Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine - May 2022

Page 6

NEWS

ATTRACTING GREAT STAFF AND KEEPING THEM

6

CENTURY BATTERIES POWERS THE GARAGE NETWORK The partnership was officially sealed at this year’s Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo

In this article, Capricorn Group CEO David Fraser discusses tips on how to attract and retain staff

Leading battery manufacturer and supplier, Century Yuasa Batteries, has further demonstrated its support of the independent Automotive Aftermarket sector as an official partner of The Garage Network.

With my ‘Our Skills Shortage: Attracting Great Staff and Keeping Them’ co-panellists Lesley Yates, Adam Pay, and James David Fraser Voortman, we discussed Group CEO, at AAAE the cost of the Capricorn Society Ltd current skills shortage and some things we can do now to help attract and retain staff. Finding good people is a problem – our State of the Nation report tells us that in 2021, 51 percent of Capricorn Members deemed ‘lack of qualified staff’ as the biggest challenge facing our industry, up from 44 percent in 2020. There are some structural issues we need to overcome to ensure a sustainable skilled workforce for the future. And without wanting to diminish their importance, they can take some time to overcome. In the interest of providing some quick tips, here are some small things we can all do now: • The State of the Nation research shows our Members are feeling confident and successful. Annual turnovers are also trending upwards and one in five Capricorn Members are turning over AUD $1 million. Don’t be afraid to talk about positives and the opportunities in our industry. • Keep an open mind when looking for staff, especially apprentices. A common theme amongst our Capricorn Rising Stars nominees is how many businesses they approached to get their apprenticeship. Staff and apprentices come in all shapes and sizes, and most of them are keen to get started. • Fostering a positive work environment can help keep your existing staff. This may be common sense to a lot of you, as 74 percent of Capricorn Members are actively considering how they can foster a workplace culture. But for those who aren’t sure where to start, even little moments like team lunches, or paying for staff development can go a long way. If you’re interested in how Capricorn can help you build a stronger, sustainable business, I invite you to visit www.capricorn.coop to arrange a visit from your local Capricorn representative. Yours in cooperation, David Fraser Group CEO – Capricorn Society Ltd For more on Capricorn Society membership, visit www.capricorn.coop

The Garage Network was founded in 2018 by a small group of Sydney workshop owners and technicians, Mike Carnemolla, Kosta Kantilaftis, Peter Leondis and Jeff Taylor, with the aim of bringing business owners and technicians together.

Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine May 2022

Following a trip to the 2019 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo, the four directors formulated a strategy to grow the network with an ethos of giving it back and paying forward. From these humble beginnings the network has grown to over 3,000 active members with a focus on Industry community, social networking, Technical Training, Business coaching and mentorship. “Everyone at Century Yuasa is really excited to be part of this initiative which brings together independent businesses in what are fast changing and exciting times for the Automotive industry,” said Stu Stanners, General Manager of Century Yuasa’s Automotive Division. “It is important that motorists continue to have a choice of repairer and with the introduction of new legislation regarding Mandatory Data sharing, it is crucial we get behind initiatives that support independent businesses in a market which is becoming increasingly dominated by larger automotive workshop groups. “In 2023 we (Century Yuasa) celebrate 95 years of manufacturing and supplying batteries in Australia. Independent workshops have been and will continue to be, integral to the success of our company and this partnership with The Garage Network further underlines our commitment to the Independent Automotive Aftermarket. “The guys have done a fantastic job in setting up this network, it has so much potential and something we are pleased to be a part of.” The partnership was officially sealed at this year’s Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo between Century Yuasa’s Automotive Management team and the Directors of The Garage Network. On the Friday evening of the show, the team from Century had the opportunity to meet with members to discuss challenges and opportunities facing their businesses moving forward. “It’s great to have such a well-known brand and company such as Century onboard with us,” The Garage Network Director, Mike Carnemolla, said. “Through The Garage Network we believe we have changed the landscape of the independent repair sector, by encouraging business owners to share knowledge, and help the ‘shop down the road’, something you wouldn’t have seen in the industry a few years back. “We have formed a community of likeminded, forward thinking shop owners and technicians who want to help one another, be it down the road or across the country. This is techs helping techs. “Century, VACC, Motortech and TUNAP have all shared in our vision for the industry and as our partners, have been able to help us showcase our philanthropic nature and host two fantastic events at the recent AAAA show in Melbourne.” For more information, visit www.thegaragenetwork.com.au


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Articles inside

4WD

7min
pages 112-116

Performance & Racing

9min
pages 110-111

Consumer Law

5min
page 108

HR Matters

4min
page 109

Trade Talk: Thomas Fischer, MANN+HUMMEL - Leading from the top with passion

8min
pages 106-107

Member Feature: mycar: driven by safety

5min
pages 86-89

Business Services: Looking after your business needs

34min
pages 90-99

Garage Equipment: The latest in tools and equipment for your workshop

17min
pages 100-105

Products

26min
pages 20-41

AAA Expo 2022 Review: Aftermarket industry revels in hugely successful Expo

1hr
pages 42-81

Cover Feature: Black Widow Automotive joins the Bosch Car Service network

4min
pages 18-19

New mandatory data sharing administering body gears up

5min
page 17

AAA Expo 2022 Innovation Awards: The best of the best

7min
pages 82-85

International EV and hybrid expert heading to VASA Wire and Gas

4min
page 16

GPC Asia Pacific to build new advanced Distribution Centre

4min
pages 14-15

AAAA Report

4min
page 5

New concept for Automechanika Innovation Awards

4min
pages 12-13

Repco and Mechanic.com.au: on the tools together

3min
page 9

Victorian Opposition pledges $3 million to AAAA

9min
pages 7-8

PETRONAS celebrates with special F1 function

5min
page 10

News

4min
page 6

Morrison Government reforms on track

4min
page 11
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