Finding opportunities to bring in the next generation

While we maintain and repair vehicles, our sector is primarily a people business. Without our customers we don’t have a business, but perhaps even more important than that, without our employees we wouldn’t have one either.

Which is why it’s so critical to not only look after the staff we have, but also ensure that we are building a pipeline for the future. And this is one area of our industry [like many others] that changes rapidly. Five years ago, we might have considered looking for the next generation of technicians in high schools, now, it’s become a must. There are so many programs coming out today designed to incentivize youth that we need to be able to leverage them and track these kids through the educational process.

Real experience
Our shop is in contact with two high schools in our area and this allows us to take four-credit co-op students, giving them an opportunity to gain an understand about our trade and what it’s like to work in a real shop environment for an entire semester. This provides multiple benefits. Firstly, it allows the student to gain real insights into a professional job environment and become a good worker. Secondly, if you like that student and the way they work and contribute, and they like the environment, you’re in a good position to bring them on as a first-year apprentice. In Ontario, there are also tax benefits and incentives for the business in bringing them into it as an apprentice, so these kinds of situations can prove a real win-win for both the student and the service centre.

The first step, however, is to ensure you are in contact with local schools, want to be involved with their co-op programs and that you get to know your local youth apprenticeship program co-ordinator. They will want to get students into co-op programs early and you can be in a good position to take advantage of that. It’s also worth bearing in mind that not all co-op students you get will be good performers or right for your business, but within those you receive you will find some very good and highly competent workers who will prove to be an asset for your business. In our case we had two exceptional students, and one that is still with us.

Dual credit advantages
Another way in which you can attract good students is via dual credit programs. Not all high schools are equal when it comes to the trades programs they offer and it’s important to bear that in mind. Sometimes, students might have taken an entry level construction or plumbing course, and they can also sign up to take an automotive program as a dual credit. They will go through the program and work every week for several weeks, earning that credit. Some of these credits will offer transportation to and from the site and it can be a great way for students to get exposure to different trades, particularly if their high school doesn’t have multiple options. It can also be a great way for you to find good students who can become apprentices and ultimately employees at your shop, even though they didn’t originally sign up for an automotive program and found one as part of a dual credit.