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Governor Proclaims October 27th Automotive Career Education Day

28 October 1998

Governor Proclaims October 27th Automotive Career Education Day

 Bureau of Automotive Repair Takes Lead in Effort to Improve Repair Industry

    SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 27 -- California is again taking a
leadership role in trying to reverse a nationwide shortage of automotive
repair technicians with Governor Pete Wilson proclaiming October 27th
"Automotive Career Education Day" in California.
    "Consumers are beginning to feel the effects of the shortage of trained
repair technicians," said Governor Wilson. "California's Bureau of Automotive
Repair led a successful national conference last month to address that
problem. Automotive Career Education is a key component."
    The automotive industry is one of the largest professional industries,
employing more than five million people nationally and educating students in
more than 5,000 high schools and colleges. Each year, however, as two million
automobiles are added to U.S. highways, the number of qualified repair
technicians is dropping by as much as 5 percent -- creating a shortfall of
about 60,000 trained automotive service employees.
    "Unless we act soon to reverse this disturbing trend, owning and
maintaining a car is going to become a much more expensive and inconvenient
proposition," said Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Chief Marty Keller. "The
single most important thing we can do is to encourage young people to take a
serious look at automotive repair as a viable career opportunity."
    Statistics suggest that more than 70 percent of the new automotive repair
jobs created between 1995 and 2005 will require advanced technical training.
Today, the average 1998 model car relies on more on-board computerization than
the Apollo missions to the moon.
    "Society needs to stop thinking of auto repair professionals as 'grease
monkeys' in dirty overalls," said BAR Chief Keller. "We need to start thinking
of them as analysts in lab coats."
    To further this idea, BAR led the successful Automotive Repair Leadership
2000: Strategies for Success conference. More than 140 leaders from all areas
of the automotive industry gathered in Anaheim, California, to develop plans
to fill the current shortfall of qualified technicians.
    Participants formed task forces to, among other things:  establish a
central source of information about the automotive service field, raise the
image and understanding of the industry, establish industry-wide standards,
and increase recruitment diversity.
    To promote the high-tech aspect of "Automotive Career Education Day," BAR
and the Governor's Office of Child Development and Education formally invited
automotive education and training institutions, including high schools,
community colleges, and vocational education providers, to participate in the
Third Annual Satellite Career Fair. This on-line fair, sponsored by the
Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair, was available at no cost to any
facility with satellite downlink capabilities and was broadcast earlier today.