Shortage of skilled mechanics

Most places in general are struggling for staff. At the factory I work at you are likely to make more money in one of our entry level positions than working on cars with no schooling required. We still are having a hard time staffing people.

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True, we can’t find experienced skilled Engineers even in a high paying business segment (oil, gas, and chemicals). Companies keep bidding against each other for the same pool of talent.

 

Simply watch a 2006 movie called "idiocracy" it will answer all questions regarding the current state of affairs and future results.

 

When it comes to people in skilled trades, be it Ferrari mechanics, or electricians, or plumbers, for example, it seems there is a population of young people who do not have the patience to serve 3 to 5 years as an apprentice.

 

I can tell you, tech incomes are on the climb. Techs are now the most valuable asset to dealerships. All the big franchise groups like AutoNation and Penske are making big changes to their benefit.

 

As a tech..it's really bad out there. People get into it, and quickly realize it isn't "Gas Monkey" garage. It's real, hard and dirty work.
It's also time sensitive. You can't be taking all day to do a set of front brakes and an only change like you would at home.
Most barely last a month on the floor before seeking a different career. Older experienced techs..we basicly name our price..but it take years to get there.

 

Vintage Iron Restoration, an American vintage car shop here in Phoenix, is 3-4 months out. Huge facility completely full of 50's-70's cars. They have done good work in the past for me, and continuously struggle to keep trained staff. I can't imagine training young guys to work on 70 year old cars, but it appears they are doing well.
EMC of Arizona in Phoenix handles the non-routine stuff on my 365 GTC/4. I see the same guys there every time I go in.... some older, some young. The owner oversees everything and they are usually backed up 2-3 months for major work.

 

I say it is time for skilled labor to get paid more than the suits.

 

I am very happy with my first “repair and improvement” experience with David Geary in Deer Park (Spokane) Washington. A very small shop so I consider myself lucky to get my Mondial in there with the high-end Ferraris. Shipped the car there and also went to visit him. Spotless shop. SG


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Or even 3-5 months.

 

There a shortage of people willing to work, period.

 

at general dealerships(ford, gm etc) the mechanics cant read english.

 

Well that isn't very nice at all..and rather an uneducated statement. Can you explain a little further why you feel that way?

 

We already do in most cases. The nice thing about having a trade, is it is very easy to almost double your income doing side work on the weekends for a morning or afternoon.

 

I actually think this is coming. The part that pisses me off is, by the time that disparity gets close I’d be retirement age, or more.

 

It’s a challenge . My shop currently employs 20 mechanics and I could hire more but can’t get decent resumes through the door .

 

That's what I find throughout the work force. People will be sorry some day. I'm already loving online purchases because over half the time stores don't stock all the things I need for a project so may as well save time order online. I'm loving self checkout because it is fast and efficient. Im liking take out eating in the comfort of my own home. All of that is taking away jobs.

 

What a lot of people do not realize. It is the underground cash economy that keeps the restaurants open, keeps the movie theaters open, all those little luxury treats yourself businesses running.

If I didn't pull in the extra money to spend on the little luxuries..I wouldn't be going out to eat. The cash blue collar guy is what keeps so many businesses moving.

 

Careful, the CRA might be reading this forum!

 

That's why gov wants cashless. It was an issue during covid dumb people were afraid touching cash! There are places today take no cash. I have plenty of cards but prefer to use cash for personal and cards for business since lot's deductible. I don't want capital one or anyone else knowing I race cars or like tacos.

 

Wife and I bought a house for her mother to be closer to us. Undergoing total gut, expand and remodel. Contractor is Mexican American and all workers are Spanish speaking. Those guys work! House is finishing interior painting; the crew varied from 3 to 8 and have worked 14 hour days, 7 days a week. Today, Sunday, started at 7:30 and finished the job at 9:30 tonight. Last night worked until 11:00 PM. The drag on the project has been the "American" subs., HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

 

not trying to be mean, but thats my experience. foreign mechanics will work for less. thats why there is a lot of turnover. good mechanics search for better paying jobs.

 

I heard from a Ferrari tech that the dealers changed the pay structure so that it isn't a good paying position any more like it used to be. They can make more at a Toyota dealer.

I think the problem we are now facing is that dealers have zero interest in fixing things anymore. Their answer is to just replace everything. It's very hard to find a tech that will diagnose a problem and repair it. The SOP now is to hook it up to the computer, read the codes and just throw new parts at it. They don't want skilled mechanics, they want part swappers.

I fix everything myself.