CONNECTING WITH COLLEGES


What is the average age of your techni- cians? If your shop matches the national average, there’s a good chance that many of them will be leaving soon.


According to DieselTechJobs.com, as many as half of the mechanics working today are expected to retire within 10 years, which means now might be the perfect time to reach out and build a relationship with your local community college to help find replacements.


Schools today rely on input from local industries to help make their programs better. And they value their relationships with local dealers, even if ag equipment is not their main focus.


Where do you start? First, call the school or an instructor and let them know you want to be involved. Tell them you’d like


16 | The Retailer Magazine | July/Aug


to be a part of their support network and find out what you can do to help. Consid- er serving on a board, offering a scholar- ship or donating equipment they can use. You can even offer to teach a class or talk with them about your dealership and what opportunities the industry offers. There are plenty of ways to get involved and establish a good relationship.


We’ve compiled a list of Iowa and Nebras- ka community colleges and universities that offer programs/degrees in agribusi- ness, diesel technology and precision agriculture to help you get started. We encourage you to take a look, pick up the phone and give them a call today!


Photo credit: Indian Hills Community College


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