Toronto, Ontario -- The third annual Voice of Technicians survey has been published by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and WrenchWay.
The survey, which asks North American collision-industry technicians to share their views on working in the trade, collects anonymous feedback from working technicians, instructors and students about issues such as pay systems, benefits, training and shop conditions.
It takes about six to 10 minutes to complete and includes entry into a draw for a US$3,000 Milwaukee Tool package. The survey is hosted on SurveyMonkey and can be completed at this link.
The organisers say the survey is intended to show what matters most to technicians when evaluating employers and to highlight where shops, schools and industry stakeholders meet or miss expectations.
Last year’s survey drew nearly 5,000 responses from technicians, students and instructors. Among those who answered, 87 percent said proper shop equipment is a “must have” when considering an employer, while 89 percent identified paid vacation as essential. Paid training was cited by 67 percent and a retirement fund by 72 percent. Avoiding weekend work was identified as a priority by 53 percent of respondents.
Regarding pay structure, 36 percent said they prefer hourly or salary pay, with the next most common preference — hourly with a production bonus — chosen by 25 percent. Traditional flat rate and flat rate with a guaranteed 40-hour minimum were less widely supported.
When respondents were asked about their current employers, only 58 percent said their shop provides the equipment needed to do the job. Fifty-one percent said they receive adequate paid training. Fifty-three percent described their benefits as “good.” Less than half — 49 percent — said they feel valued and respected by management.
The survey also recorded a negative net promoter score of negative 52 for the profession, meaning more respondents would discourage others from entering the trade than recommend it.
This year’s survey remains open through December 12.
