In the People Business By Ginny Whelan

The Future of Your Company is Tied to Training R

ecently, I read a blog that resonated with me. Paul Petrone, in a June 2016 LinkedIn Learning Blog, made a case for training and your future. He writes: “Right now, a lot of employers and em- ployees treat learning in their profession- al lives like most of us treat cardiovascular training in our personal lives. Sure, we all know professional development is good for us, like working out is good for us. But, with so much else going on in our lives with work and families ... it’s often the fi rst thing that gets pushed aside.

“The data is in, and the message is clear – that attitude toward professional de- velopment isn’t going to cut it anymore. Research suggests there are going to be two types of businesses in the near future: ones that have robust employee teaching programs and win; and everyone else. … “Bottom line, a lot of jobs are going

away, and the ones that are staying will require new skills. And it is impractical for companies to hire their way out of the problem, as the demand for people with select skills will be highly competitive, and yet those skills – and potentially those people – could become antiquated in just a few years.”

The auto recycling industry is aware that the many of the skills needed are go- ing to change drastically and quickly. Re- ports found that 35 percent of essential and core job skills will change by 2020. Auto recycling companies will have to teach their existing team many new skills. Many just aren’t sure how they are going to do that. Skilled training is a great prop- osition, Petrone notes, but there lies an- other problem. The number of recyclers that have confi dence that they have the ability to teach their future new hires go- ing forward is likely very minimal. That means facility owners and general managers must make learning new skills a high priority. “Dealing with this prob- lem simply requires a new way of thinking

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about learning. It means [auto recycling] organizations taking a hard look at their existing [training] programs, and doing what they can to improve them. And for all employees out there, it means taking learning seriously,” Petrone emphasizes. “For businesses to capitalize on new opportunities, they will need to put talent development and future workforce strat- egy at the forefront of their growth. Firms can no longer be passive consumers of ready-made human capital. They require a new mindset to meet their talent needs and to optimize social outcomes,” he says.

Making Workforce Changes The auto recycling industry has accept-

ed the fact that no employees are fully trained for their positions in a facility. Yet, the education and development of new industry technicians is essential to our future. Automotive technology programs at the technical and vocational level, too, understand that as the industry evolves, the challenges facing both the students and educators mount. Technol- ogy in the vehicles is changing so quick- ly that it is harder to include everything needed in the curriculum. It is hard to decipher what are the best practices re- garding training on any level. Reliable service information is not complete, easy-to-use, fast, or affordable to auto recyclers. At this point, neither the aftermarket nor OE service information satisfi es all of these four criteria, which is something that the ARA and the ARA Educational Foundation (ARAEF) are working to improve. In the meantime, auto recyclers must adopt new ways to secure vehicle information for recycling. ARAEF joined with the National Au- tomotive Service Task Force (NASTF) in their program, “Building the Road to GREAT Technicians.” ARA is a NASTF member; I serve on their Education Team. The ARAEF would like to develop,

parallel with the NASTF program, a ca- reer path to apprenticeship/mentoring program for the automotive recycling in- dustry. This type of training is appealing to the next generation, with on-the-job training and accompanying study. AR- AEF has adapted four NASTF initiatives: 1. Promote (externally) the auto re- cycling industry to the public. This in- cludes developing marketable career paths in sales, inventory, dismantler, etc.; and identify key stakeholders, as in ARA members, affi liates, etc. 2. Promote (inside the industry) facility image and professional work conditions. This includes highlight benefi ts of clean, professional, and safe environments; con- duct competitive analysis with other auto- motive industries; and eliminate negative statements about working in an automo- tive recycling facility in advertisements. 3. Industry-wide intern/apprenticeship

program to improve educational path. This includes to explore international models; promote auto recycler owner buy-in; identify government, industry, and private funding; and create best practice for post-secondary education in non-OE program independent facilities. 4. Central credential tracking. This in- cludes create secure Employer portal to view potential technician backgrounds/ resumes and post job availabilities. With your support, the ARAEF will

spearhead a grassroots apprenticeship system that includes training, utilizing OE, ICAR, ASE, NASTF, ARAU, with a se- cure and new career path and job place- ment website. If you have questions or comments, or would like to be involved, please contact ARA.

Ginny Whelan is an ARA Past President, is Executive Director of the ARA Educational Foundation and founder of the ARA University, the leading Web-based training resource in auto recycling education. Visit www.arauniversity.

org or email ginny@araeducation.org. July-August 2018 • AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING