Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/86182
Workforce ("Got Techs?" continued from page 45) hire date can be three to four years. This means that time is of the essence. If a dealer isn't working to develop a pipeline of well-trained entry-level technicians now, the recruitment "can" (qualified entry- level techs available to hire) just gets kicked down the road. What If They Went Away? Sometimes we just assume that these college/diesel equipment tech- nology programs will just continue to be there. Maybe they will, but maybe they won't. I was once looking for new prospect college programs for AED Accreditation and found one that looked great on the Internet, "on paper" so to speak; it looked like it may not have far to go to meet our rigorous techni- cal AED Accreditation standards. When I called to inquire and make some contacts, I was informed the program had been terminated. That may be an extreme outcome, but other things can go awry too. Programs exist and thrive based on the student headcount in those programs and the quality of its graduates versus the costs of offer- ing the program. In other words, is the program successful? Is it serving the needs of the employers who hire their graduates? On top of that, programs exist in an environment of federal and state funding reductions and general belt-tightening. So ask yourself: Do we want to see diesel/equipment programs subject to cutbacks and curriculum quality heading downward? Do we want to see these technical programs combined with automotive, ag and/or on-highway truck? Do we want to see them turn into technical programs that are supported by and serve the needs of those industries rather than ours? Our industry, including equipment dealers, has a real stake in ensur- ing the future availability of highly qualified new technicians specifi- cally educated in diesel/equipment technology programs. For those who ADVERTISERS' INDEX ADP Inc. Dealer Services .... ... .... ... ... .... .... .. 52 BOKF Equipment Finance Inc. ... ... .... ... .... ... ... 49 Briggs & Stratton Corporation .... ... .... ... .... ... .. 27 DIS Corporation .. ... .... ... .... ... .... ... .... ... 25 Dura Sweeper .. .... ... .... ... .... ... .... ... .... . 62 EPG Insurance, Inc. . ... ..... ... ... .... ... .... ... .. 12 Glynn General Corporation .. .... ... ... .... ... .... .. 48 Hydrema Exports A/S .. .... ... ... .... ... .... ... ... 23 Infor ... .... ... .... ... .... .... ... ... .... ... .... 15 Knapheide Manufacturing Company, The .. .... ... ... . 47 Leading Edge Attachments . .... .... ... ... .... .... .. 21 Liebherr Construction Equipment Co. ... .... ... .... ... 58 LiuGong Construction Machinery .. .... ... ... .... ... . IFC Lowe Manufacturing Company, Inc. .. .... ... ... .... .. 17 PFW Systems Corporation .. .... .... ... ... .... .... ... 1 PriSim Business War Games, Inc. . ... .... ... .... .... .. 56 Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers .. .... ... ... .... .... ... .... 2 SANY Heavy Industry Co., LTD .. ... .... ... .... ... .... 9 Sentry Insurance Company .. .... ... ... .... .... ... ... 6 Vacuworx International . .... ... .... ... ... .... .... .. 16 Veritas Risk Services .. .... ... ... .... ... .... .... ... 54 Wacker Neuson Corporation .... ... .... .... ... .... .. 29 Wedgelock North America .. .... ... ... .... .... ... .OBC Wells Fargo Equipment Finance .. ... .... ... ... .... ... 43 Werk-Brau Company, Inc. .. .... ... ... .... .... ... ...IBC Woods Equipment Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 XAPT Corporation .. .... .... ... ... .... ... .... ... ... 4 As the official magazine of Associated Equipment Distributors, this publication carries authoritative notices and articles in regard to the activities of the association. In all other respects, the association cannot be responsible for the contents thereof or the opinions of contributors. Copyright © 2011 by Associated Equipment Distribu- tors. Construction Equipment Distribution (ISSN0010-6755) is published monthly as the official journal of Associated Equipment Distributors. Subscription rate — $39 per year for members; $79 per year for non-members. Office of publication: 600 Hunter Drive Suite 220, Oak Brook, Ill. Phone: 630-574-0650. Periodicals postage at Hinsdale, Ill. 60521 and other post offices. Additional entry, Pontiac, Ill. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Construction Equipment Distribution, 600 Hunter Drive Suite 220, Oak Brook, Ill. 60523 are already actively engaged with technical college diesel/equipment programs and reaping the benefits, thank you. For others, I trust that you know that nobody is going to just step up to the plate and do it for us. It's a challenge that we accept or reject, and then experience the consequences. I'll just pose a final question: How can you be more involved in manag- ing your own technician workforce destiny? Solving that puzzle is ultimately the objective of this article and the mission of The Foundation's workforce development endeavors. If that rings home and you are interest- ed, we can help. Please get in touch, and we'll help you stop the vicious circle and instead get on a path of self-fulfilling profitability. n STEVE JOHNSON is the executive director of The AED Foundation. He can be reached at 630-468-5134, sjohnson@aednet.org. October 2012 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 63