CCC VP calls for rebrand of auto repair jobs in Automotive News commentary
CCC Intelligent Solutions Vice President Mark Fincher published a guest commentary in Automotive News Tuesday calling for a rebrand of auto repair jobs as six-figure jobs remain unfilled.
Fincher points to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ estimates that over the next decade, an average of 70,000 automotive repair technician jobs will open per year. He also makes note of Ford CEO Jim Farley’s comments last year that there are $100,000-plus jobs unfilled.
“Compounding the challenge of skilled labor technician demand is the advancement in vehicle technology,” Fincher writes. “Today’s cars are giant computers on wheels with features such as adaptive cruise control, backup cameras, automatic emergency braking and 360-degree-view cameras to assist drivers in avoiding accidents.”
He adds that technicians need a deeper knowledge of sophisticated systems and diagnostics.
“This isn’t unique to the collision repair industry,” Fincher writes. “Today, we’re seeing this same narrative play out with HVAC technicians and electricians as these historically blue-collar jobs become the key to powering our digital infrastructure. The skill sets of trade professionals are slowly moving from physically demanding jobs to highly technical professions, introducing a ‘new-collar’ workforce.”
He notes the National Center for Education Statistics has found that there are 2 million fewer students enrolled in college than there were in 2011. There’s also an increase in students leaving office jobs for trade jobs, according to a survey from resumebuilder.com.
A recent CCC and Collision Repair Education Foundation survey also found that younger generations are viewing trade work as a stable career pathway.
“Incoming professionals also are becoming more attracted to opportunities that allow them to work with their hands and leverage technology,” he writes in the piece. “In fact, 95% of survey respondents said using advanced software and AI tools regularly would make them more interested in a collision repair career. This is a massive mindset shift.”
Outdated stereotypes still permeate, he writes.
He said the survey found that the industry can accelerate the mindset shift toward trade careers by showcasing individuals’ success stories and expanding access to technology.
“Social media trends such as the viral ‘Day in the Life’ videos have given quick glimpses into the people, tools and skills powering our infrastructure,” he writes. “Moments such as these help the younger generation visualize nontraditional desk jobs. But these success stories also are unfolding in the industry itself.”
He writes that technology companies and industry leaders should be meeting up with trade and vocational schools to build a strong talent pipeline, noting that new workers need their hands on the latest technology.
Collision Repair Education Foundation is one organization helping connect students with resources and opportunities, he added.
Collision Engineering Career Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a collaborative effort to address the collision repair technician shortage, was launched last year as the next step in growing the Collision Engineering Program (CEP).
In the fall of 2020, CEP was introduced by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation and Ranken Technical College as a pilot at four schools in the U.S. The program’s hybrid apprenticeship model was designed to help address the demand for highly skilled collision repair technicians.
In March, The U.S. Department of Labor recognized the Collision Engineering Career Alliance apprenticeship model as the standard for collision repair technician training and certification.
The same month, PPG and the PPG Foundation committed to investing $10 million globally through 2030 to support skilled trades initiatives, with a focus on advanced manufacturing and coatings applications.
I-CAR also launched new statewide programs in April that introduce high school students to hands-on learning of diagnostics, electronics, materials science, and the repair procedures behind modern automotive repair.
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