In Canada’s auto capital, repair shops say skilled technicians are nearly impossible to find

Recruiting a license technician in the Automotive Capital of Canada is so difficult that at least one company has been approved to hire a temporary foreign worker for the position.

Peter Solly, owner of the Macdonald’s repair and maintenance, has analyzed that option, but instead offered $ 20,000 in signature bonds so that the new hired technicians.

But it still cannot be hired to qualified and reliable people.

“It’s hard to believe in reality, it really is, but that is what we face today,” said Solly, who wants to hire two technicians.

Despite having the highest unemployment rate in the country with 11.2 percent, Windsor repair workshops say that hiring car technicians is almost impossible.

“There has been a crisis, a scarcity of technicians for a long time in North America,” said Solly, who is reserving weeks for appointments.

According to Statistics Canada, there are 2,500 vacancies of car technicians in Ontario and around 6,800 throughout the country.

There have been 673 applications to hire a temporary foreign worker in hundreds of repair workshops throughout Canada.

The association says that the curriculum needs update

It is a problem that develops in repair workshops in Ontario, according to industry groups, which have suggested that schools need to encourage trade as a viable career option before students.

“We are noticing a lack of ability or ability,” said Scott Jennings, co -president of the Windsor Automotive Professional Repair Association.

He said that the association has a good relationship with secondary schools and the university in Windsor, with an approach in training people properly.

“However, the problem with that is not the fault of the university, per se, because they have the mandate of following the curriculum, which has not been updated for about 10 or 12 years,” Jennings said.

“I understand that you are working. Just take too long.”

Glenn Willis, an automotive technology for almost 50 years, said there are a generation of people seeking to retire in the industry, and that will only increase labor scarcity.

“We are in the Baby Boomer group and we are all starting to get tired. This exchange is used for you,” said Willis.

As current technicians retire, Selly points out the emphasis on certain professional careers in the past as part of the current problem.

“Fifteen years ago, it was like, ‘going to school, getting a title, obtaining a Criminology title, obtaining a degree in Arts, getting a master’s degree in something and then getting a job,'” said Solly.

“Unfortunately, it does not always work that way. These children graduate, and they cannot find a job and are working on the shelves of Walmart’s socks. And it is very frustrating. And the blue neck was not promoted so much at that time, but now an educated person in the blue neck can earn a lot of money.”

The owner of the repair workshop says that the shortage of ‘amazing’ labor

Jennings helps to organize a competence of annual skills for high school students interested in a career as a automotive technician and has noticed that there is not so much interest in trade.

But he said you can earn a lot of money for people eager to learn.

“If you are a good qualified coach, you can almost name the price they pay you.”

Solly said he has technicians who earn between $ 100,000 and $ 150,000 a year.

“People don’t believe it, but it’s the truth. Sometimes it’s amazing for me when you don’t seem to see it.”

Solly said that with higher life costs, he realized that people bring vehicles trying to obtain some additional miles.

A barrier to enter operations is the cost of tools, which can cost up to $ 100,000.

Solly suggested that there are people who have been withdrawn and have tools that collect dust they could sell to someone who wants to keep the industry.

“People are almost going to be, such as, begging to fix their car.”