ASE Leadership Participates on Congressional Panel Over Auto Repair Technician Shortage
Leadership from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence recently participated in a roundtable discussion on recruiting technicians into the auto repair field, according to a press release.
The congressional panel was hosted last month at the U.S. Capitol by the Automotive Caucus, which is made up of Reps. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio).
In attendance were ASE President and CEO Dave Johnson and ASE Education Foundation President Mike Coley, who spoke on the industry’s technician shortage and strategies to combat it.
Johnson provided a presentation on environments that attract potential techs to the industry, such as programs and apprenticeships. Additionally, he explored what keeps potential techs engaged after they’ve shown interest in pursuing a career.
Coley and Johnson expressed the importance of training programs receiving accreditation, ensuring that students are provided with top-quality education from certified professionals. They also underscored the need to recognize professional technicians as a way to inspire others to pursue the career.
During the panel, the representatives asked participants what legislative measures could be taken to address these issues, prompting Johnson and Coley to list several solutions. Strategies outlined included investing in automotive training infrastructure through funding for facilities and equipment, requiring ASE accreditation for funded programs, and pressuring automakers and larger aftermarket service chains to invest in training future techs.
“We thank the Automotive Caucus for inviting ASE to be part of its discussion on the technician shortage and appreciate their interest in finding ways to train and retain the next generation of automotive service professionals,” said Johnson. “The variety of participants from across the industry was impressive, and it was beneficial to have Reps. Kaptur, Dingell and Balderson in attendance to hear their views and share our insights with them.”
