Report: Technician Shortage Especially Apparent in Northeast

Feb. 13, 2018
A report recently studied the growing shortage of quality technician candidates available to repair facilities and learned that many simply are pursuing careers outside the auto industry.

Feb. 13, 2018—The Providence Journal recently analyzed the growing shortage of quality technicians available to auto repair operations. Mainly, the newspaper discovered that top candidates are pursuing careers in fields outside the auto industry.

Rhode Island, in particular, is full of garage owners who are scrambling to find technicians to fill their bays, the newspaper noted. One garage owner said that, when he is able to find decent technicians, the average turnover tends to be less than three years, despite the fact that established technicians in that area typically make around $70,000 per year—and more than $100,000 at high-end dealerships.

Industry insiders cited two main reasons for the techician shortage: societal pressure to go to college, and the second, lesser reason is demographics, with fewer young people currently available, making for a shallow pool of young job candidates.

“There’s just not enough of them. We don’t have enough skilled technicians,” said Bob Tasca III, whose Tasca Automotive Group runs dealer service centers in several Rhode Island locations. “The problem is compounding because not only do we not have enough today, but the awareness, I think, hasn’t been good enough to share with the younger generations, that, hey, this is a great opportunity, and you should take a look at it.”

Sponsored Recommendations

How one auto shop was able to order 20% more parts

Learn how one auto shop talks about the benefit of using PartsTech in their shop.

Vehicle Inspection Checklist For Auto Shops

Vehicle inspections, whether digital or on paper, are crucial for auto shops, ensuring thorough assessments and fostering trust by transparently revealing a vehicle's condition...

6 Reasons Why A Digital Vehicle Inspection Is A Must-Have

In an era of growing technology and innovation, auto repair shops must keep pace with the latest advancements to meet customers preferences and remain competitive.

How Your Auto Shop Can Now Connect To 30 Tire Suppliers For Free

Yep! We have over 50 tire suppliers in our network. And PartsTech is the only platform where you can access more than 30 of those suppliers FREE OF CHARGE.