Do we need to be selling Automotive a bit more within our own Industry?
Why oh why, do people still perceive Automotive to be grubby, macho and lesser skilled. Whilst we may not have a fully diverse and inclusive workforce representing all genders, ages, faiths, abilities and ethnicity, (just yet), we have come on leaps and bounds since I started 20 years ago. We should remember how far we have come and not where we have been. We are all doing a great job, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned down in about six days!
A few years ago, we presented to aftermarket automotive professionals about some of the things people believed our Industry to be, and we likened it to the garages seen in soaps and other TV programmes. Some of the key things we found were:
-?????????If you’re not very academic, you should join automotive - you will do well
-?????????It’s dirty, greasy with lots of heavy lifting - no room for women here
-?????????It isn’t a viable career , it’s just a job until you can't kneel down anymore
-?????????There is no progression, they only promote people in the office
-?????????Pay isn’t great - well we all know that one is just a myth
But we were also invisible to education, hidden within manufacturing and engineering, but now we are firmly out there.
So, we went on a bit of a crusade dispelling myths to Students, Teachers, Careers Advisors, Parents, Carers and so on, but do we need to do it a bit more within our Industry?
You often hear people saying I wouldn’t let my son or daughter come into the industry. Why not? Is it that bad? How can we change the culture and the perception of Automotive within when we have negative thoughts ourselves?
It is tough when things aren't great post Brexit, pandemic and the current economic climate, but there are hundreds if not thousands who have made a great career out of it, nice houses, holidays and cars. So surely it can't be that bad?
Yes, we have challenges some of which are out of our control but are they all relevant to attracting new talent?
One thing that is, is pay for apprentices and young, inexperienced people. If you can get more money working in hospitality or retail, then young people will have their heads turned. Their wants and needs at 16-18 are more focused on money than when we move into our late 30’s and 40’s, where its about promotion, learning, and value added roles and responsibilities.
Having a positive workplace culture isn’t just for new talent, it’s for existing talent too. It needs to come from the top and be part of the Company’s DNA. Often apprentices/work experience students return to Colleges or become disillusioned about their lack of learning, treatment by colleagues or management or working conditions, falling into the NEET (not in education, employment or training) gap. With over 70,000 young people in there, we don't need another gap to add to the skills, generation and disability gap we have.
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You can have the shiniest workshop floor and equipment but if you don’t invest in employees and not just training but personal investment in them, providing a safe, secure, and supportive environment, and showing them what good looks, feels and sounds like then we won’t achieve what we need in promoting automotive to the next generation of talent.
So, it starts with the Supervisor.
How do we select them? Is it because they are non-productive, they are older, more experienced or is it because they have the best fit and skills to keep that young person safe and engaged and on the right path?
Are they positive? Do they use the right language and ensure that young people understand effectively?
Are they a great ambassador for your Company, your brand? Do they have a good story to tell about their own journey within your company?
Have they had any training, guidance, and support on what their role and responsibilities are? Do they know how to give the right feedback? How do they measure success?
Supervising is not the same as being a mentor. A mentor doesn’t have to be occupationally competent in the area the young person is learning. It’s a great idea to use other people within your business to help them develop their confidence and communication skills, make it a meaningful and purposeful role within your business which can really shape someone’s future, including their own.
Mentors typically provide guidance and support, while supervisors provide direction and enforcement. Mentors typically work with one individual at a time, while supervisors can work with a group of employees, but can equally work with one person at a time.
Young people are immature, they are inexperienced and are not aware of hazards within automotive and so are more likely to have an accident, damage property, behave inappropriately and fall by the wayside, and very quickly – this is where Mentors come into their own. Having a programme which includes employability skills and a behavioural framework is a must. This is a team effort between colleges and employers, and not just one person’s responsibility.
Bringing the next generation of talent into an organisation is a huge team effort, and yes it can be time consuming, it can be hard work, it may even detract or distract from targets on occasions, but it is absolutely well worth it when you see that young person grow mentally, emotionally and physically within your company.
When you see it all fall into place for them, when they start paying back, when they become part of your talent acceleration programme, and they become the supervisor for the next generation then you’ve made it, and so have they!
Culture and infrastructure are not only key to success for your company but for all those in it, including young people.
Proven to deliver Automotive Business High Performance in multiple Aftersales arenas at Importer, Wholesale and Retail level, improving profitability, CSI and retention across various brands, Countries & Continents.
1 年The industry absolutely needs to grow their own to survive. Automotive Skills was mandated with the task of bringing young people into the industry 20 years ago, and despite centre's of vocational excellence being created at Manchester and Newcastle and many other places, all the Media were interested in were the female CEO Patricia vs Sarah Sillers at the IMI... And then the FD bankrupted the company and it was rolled into the IMI. The industry needs to be communicated to you people as exciting, futuristic, technological (just look at recent products) and aspirational, without a ceiling. I was an apprentice that started on a YTS and have worked all over the world including a few years based in Dubai.. Kids need to understand the potential, what a trade really means, how it will never fail them and the fact that the sky is the limit. Instead.. Because schools gain 2 year funding of 6th form, they tell everyone "it's your right to go to university".. And a trade is a weak second option. The messaging needs to significantly change, and so does the integrity of the schools.
Leading the global movement bringing Mental Wealth to masculine environments. International Keynote Speaker, inspiring courage in leaders to navigate change through focusing on wellbeing. "Psst - I love being an MC too!"
1 年Daniel Perry CAT CAE MIMI is right and alongside that, the jobs in automotive need to be seen as aspirational - not a consolation prize for not being academically gifted (the neurotypical academia approach is flawed anyway).
Customer Success Manager & Product Specialist at Electude
1 年The industry needs to wake up. An apprentice is often seen as cheap labour and not an investment. We all want to feel valued and supported in our line of work and unfortunately apprentices do not always fit this. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty great employers out there that go above and beyond but there are many that do not.