Who will Train our Technicians?

At nearly every aftermarket gathering, whether an official program or as a diner conversation, the need for strong training programs is a point on which all agree. But some of the traditional sources of that training are drying up. Just recently another large automotive parts maker made drastic cuts in its aftermarket training programs. Others are trying to convert once-free programs into pay-as-you learn to offset costs. The trend shouldn’t come as a surprise. It works like this: program groups, and warehouse distributors (WDs), pressure parts manufacturers to lower prices and increase their co-op allowances to compete with automotive parts retailers. Naturally, such concessions cut into the parts makers’ margin. Part of those profit margins support the manufacturers’ training programs. The result-low margins, low training budgets. In a completely price driven world, services diminish. If the extra training won’t get the manufacturer the order, at a slightly higher price over its competitor (who don’t offer training), you can count on that training to eventually disappear, no matter how dedicated to training the manufacturer may have been in the past.

Career Development Tool A Huge Success

Chicago IL   Lee Auto Supply, an All Pro Bumper to Bumper parts distributor to many shops in the Chicago suburbs has taken the Career Development Tools to their customers with outstanding results. Four salesmen and two weeks later, Lee Auto’s Team had sold over 250 CDTs at $18 each. “I just explain to the shop owner that these tools will inform them of what training would be best for each of his technicians. Obviously, saving money and time on training that is not needed.” said Paul Marino, Lee’s Sales Manager. Lee’s training database has over two hundred technicians and has made their training program a huge success.

Career Development Program

Building Confidence in Training

Two consistent problems that face every shop owner are profits and customer complaints. These problems follow them home every night! Today’s shop owners and managers are becoming better businessmen. They realize that bay profitability and customer retention is their number one priority. Solutions to these problems are to either hire better technicians or train the ones they’ve got. Why don’t they do this? First of all, there’s a lack of qualified technicians out there looking for a job. That leaves the alternative solution, training. Then why aren’t the classes being filled? One of the reasons, that few technicians attend training, has been the lack of the shop owner’s confidence that the courses offered will increase their technician’s skills. If the Shop is going to pay for the technician to go to training, as well as losing the service of that tech during training, the shop owner needs to feel that the training is effective.

The Career Development Program provides a complete system that tells the shop owner where to best invest their training dollars. This continuing education program first assesses the technicians’ current knowledge level, then reports back the results, indicating the particular educational needs of the technician.

The CAAT Career Development Program consists of the following steps:

1. Career Development Tools (Assessments) are sold to shops by training providers. These CDT’s are serial numbered for tracking purposes.
2. Technicians complete the CDT and mail back to CAAT’s processing center.
3. Technician Results are processed and returned to the shop/technician within 10 days.
4. Recommendation Reports are sent, bi-monthly, to training provider showing the number of students who have completed the CDTs, as well as, how many need to take each particular course. This report provides a planning tool to know which courses need to be scheduled.
5. Detailed Needs Reports are sent bi-monthly and give the training provider a list of technicians’ names that should attend each course. This report makes it easy to contact the shop owner, who knows (from the Technician Results) that their technician needs to take this course. This report also shows the CDT serial #’s so that the training provider can track who did not yet send back their CDT.
6. Student Information Forms and Trainer Evaluation Forms are filled out by the technicians who take each class. These forms provide on going support to the program. Each technician who scores 70% or more will receive a CAAT course completion certificate. Successful completion of a class is reflected in future Recommendation Reports. These forms also allow CAAT to ensure that the CAAT Trainers maintain the highest proficiency in training possible.

The Career Development Program is a valuable system for both the CAAT Trainers as well as businesses that offer technician training in an effort to support their customers. CAAT Trainers should order Career Development Tools today to start a technician database in time for fall training schedules.

Oregon Subscribes to AERN

The Automotive Emission Repair Network, CAAT’s newsletter for emission and engine performance technicians is now being sent to shops in Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, and soon to be Massachusetts.

We are continuously getting calls from our readers, complimenting us for the great articles written by CAAT Trainers. For instance we received many positive calls about Don Knowles EGR series and the humor Jim Grant uses to get his points across. Shops also have commented on the way Jerry Trauglia’s articles have a real world style that they can relate to.

We know that many of our members are constantly surrounded by some interesting repair challenges and we would greatly appreciate your sharing those experiences in the AERN. It’s a good way to help other trainers and techs, plus make $200.

    Just send your articles to CAAT headquarters on disk, e-mail, or paper. Try to include pictures or back up information with your article.

Training Update from aTs

By Joe Barton, National Training Director

Maintaining an in-house training group has become more and more expensive. Manufactures of parts and equipment are now going to outside professional training agencies to deliver their training. Such was the case with the successful training alliance between aTs and Fluke.

This program has been highly successful due to a number of reasons. We use highly skilled trainers from CAAT. In most cases they are local trainers to an area. This allows them to better relate to the students, as well as show a sincere interest in their ability to succeed.

We also work very hard to maintain the high standards of our client, such as FLUKE and realize that every time we stand up in front of a group of students we symbolize every thing our for which our client stands.

How the program works is very simple. Our client gives us the name of the business that wishes to do the class. I call them and get dates, times and locations, usually about 4 weeks out. We contact CAAT for trainers in that area and select the trainer. We then coordinate the trainer with the business to work out the particulars per class. The box of training material including 10 meters, overheads, cabling, advertising material and instructor guides are sent to the trainer. After the class is held the trainer sends the rosters and evaluations along with the box back to us.

The results of our alliance with FLUKE have been extraordinary. We are very happy to report on the success. 44 students that attended our FLUKE seminars were asked:

aTs has just renewed an agreement with FLUKE and is planning to step up the pace on the number of classes being held in the upcoming months. We are now getting our meters and equipment updated with the latest DI capabilities that the FLUKE 98 has to offer. It has been a real delight as well as an honor for aTs to be able to work with such a great company and all the personal at FLUKE.

Contact Joe Barton at 314-928-5001 if you’re interested in holding a Fluke seminar.