Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/86182
Workforce Got Techs? Chances are, you'd hire if you could. Here's what happens when dealers stick to the stealing strategy rather than engaging in genuine technician development. BY STEVE JOHNSON We've all heard the terms "industry cycle" and "economic cycle," and experienced their ebbs and flows. One can define those cycles as the natural fluctuations of the industry and/or economy between periods of expan- sion or growth, and contraction or recession. Five years ago, our industry was reaping the rewards of the expan- sion segment of the cycle. Today, we all feel that we are way more familiar with the contraction segment than we wanted or hoped to be – ever. Many things are cyclical; in fact I've heard some people say that everything is cyclical, including technician supply and demand. However, I beg to differ when it comes to equipment industry technician recruitment and develop- ment. Sure, technician demand varies with the industry and economic cycles. However, to me it seems that over time the downturns only temporarily disguise a funda- mental structural situation that remains much the same through the ups and downs: n Many career and technical schools struggle because of scarce program resources. n Federal and state governments, and other supporting organizations, must cut spending, and technical schools are not immune. 44 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | October 2012 n Traditional technical student prospect pools continue to dry up; there are no easy solutions. n Old industry and "vocational" career stereotypes persist. n The equipment technician workforce average age has increased. n In downturns, a number of techs leave the industry for a variety of reasons and don't return. n Equipment dealers still can't find enough qualified technicians. n The No. 1 strategy for finding techs when the demand hits is, "steal from your competitor." As to the last couple bullet points, there are numbers that support the longer-term "scarcity of techs" outlook. For example, the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that through 2020, for their data bucket titled "Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, except Engines," 10-year employment growth will be greater than 16 percent, with average annual job openings of 5,250. That doesn't even include demand for techs in engines, ag, and heavy truck. Perhaps more to the point, we in the industry are now hearing the same workforce conversations people