Garage turning down work because it can't find a mechanic.

[Nickelson23]

Nice PH related news article I thought I would share with you all.

Opinions on the subject ?
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/business/9307...

[Twincam16]

Same pattern repeating itself everywhere in every walk of life - people are abrogating skills to computers, getting computers to do too much, and as soon as they come across something a computer can't do, their brain goes 'DOES NOT COMPUTE' and they're left flailing around helplessly. It's pathetic.

[nelly1]

Article said:

Rishton-based Autotune, which specialises in the production and maintenance of racing and classic cars, said the role was “a dying profession”.

The firm has been trying to fill positions for six months, and has made calls to technical colleges but with no success.

Bosses said the majority of applicants were ‘auto technicians’ who use electrical equipment to diagnose car problems.

However, the company said it needed an “old fashioned mechanic” who knew how to put together an entire car and the reasons why a part needed replacing.

Sounds like a dream job to me.

Can't believe they can't find someone - either they aren't paying enough or they're not looking hard enough.

[thinfourth2]

So they have no apprentices then?

If not why not?

[Emeye]

Wasn't there a thread a year or so back similar to this?

[andy-xr]

The local garage to me refused work on my car as it was a bit too involved. A list that started 'possible low oil pressure, cam belt, water pump'

Glad that they're in a position to do that!

[manic47]

The quote "Really it is a job for an enthusiast." maybe hints at the problem....

[jagracer]

It probably boils down to the mechanic who uses diagnostic equipment is more skilled than the type of person they are looking for and the salary would reflect this. I could quite comfortably work on a 40 year old engine or build their cars but give me a bit of modern diagnostic equipment an I'd be stumped plus working on modern cars isn't easy compared with what Autotune are doing.
It does work the other way round as the Taylors have found, these modern mechanics generally don't have a clue on the old stuff, one of my uncle's mechanics had never seen a set of points and had no idea what a condenser does.

I bet the main reason for their problem is they no doubt pay st wages.

Edited by jagracer on Monday 17th October 18:10

[carmonk]

manic47 said:

The quote "Really it is a job for an enthusiast." maybe hints at the problem....

I worked at a couple of places (not as a mechanic) and they were always whining they couldn't get the right candidate. When I suggested it was because the wage they were offering was st they ignored me.

[SeeFive]

Sounds typical for these days.

They want to take skilled staff rather than go through the pain and cost of training them. They probably now take this approach because there are other companies who have been taking their trained staff off them for years for a few quid more.

Greed and lack of loyalty from staff to employers will not help this revert to a more stable situation, where employees grow into roles through a single company. The employees expect it all, right now and of not, they move. I also do not think it will it improve all the time the attitude of many employers since we have had high unemployment is "everyone is dispensable".

It is a bit of a conundrum.

[sjg]

thinfourth2 said:

So they have no apprentices then?

If not why not?

Indeed. The colleges are turning out people with the skillsets to fix the <20 year old cars that are out there and need fixing (not long ago it was all a case of "what will happen when these cars that are full of electrotrickery break down?"). They need people with a very different skillset - that they either need to pay enough for, or train someone up themselves.

Rishton doesn't sound like the sort of place you'd want to uproot and move to either: http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/2005/07/rishton/

[thinfourth2]

sjg said:

thinfourth2 said:

So they have no apprentices then?

If not why not?

Indeed. The colleges are turning out people with the skillsets to fix the <20 year old cars that are out there and need fixing (not long ago it was all a case of "what will happen when these cars that are full of electrotrickery break down?"). They need people with a very different skillset - that they either need to pay enough for, or train someone up themselves.

College teaches folk fk all

Working with someone experienced teaches way more then an college ever will

[odyssey2200]

I suspect they can find a mechanic, just not for the ste money they are willing to pay.

[EDLT]

Twincam16 said:

Same pattern repeating itself everywhere in every walk of life - people are abrogating skills to computers, getting computers to do too much, and as soon as they come across something a computer can't do, their brain goes 'DOES NOT COMPUTE' and they're left flailing around helplessly. It's pathetic.

Utter bks. I finished my mechanic course in 2007(ish) and we still covered carburettors, points, distributors and everything else that constantly broke on cars thirty years ago. There are also courses available specifically aimed at classic cars

The real reason is that the pay will be too low for the sort of person they want.

[MartyPubes]

SeeFive said:

Greed and lack of loyalty from staff to employers will not help this revert to a more stable situation, where employees grow into roles through a single company.

Eh?! What you're describing is seemingly how it is these days, but to say it's as a result of a lack of loyalty from staff to employers is, to put it bluntly, bks.

I'd imagine there's a whole army of semi-skilled and skilled manual workers, not to mention unskilled who'd absolutely love to have a long term future with a company which would invest in training them. I would imagine the problem lies far more with some manager who worked out how much cheaper it is not to invest in people this year, and when the consequences of his decision are felt he's long gone.

[SeeFive]

MartyPubes said:

SeeFive said:

Greed and lack of loyalty from staff to employers will not help this revert to a more stable situation, where employees grow into roles through a single company.

Eh?! What you're describing is seemingly how it is these days, but to say it's as a result of a lack of loyalty from staff to employers is, to put it bluntly, bks.

I'd imagine there's a whole army of semi-skilled and skilled manual workers, not to mention unskilled who'd absolutely love to have a long term future with a company which would invest in training them. I would imagine the problem lies far more with some manager who worked out how much cheaper it is not to invest in people this year, and when the consequences of his decision are felt he's long gone.

I guess you need to read the rest of my post above then.

The employers do not invest in long term staff development potentially for reasons of cost as you suggest, or more frequently nowadays, for the reason of the employees, once skilled will follow the pound signs elsewhere and not repay the investment from the business owner. An employee that stays would typically take the load off the owner as the business expands - an investment worth making but where is the guarantee?.

My Dad owned a garage in the 60 thru 90's, and he had very good, loyal staff. He invested in them heavily, even to the point of helping them buy their tools (of course the workshop had tools, but each employee would have his own too) if they had the right attitude but no money on joining. They became highly skilled as he passed on his engineering and proper, old time mechanical skills. Two of the guys pretty much ran the workshops as my Dad got older, and he could trust them to do so, almost as (very well paid) partners, only referring to him when they occasionally ran out of talent on complex modern exotica, or needed toolmaking / part making on veteran stuff - but this was a long time ago. In his later years of the business, other garages would offer a few quid more to get them there, and some went. A year later the guys would be back because they had received no pay rises, and saw none coming, and had become part fitters with no skill development opportunity.

Sure, I can see that some people want the long term future as you suggest, the stability it brings, but also it makes them more marketable should things not go the way they hope with their investor. Some may repay that investment from the employer, but none take the risk that the employer takes.

How many of them would sign a long-term contract where, for example they had to pay a chunk of their wages to their development (essentially a reason for the trainee pay scale), or an up front investment, or to stay on for a given period of time after qualification? Would they take the same risk as the employer?

The employer can invest in the training and lose the staff member the day after the certificates come through, which I would suggest happens more frequently these days than in my Dad's day. The business (risk averse) and personal (I want it all now) world has changed, and the employers seem less willing to take the risk of investing in people due to those factors.

I am not just blaming the employee.

[NorthernBoy]

thinfourth2 said:

College teaches folk fk all

Working with someone experienced teaches way more then an college ever will

Just keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better.

It's a ridiculous view, but there's no law against being deluded.

[Tallbut Buxomly]

thinfourth2 said:

So they have no apprentices then?

If not why not?

Simple same issue my dad used to have. They are a small indy. They bring in an apprentice they spend time and money training them up the apprentice then gets poached by another company and they are back to square one.

[EDLT]

NorthernBoy said:

thinfourth2 said:

College teaches folk fk all

Working with someone experienced teaches way more then an college ever will

Just keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better.

It's a ridiculous view, but there's no law against being deluded.

He's right when talking about being a mechanic (I'm guessing most trades are the similar too), when I was in college I was working as an apprentice at the same time and I knew most of the stuff taught in the first year after only working for a few months. By the time I'd got the the second year I was already ahead there too. Although I put this down to the crushingly slow course, 16 hours a week ffs.

Experience counts for a lot when trying to get a job too, the people who didn't get apprenticeships are basically stuck working in shops/warehouses/factories because nobody would take on a qualified but inexperienced mechanic.

Mind you, I'm working in a factory, so experience isn't everything either

[Mr Dave]

Im 24 and this year was desperately trying to get into training for my NVQ in either air conditioning and refrigeration or as a mechanic.

Since Im not under 18 it was a disaster, was getting passed from the dole place, to the jobcentre, to the techs to get any information about what I had to do.

In the end they said I needed to have an employer willing to take me on as an apprentice before I could get enrolled in the course, 16-18 year olds get help getting a placement, and can sign on to the course and then get a placement.

I had to get a placement then sign on the course. Of course any of the employers I had any luck talking to needed me to be enrolled on the course to get a placement.


It was a disaster, and in the end not many people were taking on apprentices anyway, mostly friends and families or ones put in the placements by the tech.

If I had been on the dole, I would have gotten help but I couldnt leave what work I have been able to get to get on the dole.

I dont know how I can get started in either trade now.

Anyone able to give me any advice?