A career in the trade industry can open doors to diverse industries and provide job security and fair compensation.

Daniel Trevisanutto, Owner of CARSTAR Thunder Bay, has become an active participant in Ontario’s Level Up career fair initiative to connect with the future talent of the industry.

“With an aging technician demographic, it is imperative for us to connect with a younger demographic to prepare for the future of our business,” said Daniel Trevisanutto, Owner of CARSTAR Thunder Bay. “Connecting with these workers who are just entering the workforce provides an opportunity for our long-term employees to pass on ‘trade secrets’ to help with the training process and ensure the quality of work our shop produces continues.”

Ontario Level-Up events

Trevisanutto recently attended one of Ontario’s Level-Up events, a multi-day series of career fairs that brings together skilled professionals from across varying trade industries. The event series provides interactive, hands-on experiences to connect with prospective workforce members and highlight the benefits of what a trade career can look like.

For CARSTAR Thunder Bay, the Level Up program has already delivered results. Through the program, Level Up connected an interested student with CARSTAR Thunder Bay and that working relationship has blossomed into a school co-op placement and an apprenticeship.

“The value that is available at these shows is fantastic,” said Daniel Trevisanutto, CARSTAR Thunder Bay. “It provided us the ability to talk directly about what we do, and why we feel that this is a great career choice. Students with a genuine interest can learn first-hand that entering a trade isn’t something to be ashamed of and a career in one of them can provide them with an enriching career and good quality of life.”

Working with and developing top talent doesn’t just stop with recruiting them. As industry professionals also face the difficulty of retaining staff, Trevisanutto shared insight into how he keeps his team motivated and engaged.

Motive and engage

“I believe our strongest feature for motivating and engaging employees is our commitment to supporting our community,” said Trevisanutto. “Our involvement in several charitable and sporting events throughout the year gives purpose to the work being done on the shop floor. Our goal is to have staff be proud to work for our organization by proving that social stewardship can be a viable part of running the business.”

In addition to giving back to the community, Trevisanutto places value on fostering an environment of continuous learning in the shop. Rather than see errors as an opportunity for discipline, they are an opportunity for learning and open dialogue.

With an industry that is literally always in motion, Trevisanutto focuses on the long-term benefits of reaching younger talent to pave the path forward.

“In the short-term, apprentices cost money and may initially produce work at a slower rate. However, these greener technicians will ultimately grow into productive members of the team who will pay dividends in the long run. Producing repairs that everyone is proud to present creates a business model that will retain staff who appreciate the quality of work as a factor alongside a quality paycheck.”