High Demand for Technicians in Heavy Truck & Equipment Industry

Every industry is affected by the ups and downs of our economy.  In many cases there are more people looking for jobs than there are openings, especially as new waves of graduates attempt to join the workforce.   Another side of that struggle is the shortage of skilled workers in the field.  The burden of tuition leaves young people who might go to school for technical training unable to.  As a result of that the low numbers of enrollment can lead to some programs shutting down before they even begin.  One example of that shortage is of technicians in the heavy duty truck and equipment industries.   As the current generation of techs get closer and closer to retiring there is a growing demand for the next wave of workers.  Unfortunately the veterans also get “stolen” from dealers, or offered extra compensation to leave their current employer.

“Vocational” or trade/career schools suffer in tough economic times due to lack of funding.  These resources are so important to the industry’s workforce and employers as accredited, reliable education and training for a very specialized field.  Old industry and “vocational” career stereotypes still exist, and can deter young people from following through with their mechanical interests.  Many companies have turned to a new approach, taking an active role in nurturing the future generations of technicians.   The process of nurturing and supporting future techs can be a long one, but many companies have recognized that the benefits outweigh the costs.  When opportunities are lost the cost to a dealer is high.

The lack of man power means that the employees that dealers do have are overworked, resulting in less than 100% efficiency.  Less than perfect technicians can affect business in many ways; mistakes can be made, timelines may not be met, and customers can be lost when unhappy with services, or unable to be serviced without enough hands to get the work done.  Time is money, and truck drivers and construction crews need their trucks and equipment to be up and running again as soon as possible, and as well as possible; they can’t afford for their machines to break down again.

Many times technical or career schools receive phone calls from companies looking for a few recent graduates to join their team, but by that time most if not all of the students have already been working with their future employers in anticipation of their training’s completion. When dealers take a hands-on approach and think ahead in terms of future employees, they are prepared for a drop in technicians because they have been nurturing the next generation all along.