TechForce Foundation has launched a “Techs Talk” survey to gain insight into the perspectives, values, and experiences of aspiring and newly employed technicians.

“Most technician surveys in the marketplace today are heavily skewed by responses from GenX and Boomers,” said Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation, in a news release. “TechForce Foundation wants to specifically gather insights from GenZ future techs and new working techs within their first two years of employment. This gives us better data in building the workforce going forward, and knowledge to address the crippling technician shortage.”

In December 2023, the number of students graduating from technical schools in all segments, including collision, increased for the first time in a decade, according to TechForce Foundation’s 2023 Technician Supply & Demand report.

Overall, the number of auto collision technician graduates was up .5% in 2022, or 800 technicians. The rise followed a six-year-long downward slide.

TechForce noted that 795,000 new automotive, diesel, collision repair, aviation, and avionics technicians are still needed to meet demand through 2027; 110,000 collision techs are needed.

Now, TechForce says national demand for top-tier technicians has created three job openings for every tech school graduate today. However, many young people hesitate to commit to technician careers or quit after two years of employment.

“We hear anecdotal reasons ranging from the cost of training and tools [and] a desire for certain compensation or work/life balance to stigmas or lack of clarity involving the career path,” Maher said. “It’s time we have solid data as to what this aspiring workforce truly wants and needs.”

According to a survey of employed technicians conducted last year by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and I-CAR, those least satisfied with their careers are refinish technicians with structural and non-structural/body technicians not far behind.

The top three reasons technicians said they stayed at their jobs were compensation, convenience, and their co-workers. Workplace culture and management style as well as good work/life balance were also high on the list with around 15% of respondents finding them to be important.

TechForce encourages all working technicians within their first two years of employment and all high school and post-secondary students enrolled in collision, automotive, aviation, diesel, restoration, welding, and other related programs to take the survey. The survey is anonymous.

Images

Featured image: A structural technician works in a shop. (Photo provided by I-CAR)

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