Chris Messer of EndeavorB2B Leading Session at ASE Instructor Training Conference

There’s still time to register for the 16th annual ASE Instructor Training Conference, which runs from July 20-23 in Frisco, Texas.  

The keynote event, “Filling the Farley Gap: Addressing the Technician Pipeline,” will discuss Ford CEO Jim Farley’s recent statement that the automotive technician shortage is a growing threat to the industry.  

The panel discussion, moderated by Chris Messer, executive vice president with EndeavorB2B, uses data from IMR Inc.'s Perceptions of the Trades, WrenchWay's Voice of the Technician Survey, ASE Education Foundation's Student Survey, and more, to unpack the root causes of the shortage, from rising education and tool costs to pay plan challenges and increasing vehicle complexity.

“We’re excited to bring together different constituents and perspectives from the independent shops, collision shops, dealerships, and instructors to tackle this issue head on, and dispel some of the information across the industry,” Messer said. “We all know there is a technician shortage but it’s not all doom and gloom, and there is some sound data that supports that the tides are turning at both a national and regional level, and that there are levers being pulled to change the outcomes by all stakeholders. We’re in this situation together, and together we will adapt and overcome.”

The premier national training event is presented by the ASE Education Foundation and offers more than 20 hours of technical update training with separate tracks for auto, medium/heavy truck, and collision repair instructors.  

The ASE Instructor Training Conference also features networking events and a sponsor expo. Nearly 300 high school and college instructors from auto, truck and collision repair programs across the country attended the last year’s conference in St. Louis, Missouri.  

To learn more and register for the 2026 ASE Instructor Training Conference, click here.