Consider a career in the auto industry
Are you a student interested in pursuing a career in the technical trades? Or a high school graduate who still hasn’t chosen a career?
Let’s examine a licensed automobile technician, Scott Maxted, who works at my Honda dealership in Hanover. It is my hope that a young person reading this column might be inspired to explore the career opportunities in the retail automobile industry.
Scott has been a certified Honda technician at our store for three years. Prior to that, he worked as a Ford master technician for eight years, and before that, at our Honda dealership when it was under different ownership.
From an early age, Scott has always been fascinated with cars — he enjoyed being around them, driving them, and fixing them. But his first career choice wasn’t in the automotive field.
As a teenager, Scott wanted to be a tool-and-die maker. He worked as an apprentice in that trade for eight months before deciding to make the switch to automotive.
Scott was initially hired as a summer student at our Honda store, and he eventually enrolled in an automotive program at Conestoga College, Guelph Campus, where he studied transportation technology. Within a few years, after completing his in-class schooling and apprenticeship, he became a Honda certified automotive technician.
Scott’s day-to-day responsibilities are diverse and challenging. He performs routine vehicle maintenance and repairs and is proficient in cooling and air-conditioning systems, drive trains, electrical systems, and suspension systems.
With today’s computerized automotive systems, vehicles have become so advanced that it’s common for technicians to specialize in specific areas: alignment and brakes, engines, drive trains, fuel and electronics systems, collision repairs, etc.
Although Scott enjoyed working at a Ford dealership, when he started working with us at Honda, it was like “starting at ground zero,” he says. “There were different diagnostic systems, tools and equipment that had to be mastered.”
Honda Canada provided terrific resources for Scott to learn about the new systems. Scott quickly embraced the mantra of constant learning, which included instructional videos, e-learning courses and classroom training sessions. Constant training and education keeps Scott at the forefront of new products, technologies, services, and processes.
The other bright spot for Scott in his role as an auto technician is the teamwork and camaraderie that he experiences on the job. He regularly collaborates with his colleagues to troubleshoot problems, and he interacts with service advisers, sales staff, and customers.
He also serves as a mentor to younger technicians and apprentices, providing them with the type of encouragement and support that he received while he was apprenticing.
When I ask Scott what message he has for students who are unsure of their careers, he encourages them to consider the retail automobile industry. Talk with auto technicians and service advisers or managers to find out what type of training and discipline is involved in those professions.
World class automotive tech courses are available at many post-secondary schools throughout Ontario — Centennial College, Durham College, Conestoga College and Mohawk College are some of the schools that offer automotive programs.
Scott sees a tremendous upside for dealerships in the next 10 or 20 years. Dealerships are highly specialized in their ability to diagnose and repair the current generation of gas- and diesel-powered cars, EVs, hybrids, and eventually, autonomous vehicles.
As automobiles become more complex and sophisticated, there will always be a need for qualified technicians who can accurately diagnose and repair them.
If you are curious about the employment (and advancement) opportunities in the technical side of the retail automobile industry, I strongly urge you to start researching your options today.
For information about automotive trends and career opportunities, visit carsandjobs.com. This column represents the views and values of the TADA. Write to president@tada.ca or go to tada.ca. Larry Lantz is president of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association and is a new-car dealer in Hanover, Ont.