ASA Podcast Focuses on EV Repair Safety�����

that isn’t focused on teaching students to repair vehicles the old and traditional way.

“They are teaching students the baseline skills needed in a repeatable, process-centered environment,” said Giarrizzo. “We’re proud to partner with an organization that is looking for our feedback to grow the technicians of tomorrow.”

Since sponsoring MTI, DCR Systems has offered input on the school’s curriculum, provided information about its repair processes and supplied tooling. Giarrizzo and Dave Martin, director of operations at DCR Systems, regularly visit MTI to talk to students about the industry and invite technicians to tour DCR. In addition, several MTI students have been hired by DCR and attend boot camps to continue career development.

“Schools like Matrix are looking at technology and the industry as it is today and trying to prepare them for the increasing challenges of the industry,” said Cheryl Boswell, CFO and managing partner at DCR Systems. “The industry has changed so much that it’s important to find those tech schools where they are grooming the students for today’s world.”

Adrian, an operations support technician from DCR Systems, attended an MTI Blueprint/Technical writing boot camp focused on becoming an effective blueprinter.

“I’m learning to be as accurate as I can be, make the process work and slow down to achieve first time quality—a savings for everyone,” he said. “The DCR Systems family cares for me. They want me to improve and build a career and I want to improve for the company.”

Rife’s Autobody, a three-shop MSO in Ohio now owned by CollisionRight, has had success with the MTI Collision Bootcamps for its employees. Don Rife, former owner and current operator of the business, learned about MTI about a year ago and sent Tyler, a metal tech apprentice with no prior industry knowledge, to one of the boot camps.

“The experience seemed to work out really well and we have other technicians that we are planning to send in the future,” said Rife.

After attending a blueprinting Efficiency Bootcamp at MTI, Tyler said he learned how to be more accurate in his job.

“MTI made the environment so it’s not stressful,” he said. “It’s going to help everyone in the shop; not just me, but our estimators, the parts department and the people I work with, making things quicker, faster and more efficient.”

Rife has initiated internal training programs in the past but found that partnering with others who are experienced at training technicians, such as MTI, results in better success.

“Unless you are some amazing operator and have unlimited resources, you are better to partner with somebody who has already done this and understands what’s necessary than trying to recreate the wheel,” he said.

Since Rife’s initial success with Tyler, CollisionRight has become the second foundation level partner of MTI’s Collison Program, and is in the process of providing employee assessments to its young technicians to take advantage of the growth and retention the bootcamps provide to CollisionRight’s growing list of shops.

Peugeot said businesses like DCR Systems and CollisionRight, that invest in their people and provide a great career experience, will be the ones that are ultimately successful.

“There are too many employers who want to hire people the old-fashioned way and pay them a little and not do progressive things to develop them or provide onboarding experiences that are positive and culturally right for this generation,” noted Peugeot.

He said shops that want to pay ransom and steal technicians from other shops aren’t fixing the industry.

“They are hurting the industry… but in a world where they don’t have a better option, it’s all that they can do,” he observed.

Peugeot stressed the importance of recognizing young technicians are an asset and recommends employers offer competitively paid internships and tuition reimbursement, as well as devote the time and resources to

See Efficiency Bootcamps, Page 43

The second episode of the Technology and Telematics (TTF) podcast series, “A Changing Fleet,” is now live on the Automotive Service Association (ASA) podcast channel and the “Taking the Hill” page of the ASA website.

This episode features a presentation by Mark Allen, collision programs and workshop equipment manager for Audi of America.

During the podcast, Allen discusses best practices for both mechanical and collision shops safely and effectively perform repair and maintenance for electric vehicles (EVs) including:

• Necessary education and training for service repair professionals working on EVs in shops • Safety precautions and protocols for de-energizing high voltage systems, and recommended uniform and tools to be used while repairing EVs • Recommendations for safe layout and architecture of shops repairing EVs, and necessary equipment for the repair, transport and disposal of EV batteries • The availability and accessibility of OEM repair procedures to all shop owners, including repair procedures for electric vehicles

“We really appreciate Mark’s participation in the Technology and Telematics podcast series,” said Fred Hules II, ASA chairman. “Mark is a respected name in the automotive industry and this presentation gives unique insight into the safety precautions that we as shop owners need to be adhering to as we work on electric vehicles.”

The Technology and Telematics Forum podcast, hosted by ASA in partnership with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, features a variety of industry experts discussing the transition to an “all-electric” automotive future.

Register here to receive future Technology and Telematics podcast news and episode releases.

Source: ASA

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