March 1, 2019—A Texas college is working to place technicians in empty positions left by those who have retired, according to My High Plains. Amarillo College in Armarillo, Texas is pushing to further relieve strains felt in the automotive industry.
Amarillo College's automotive program director, Isaac Bernal says the industry is struggling, My High Plains reports.
"The last few years, a lot of technicians are retiring and we are not seeing an influx of new technicians, we need technicians that are qualified that are trained to replace those that are leaving and right now there aren't enough of those and it is leaving a large gap," Bernal said to My High Plains.
As vehicles become more complex, it's important for technicians to be knowledgeable.
"It is not just a simple mechanical repair anymore, everything is tied into electronics, not only do you have to become the mechanic, you have to become the IT technician as well," Bernal said to My High Plains.
Students like Riley Gulie are eager to get into the industry, the publication reports.
"It has been a very informative experience, I love working on cars, but there were a lot of things I wasn't familiar with and was kind of scared to do but thanks to the program here, it has really built a lot of confidence in me to explore more parts of the industry that I wouldn't have thought of before," Gulie said to My High Plains.
According to Bernal, the program is expecting to see an increase in 40 new students in the upcoming fall semester.
"Coming in there is a lot of shortage of the older guys that just do mechanical, so I get to come in and replace them and do a lot of the electrical which is pretty exciting and pretty fun for me," Gulie said to My High Plains.
