Challenges for Independent Repair Shops and Technicians in 2020; Advice they’d give to Future Technicians

Heading into 2020, according to independent automotive repair shops, the biggest challenges to shops and their technicians include finding time for hands on training (42.6%), staying up to date with advances in diagnostics (31.6%), keeping up with advances in vehicle technology (31.1%) and finding good, knowledgeable and motivated technicians (29.2%).

Despite an emphasis on keeping up with diagnostic technology, only 18.0% of shops with 1-3 bays prioritized that concern compared to 37.1% of shops with 4-7 bays and 38.3% of shops with 8+ bays.

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2022 Current & Future Challenges For Independent Auto Repair Shops

In addition, while automotive shops mentioned keeping up with advances in vehicle technology (31.1%) as a challenge, they also believe their technicians will be specifically challenged with having broad enough skills to be able to repair all types of vehicles (17.5%) including older, newer, foreign and electric vehicles.

When telling us what advice they’d give to young people considering a career as a technician, they’ve given advice that would presumably offset some of the challenges they see facing them in 2020 and beyond.