U.S. BY THE NUMBERS
IMPACT OF OPEN POSITIONS
ARE YOU SHORT ON WORKING MECHANICS?
HOW MUCH IS THIS COSTING YOUR ORGANIZATION?
SUPPLY IS ONLY 11% OF DEMAND
BY 2022
IN 2019
THE NEED WAS 56,000 TECHNICIANS
BY 2023
THE NEED WILL BE 152,000 TECHNICIANS
BY 2025
THE NEED WILL BE 228,000 TECHNICIANS
JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP U.S. JOB POSTING WEBSITE:
(266% INCREASE IN 43 MONTHS!)
Both government and industry projections say the same thing: The shortage of diesel technicians in the United States is severe. It is a statistical guarantee that it will worsen significantly.
We’ve tracked job postings on the largest job board in the United States since 2017. In June, 2021, for the first time, posted job openings for diesel mechanics in the U.S. eclipsed 30,000. We also know that posted openings capture no more than one-third of the actual number. Our research says that there are at least 90,000 openings for diesel truck technicians today. And that number is guaranteed to rise.
If you combine truck, off-highway and power generation, there are actually more than 150,000 openings in the U.S. as of August, 2021.
This will have devastating consequences for some companies.
Equally concerning is the fact that the U.S. educational system is producing roughly 6,000 new technicians a year. Less than 10% of the actual demand.
(Click here to read our whitepaper on the diesel mechanic shortage and how to solve it.).
But it doesn’t have to be like this.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW...
The chances of that journeyman mechanic walking through your door and applying for a job are basically zero.
The current U.S. educational system has no chance to solve this problem. Despite increased focus on “skilled trades education” and a movement away from the “college for all” mentality, the 30-year systematic destruction of our vocational education system will take years to rebuild. We didn’t get here overnight and this will not be fixed quickly.
Even with increased focus and funding for skilled trades education, schools are focused on sexy 21st century skills like robotics, advanced manufacturing and computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing. Ask yourself this question: “When is the last time I’ve seen my local community college advertise its diesel technology program?”
It costs your company at least $60,000 for every open technician position. Doesn’t matter if you are a fleet, a dealer, a leasing company or a waste management company. There is solid research behind this and we’ve validated the above number with hundreds of companies.
THE REAL PROBLEM
This is an input problem. Plain and simple. And the two biggest barriers to people entering the profession are time and cost. In today’s world, people do not have time for a two-year program or an expensive technical program, some of which run as high as $46,000. (This is not a misprint.)
Here’s the crazy thing. Companies don’t ask for that level of training in an entry-level technician. In fact, it’s just the opposite. A 2017 Technology and Maintenance Council task force asked hundreds of companies what skills they wanted entry-level techs to possess when they walked through the door for the first time. It wasn’t engine tear downs or rebuilding transmissions. It was preventative maintenance, brakes, wheels and tires, electrical, parts replacement. You know, stuff that keeps the truck on the road. Would you trust a brand new technician with a $30,000 engine? Of course not.
SO HOW DO WE FIX THIS?
Real easy. Remove the barriers of time and cost.
Our solution is a no-nonsense five week, hands-on program that focuses on those tasks that the Technology and Maintenance Council identified as critical to an entry-level diesel technician.
According to Fullbay, a provider of heavy duty truck shop management software, below are the top 10 Class 8 truck maintenance and repair costs. The three areas that we cover most heavily in our program account for 64% of all class 8 maintenance and repair costs. Makes sense, right?
Top 10 Class 8 Maintenance & Repair Costs:
Tires & Related Parts: 43%
Preventive Maintenance: 12%
Brakes & Related Systems: 9%
Disposable Parts: 8%
Exhaust Structure: 6%
Fuel System: 6%
Lighting: 5%
Cranking or Starting Systems: 5%
Power Plant: 3%
Motor & Engine Systems: 3%
THINK DIFFERENTLY
If you came to this site, you most likely need diesel technicians. You must adjust the way you tackle this problem. And you may need to cut through some bureaucracy and “we’ve always done it this way” mindset.
Invest in your new technicians on the front end of their employment. We’re talking the first day. Help with their tuition payments. Start a continuing education fund. We’ve tracked our graduates since the first class and students who received tuition assistance or payment help are twice as likely to be at their first employer than those who received no help. A small investment likely will provide a significant return.
Adjust your entire entry-level program. Instead of waiting for things to change, (they won’t,) change them on your own. Hire, train THEN Retain.
Most importantly, contact us! We’ve made multiple models work in cities around the United States.
Doing nothing is worse than trying something.
HERE'S WHAT WE'VE PROVEN
The labor pool of potential diesel mechanics is there. You just need to know how to find them. We’ve figured this out!
Attitude, work ethic, and a desire to progress within a company are as important as solid entry-level technical skills.
We’ve proven that our educational model works. Think of a reputable national brand in the transportation industry. Chances are one of our grads works there.
There are multiple options for implementing our system.
Investing on the front end of employment equals retention. We track the progress of our grads in the industry constantly.