MSOs invest in the future with apprentice programs

March 31, 2017
Faced with a technician shortage, ABRA Auto Body & Glass and Service King Collision Repair Centers roll out training programs.

As in other highly specialized mechanical fields, there is a shortage of auto body technicians across the country. The existing workforce is aging and retiring, and not enough new body techs are entering the field. A number of auto body repair companies have launched both recruitment and training/apprenticeship programs to help bolster their workforce.

Two years ago, Service King launched its Apprentice Development Program, a year-long mentoring and training program that has been introduced at locations across the U.S. The program kicked off by adding apprentices to locations in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Chicago and other markets.

“There continues to be a decline in the population of auto technicians across the entire U.S.,” says Tyra Bremer, vice president of talent development at Service King. “We wanted to take finding a solution to that shortage into our own hands.”

ABRA apprentice Aaron Evces reviews the bumper repair process with Technical Instructor Loren Estwick.

In July 2016, ABRA Auto Body & Glass opened its new Career Development Academy in Eagan, Minn., to provide hands-on training to new auto body technicians. The academy serves as the campus for the company’s paid, five-week ABRA SpringBoard Apprentice Technician program and as a test-bed for training design and development.

Other companies have instituted their own programs as well. Three-C Body Shop, an MSO based in Columbus, Ohio, even crafted a program specifically designed to bring more female technicians into the industry. There are multiple levels of paid apprenticeships available, as well as an advancement program.

All of these programs are designed to mitigate the effects of a reduction in the number of auto shop and technical programs at public high schools, and a lack of awareness of how lucrative and rewarding these jobs can be.

The search for technicians

The Springboard concept, design and execution was developed as a collaborative effort among people at all levels across the ABRA organization, said Mike Willis, Vice President of Talent Development with ABRA. “Every functional area at ABRA had representation on the project team that designed and created the Career Development Academy."

The company developed a program to train new applicants without any experience in auto body repair, and turn them into C-technicians in the shortest amount of time possible. “We created a program not to duplicate what our partners in technical colleges are doing, but to supplement that,” Willis said. “It is an intensive course to teach them entry-level body technician skills — bumper repair, simple dent repair, seam sealer and urethane use, and R&I, among other skills."

"We envision a future state, and in some cases it is there, where our technical college partners are generating much closer to a B-level technician. But we needed to supplement that. We needed a way for people who were transitioning in jobs, interested in the industry, or for whatever reason not able to enter a technical college program to have access to the industry."

Apprentices are deemed ABRA employees from day one and are paid as such, Willis said. “This is a paid training opportunity. They begin to learn about our company culture and safety before we can even put them in the shop with a tool. Once they demonstrate a certain level of competency, they are able to work on actual vehicles under the guidance of a mentor technician.”

The Service King program is a 52-week training program that is also fully compensated. Technicians receive daily on-the-job oversight and training, and are evaluated using competency assessments and benchmarks based on a detailed curriculum.

Service King's Apprentice Development Program launched two years ago, and 92 apprentices enrolled last year.

“We are looking for people who are already leaning toward a career in automotive repair,” Bremer says. “Were looking for certain technical skills, as well as personality traits. They should work well on a team and individually, be confident, passionate, and take pride in their work.”

ABRA created a marketing program to attract applicants for the program, reaching out to high schools, colleges, veterans, and other groups. Likewise, Service King has been reaching out to vocational schools, community colleges, and high schools.

When the initial class was announced, ABRA received 500 applications for the 10 available slots. Upon graduation, the new technicians can be placed at an ABRA repair center. So far, the company has graduated approximately 85 new technicians through the program, and they are in high demand at the company's repair centers.

Current apprentices have included veterans, high school students, older applicants that wanted a career change, and some tech school students who were unable to complete their education for financial reasons. About 15 percent of participants are female.

Service King’s approach is more decentralized, with apprentices working with apprentice supervisors in any number of company stores across the country. “They get a good understanding of how a body shop works, from the point the customer hands over their keys, to how to conduct quality, safe repairs, and then returning the vehicle,” Bremer says. “Once they are through the curriculum, they are an entry-level technician who can complete any type of repair.”

According to Bremer, Service King currently has 40 to 45 apprentice graduates in the current workforce, and enrolled another 92 apprentices in 2016. “Our goal is to double in size again and get them into the workforce,” Bremer says.

Once employed in a shop, they have access to the continuing training and education opportunities available within Service King to advance their careers.

A long-term commitment

The ABRA program has also provided a new career path for some senior technicians. “The program also provides opportunities for more experienced technicians to really step into the role of mentor. Some technicians find they feel very much rewarded by welcoming others into the industry,” Willis said. “It can also help senior technicians to be more efficient. There may be some aspects of R&I or bumper repair that they can have a less experienced technician handle, allowing them to focus on a really severe dent or complex body repair, for example.

"This gives senior technicians an opportunity to work in a team and recognize more efficient ways to divide up work,” Willis said.

ABRA apprentice Christine Newman uses a hammer and dolly on fender damage.

Placing the apprentice technicians at a shop that is a fit for their skills and personality is also an objective of the program. ABRA puts the apprentices through a screening and interview process to assess technician goals, shops needs and ensure the most successful placements.

At Service King, the company tries to place apprentices at the shops where they train. “We also see if there is another location that is closer to their home, or that is more convenient,” Bremer says. “We want to make sure we choose the right long-term solution for them.”

Service King is also working to raise the industry’s profile among high school students. The company is collaborating with the Collision Repair Education Foundation to increase outreach to schools. Service King also launched its Student Technician Automotive Repair Training (START) program in 2015. That program sponsored the reintroduction of an auto tech program at Franklin High School near Nashville, and some of those students have since entered the apprentice program.

For the next phase of its program, ABRA is working to take the content and curriculum from the Career Development Academy and localize it. “We are working on ways to deliver this experience consistently. That is Phase Two, with more details to come,” Willis said.

Another consideration is developing a similar apprentice program for the management side of collision repair. “We are putting a lot of focus and attention on apprentice programs for technicians, but we also need similar capabilities within the administrative side of our shops as well,” Willis said. “It is something we all know and are thinking of. ABRA is working to provide opportunities to allow people to come into our industry in a variety of roles.”

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