The technician shortage isn’t going away; however, there are steps you can take that may help you in your recruitment efforts.
As you may have noticed, I’ve been posting a number of blogs recently on the need for successful technician recruitment efforts. That’s because we continue to face a daunting shortage of these most important employees for the foreseeable future. At a recent NationaLease meeting, Ian Hardie, director of employment services at Universal Technical Institute, presented some chest-clutching statistics.
- Demand for auto/diesel techs outstrips supply by 2 to 1
- 100,000 new techs will be needed each year through 2026
- Between 2013 and 2028, we will lose half of current techs to retirement
My recent IdeaXchange blog goes into greater detail on why this is such a difficult situation…why it is so difficult to get younger men and women to see the role of diesel technician as a desirable position. Although the task may be challenging, there are things that companies can do to help them in their recruitment efforts. Hardie explained that developing relationships and partnerships with respected and responsible technical training schools like UTI is an important first step:
- Give your job openings exposure. Qualified applicants have to know the opportunity exists before they apply. Develop a process that would post your position across all of UTI’s campuses.
- Recruit in-person rather than remotely. Actually being present on campus locations for career fairs and in-person interviews will show your company regards these students as extremely valuable potential employees.
- Provide a package. A hiring package that includes student loan repayment assistance may prove to be a significant incentive. Other options might be sign-on bonuses, relocation packages, and others.
- Develop mentoring and training programs. Get students acquainted with your company by developing internships and part-time opportunities while they attend school. Once you’ve successfully recruited technicians, you need to figure out how to retain them. A good, well thought-out onboarding program will go a long way towards keeping these employees with you.
