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January - February 2022
Where Are The Technicians? Between 2022 and 2025, there will be a demand for more than 60,000 new collision repair technicians. In 2022 alone, that number is north of 18,000. While that mirrors typical average growth for all occupa ons, according to the Bureau of Labor Sta s cs, there’s a problem. Unlike other industries that have a consistent pipeline of talent, there’s nobody to fill the body shops. According to the TechForce Founda on’s 2021 Technician Supply and Demand Report, just over 4,500 students completed post secondary collision programs in 2020, a 12 decrease from 2019. And while the technician shortage has been a point of worry for many years, the pandemic exacerbated it. Pre-COVID projec ons by TechForce suggested just over 15,000 new technicians would be needed in 2021. That jumped to 25,000 a er COVID as the industry, just like every other, experienced “The Great Resigna on.” Behind ba ling insurers, a shortage of qualified technicians ranked as the biggest challenge facing shop operators, according to the 2021 FenderBender Industry Survey. “It’s been a problem that nobody has addressed as it should be for years, and now it’s really out of control,” says Mary Mahoney, Enterprise’s vice president of the replacement and leisure division. “I feel for the shops because they need technicians now. They needed them last week, last year.” The switch can’t be flipped overnight. There aren’t 18,000 technicians ready to enter shops tomorrow. But what does the training landscape look like? In an effort to understand the progress being made and the current roadblocks s ll ahead, FenderBender spoke with stakeholders across the industry. From OEMs to technical schools to rental car companies and more, we sought to see what new programs are popping up and how established programs are planning to combat the industry’s most pressing need.
Addressing Industry Roadblocks What are the roadblocks that the industry faces in recrui ng students into the collision repair industry and trades in general? While there are many small reasons to point to, all industry stakeholders believe the percep on of collision repair within the school administra ons plays a big role. From principals to teachers to counselors. To Sco Kaboos, for too long the industry has go en schools’ “D” students. But that’s not a viable op on anymore. “We don’t need your ‘D’ student. These cars are too complex. Our system has shoved everybody into one li le box but not everybody fits in that box,” says Kaboos, Honda’s Na onal Assistant Manager of its collision repair training division, adding that four-year colleges are not the only op on for successful students. Continued on Page 33
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