Despite the growing need for technicians and engine specialists, the fleet industry is having a hard time filling open positions.
More and more technicians each year are reaching retirement age or leaving the industry for other reasons. If the fleet industry doesn’t work to recruit the next generation of technicians now, then the technician shortage of today will become the technician crisis of tomorrow.
The next generation of workers, known as “Gen-Z”, is already making an impact on today’s workforce. In order to boost your organisation’s appeal to Gen-Z and combat the technician shortage, you need to put more effort into recruiting tactics.
In this article, you’ll learn not only how to find Gen-Z technicians, but also how to ensure that they’ll want to stay at your organisation for the long-haul.
How to Hire Gen-Z Fleet Technicians
1. Start Engaging Early
How many of you know little kids who play with toy trucks? At what age do you think those kids will stop thinking trucks are cool? If you make a strong impression on kids when they’re young, you’ve already won half the battle. Young kids in school or other programs often take field trips to fire or police stations, so why not garages? Get involved with programs targeting kids, like Boy and Girl Scouts or even elementary school career fairs, in order to expose them to and educate them on the fleet industry.
2. Engage With Student Communities
Reach out to technical schools and colleges in your area in order to connect with young talent. Many shops and garages around the country have partnered with schools in their community to start internship or apprentice programs. Programs like these target students about to enter the job market and help your organisation build relationships with the technicians of tomorrow.
3. Use Social Media
Gen-Z knows social media better than any other generation, and this can be an incredible tool. Less and less often we see young adults job hunting by browsing through newspapers or walking through their town asking around. Today, Gen-Z workers are using social media like LinkedIn, Instagram, and even TikTok to hear about opportunities that could fit their needs. Utilising social media is an excellent way to make connections and get Gen-Z’s attention!
How To Retain Gen-Z Technicians
1. Highlight the Career Path
In the fleet industry, there is room for professional growth and development. Many people who started working on the shop floor moved up through the years to senior management positions. When you highlight these opportunities for life-long careers, job seekers will notice- and stay long enough to see themselves develop professionally.
2. Strive to Make Connections
Often online, Gen-Z can get a bad rap for being addicted to phones and social media and lacking a work ethic, but this is not the case- they are just living in a new world compared to other generations and we need to learn how to connect with them. We have seen that Gen-Z’s can adapt very quickly to new technologies, excel at multitasking, and are the most interconnected generation yet! Understanding and working with these traits can lead to extreme success for the fleet industry and for their careers as fleet technicians.
3. Embrace Mobile Technology
As the generation born with amazing technological advances every day, Gen-Z’s possess a deep understanding and adeptness with technology. Because of this, they are drawn to organizations equipped with cutting-edge tech. Invest in mobile fleet technology to empower the new generation of fleet technicians to excel.
The time to start preparing for the technician shortage is now. Gen-Z are on the cusp of taking over today’s workforce, so it’s important for the fleet industry to connect with younger generations.
