HIGH PAYING AUTO TECHNICIAN AND RETAILING JOBS GO WANTING EVEN IN GLOOMY ECONOMIC TIMES

January 26, 2002-New Orleans, LA

Students/Parents/Educators Don't Know/Appreciate Potential of Automotive Careers, According to New Study

In a time of gloomy economic and employment news, government figures forecast that the automotive industry needs 35,000 people for new high-paying auto technician jobs and tens of thousands more for sales, finance and other jobs in auto dealerships in this decade alone. But a new study released today by Automotive Retailing Today (ART) shows that few students, parents and educators are aware of these jobs or job benefits.

Jim Willingham, Chairman of ART said, "Anyone interested in job security and in making a very good income has a world of opportunity in the auto service and retailing industry. Today's vehicles are very sophisticated, computer-driven machines requiring technicians who can work with cutting-edge high-tech tools. The day of the "grease monkey" is dead. But these high-paying jobs go wanting because most people don't understand that the industry has changed drastically."

ART released the results of a new comprehensive study it commissioned with Wirthlin Worldwide to measure awareness of and attitudes towards auto industry careers among students, parents and educators. The bad news is that few teens currently aspire to automotive careers. Only two percent of all teens (13-18 years old) would choose a career in the automotive industry according to the study. A career in health care ranked the highest. But the good news is that the disinterest results from a lack of information, and quickly reverses when they learn about the high demand and pay.

"Sixty-five percent said that they would be more likely to seek a career as an automotive technician when they heard that, as master technicians, they can make in a range of $70,000-100,000 a year doing something that can give them a great deal of job satisfaction," Willingham said.

The survey also found that on average teens begin thinking about career plans at age 13, and that parents strongly steer those decisions. While peer influence generally is a huge factor in shaping the attitudes of teens, when it comes to career choice, 80 percent said the they trust their parents "a great deal," compared to just 34 percent who trust their friends and 42 percent who rely on their teachers. According to the study results, teens indicate choosing a career direction before college is roughly a three-year decision making process - from first conversation to deciding on a career preference.

The survey also found that 45 percent of all teens say they will make a career decision in their junior or senior year in high school.

Teens say their parents are the most influential. But parent responses to the survey show they have the most out-of-date attitudes towards jobs in this sector, expressing uncertainty as to how intellectually challenging an auto technician career is for their child.

The reality is today there are more computers in a typical new car than there were in the first US lunar landing module. In fact, the sophisticated diagnostic equipment used by today's auto technician demand high-tech training.

"Forget the old mechanic and salesman stereotypes," Willingham said. "The times have changed, and automotive service and retailing are now careers that combines job satisfaction, continuous learning, and economic security. It's an employee's market and will be for the foreseeable future," Willingham said.

Educators, while not as influential on teens as are their parents, are more likely to recognize the skills training required for careers in the automotive field. But most (78% of teachers and 52% of counselors) say they do not receive specific information about automotive careers to share with their students. And this misses a real opportunity to inform students as 52% of teachers and 68% of counselors say they speak with their students specifically about career options "quite often" at school.

The study demonstrates a need to do a better job in combating outdated images of the industry and raising awareness among students, parents and educators about the incredible potential of these jobs. The survey demonstrates when people understand the nature of today's auto technician and retailing jobs, these careers become attractive. The survey also shows that the industry needs to create awareness earlier in the career decision-making process.

Currently, there are a number of auto dealer and manufacturer programs aimed at recruiting students into the auto careers. ART will share the results of this new study with these groups in order to stimulate an industry-wide discussion on how the industry can better reach out to students, parents and educators.

Wirthlin Worldwide collected data for this survey by a series of telephone studies: 1) 606 interviews with teen-agers aged 13-18; 2) 600 interviews with parents of teen-agers aged 13-18; and 3) interviews of 200 educators, including guidance counselors and teachers of 8th through 12th grade students. The Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics made the projection of 35,000 new automotive service industry jobs annually between 2000 and 2010.

Automotive Retailing Today is a coalition that includes all major automobile manufacturers and dealer organizations. ART works to promote better understanding of the industry and to build stronger customer relationships.

For more information on ART, visit www.autoretailing.org.

Editors Note:Every Saturday morning at 7AM for the past three years, The Auto Channel has simulcast and archived a two hour radio show produced and broadcast by the non-profit Consortium for Automotive Education. During each show Professor Harold Wolchok and a higly qualified staff of automotive educators from the Bronx Community College help provide serious answers to questions posed by consumers about car their problems.

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