphasize the Role of Technology

Many students are not aware that the automotive industry is in the midst of a massive reorientation that revolves around new technologies. Both in person and online, we have to take every opportunity to stress that almost every career in the automotive industry demands a passion and talent for technology on a day-to-day basis, and that this trend will certainly continue to grow.  

Create More Automotive-Focused Online Communities

We need more spaces for students with an interest in automotive to come together, share knowledge and feel a part of a supportive and welcoming community. For example, the CREF community page and dedicated Discord channel are welcoming online spaces for youth to learn about the industry and connect with like-minded peers. 

Improve Educational Program Quality

We must do more to support technical education schools with the money and resources they need to provide high-quality content and modern, well-equipped physical spaces that collision repair students will be eager to learn in.  

Strengthen Mentorship Programs

Potential students (and their parents) find it reassuring to know that there are experienced industry members who will mentor and guide them along their educational journey. We need to facilitate connections between working technicians and other key industry players with students—whether they are just beginning to consider an automotive career, are currently enrolled in an education program, or have recently graduated. 

Although many of these are high-level initiatives that will require a team effort, they’ll never get off the ground without the contribution of individual industry members like you. Don’t underestimate the difference you can make on an individual level to help students see the industry in a fresh new light. 

Every Contribution Matters  

Larger industry entities are in a position to make an immediate and measurable difference through monetary donations. Your tax deductible cash contribution will help to ensure a steady future supply of high quality, entry level employees to power the industry by funding everything from scholarships and school grants to workforce development

Individuals and smaller shops can also do much to generate more interest and awareness in collision repair and the industry in general by leveraging social media posts, attending career fairs, offering apprenticeships etc.  

If you’ve got spare resources available to improve the quality of collision repair school courses and curriculums, the CREF Donation Exchange acts as a frictionless bridge between donors and schools, instructors and students. Whether you’ve got safety equipment and apparel, paint, parts, body materials or similar materials, simply visit www.donation-exchange.org to register your company or technical education facility, and leave the rest to us. 

If you’d prefer to contact collision repair schools in your area directly to see how you can support them, visit our school locator.

We Must All Pull Together to Close the Gap

The skills gap in collision repair is the result of rapid technological changes, workforce shortages, and a lack of standardized training. To turn things around, we must increase our efforts to connect with students and help them to see the industry in a whole new light. That means everyone involved—shops, high school counselors, social media influencers, dealerships, parts suppliers—need to step up and offer whatever support they can, whether that’s time, talent or treasures. 

This industry is powered by dynamic, caring people who know how to get things done, so let’s put our heads together to effect some real change! Whether you’re an individual or an entity, even a modest contribution of your time, effort, and money can make a difference. There is no one more qualified than we who have built our lives around this industry to help students see the truth: that a career in collision repair is one of the most rewarding, lucrative and all-around “cool” career choices they could possibly make.