On this week’s episode of Grease the Wheels, Uncle Jimmy returns from his medical leave to a lot of new faces - who have never been in the business before. So this being a podcast for the auto industry, we look at how to set these new guys up for success because no one else has thought to do that - as seen in the atrocious 2 year attrition numbers for new mechanic hires. The first real goal is to have them have tangible touchstones where you can sort them out. If they are struggling to understand how to do an oil change and tire rotation, you’re not going to be giving them a job that is going to have them changing connecting rod bearings. The amount that technical schools teach you is directly proportional to how much effort the student in question put in, and for getting a rudimentary understanding of how cars work they are a solid option. However, this pales in comparison to the amount of constant on the job training that auto mechanics just do by learning new systems and new vehicles as they make new systems that break. This, in combination with the coming EV tsunami, gives employers even more reason to set their techs up for continued learning and future success with regular raises based on skill level.
Also Uncle Jimmy examines the extremely sharp double edged sword of training people and counting their hours as your own.
This episode is distributed by The Wrenching Network. Whether you're a technician, a mechanic, or someone who just loves the car scene, The Wrenching Network is a place that you have to check out. They have all sorts of great content, gear, and snacks to keep you turning wrenches in whatever capacity you do it. Also if you see us over there, make sure you say hi and leave a comment with what you think about the episode!
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