The collision repair industry's future depends on attracting and developing young professionals while fostering a culture of continuous learning, mentorship and training as evolving vehicle technology, ADAS, EVs, scanning and repair procedures require experienced and new industry members to keep building their skills.
- Next-generation workforce: Young people entering collision repair can become future technicians, shop owners, trainers, educators and industry leaders, not simply a solution to technician shortages.
- Mentorship matters: Experienced industry professionals can support new entrants by answering questions, sharing knowledge and providing opportunities to learn alongside formal training programs.
- Continuous learning: Collision repair professionals must continue developing their skills as new materials, ADAS, EVs, scanning and evolving repair procedures change the work.
- Industry responsibility: Attracting and retaining the next generation requires continued investment in young people and an industry culture where learning remains part of the job.
- Shared knowledge: Both apprentices and experienced technicians have opportunities to learn from new developments while teaching others based on their own experience.
There is something about back-to-school season that makes us think about what comes next. For young people, it might mean starting a new school year, beginning an apprenticeship or figuring out what they want to do after graduation. For the collision repair industry, it is also a good time to think about the people who will be shaping its future.
We spend a lot of time talking about the need to bring more young people into the skilled trades. We talk about technician shortages, retirements and how quickly vehicle technology is changing. Those conversations are important, but I think it is worth looking at the other side of that conversation, too. Young people are not just a solution to a workforce problem. They are future technicians, shop owners, trainers, educators and leaders, and we have a responsibility to give them the tools to build those careers.
That starts with training, but it does not end there. It means having experienced people who are willing to answer questions, share what they know and give someone new to the industry a chance to learn. A good mentor can have just as much impact on a young person’s career as a formal training program. Sometimes, it is simply having someone in your corner who is willing to take the time to explain something.
Of course, learning does not stop once someone leaves the classroom. Collision repair has changed dramatically, and it continues to change. New materials, ADAS, EVs, scanning and evolving repair procedures mean even experienced professionals have plenty of reasons to keep learning. The knowledge that got someone through the first part of their career may not be enough to carry them through the next part.
That is one of the things I like about this industry. There is always something new to figure out, whether you are an apprentice learning your first repair procedure or an experienced technician trying to understand the latest technology. Everyone has something to learn, and everyone has something they can teach someone else.
As another school year gets underway, it is easy to think about training as something that belongs to young people. I think it is a good reminder that it belongs to all of us. If we want to attract the next generation and keep them in the industry, we need to keep investing in them, while also creating an industry where learning is simply part of the job.
The future of collision repair will depend on the people coming into the industry, but it will also depend on how willing all of us are to keep learning alongside them.
