The more things change, the more attitudes stay the same
I still have my father’s apprenticeship papers dated 1922 which are quite interesting to read. My grandfather had to pay the dealership for his training! My father put my name down for an apprenticeship at the same dealership when I was 10 years old, as there was a huge waiting list of young guys wanting to get into the industry.
My own apprenticeship papers are dated 1960 the age of sex, drugs and rock and roll. I am not sure what I was doing but I missed it all! I served an indentured apprenticeship, lasting for five years and a line reads, “The apprentice shall faithfully, honestly and diligently serve and obey the employer.” Things have sure changed!
The word indentured sounds a bit like slavery but the bottom line was, after a one year trial period, my apprenticeship documents were signed. That meant they could then not fire me and I could not quit. It was a serious two-way commitment.
The system worked
I spent three years working with different journeymen and two years working as an approver on my own. It was a superb apprenticeship well recognized around the world. I can honestly say that I never worked on the lubrication rack once in all the five years of my apprenticeship. I was there to learn not to change oil!
We recently decided to look into where our Canadian industry is heading with apprenticeship training. We wanted to look at the current profile of students, because they are going to be the technicians of our future.
Next generation training
What better place to start than Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ont. We met with four instructors, Tim, Gregory, Greg and Jim. These guys are not ivory tower theorists, but dedicated professionals. Their openness and hospitality were very much appreciated. This is a multi-million dollar training facility and the tour was mind blowing. We were shown four shops and if you are a real automotive guy, it was like being a kid in a candy store. As an ex heavy truck mechanic, the truck shop was nothing short of awesome. There was also a body shop, A.S.E.P. shop and a shop for electronics training.
What are students like?
We did an informal survey to find out where these students were coming from, and also what motivated them to the automotive industry.
Some told us they became interested in becoming a technician while working in a shop program at high school. This is why it’s a concern to see high schools closing their automotive shop programs. Others told us their father was in the business. This is why James Jr. and I became technicians.
Some students said they started working part time in a dealership during their summer vacation, and that triggered an interest. The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) also attracted some people into the trade.
Hard to find candidates
You could not be blamed for thinking there is a lot of interest from people who leave school to become an apprentice technician — but you would be wrong.
It turns out that the college’s instructors spend time phoning dealerships begging for them to send apprentices for training. At times they run their programs with dismal numbers. This is not just true of the Hamilton area, but service managers around the country often tell us that they get phone calls from technical colleges asking for them to send students.
On a positive note, most students they do get are educated to a level that allows them to take full advantage of the curriculum. The days appear to be long gone when parents say: “My son is an academic failure, would he make a good mechanic?”
So why is it with multi-million dollar facilities across Canada supported by both the government and our industry, that we have to scratch and beg for students?
What do we have to change to make our industry more attractive to bright young students? Is the problem that dealerships don’t want the hassle of hiring apprentices? Could it be lack of social recognition? Or could it be a lack of financial reward?
The money issue
When I started in the business, almost every other trade paid more money. We are often told this is still the same. We did a quick search of hourly wages for jobs in the Toronto area. Here is what we found: Electrician $27, Plumber $25, Carpenter $25, Bricklayer $25, Registered nurse $35, Truck driver $ 21, Mechanic/Technician $18. We asked a lot of people in the industry a simple question, “Would you encourage your children into the industry? Most responded with a resounding, “No way!”
I have spent all my working life on several continents working in this industry and in many different capacities, and I still love it. The automotive industry is interesting, challenging and can provide a lot of self development and a lot of fun.
So let’s support our local training facilities, hard working instructors and get the word out to our youth, that there is a great future for people with the right skill sets in the industry.
If you are a dealer principal and have not done so, may I suggest that on your next performance group meeting you check out an apprentice training centre, as they are worth a visit.
