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The crowd at Jim Mills Nissan, Martinsville, Va., watches
as one student tries his hand with a service tech’s dryer. |
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The growing need for talented dealership employees has underscored the importance of building relationships with local high school and college students. According to a poll sponsored by the educational consortium Automotive Retailing Today, nearly 109,000 career jobs are available at U.S. dealerships today.
But it would be impossible to fit all of the Automotive Career Month events held at dealerships across the country into just 30 days. That’s why it’s not uncommon for dealerships to hold automotive career events year round.
NADA has many resources for dealerships interested in hosting events in conjunction with Automotive Career Month. The initiative stems from the belief that a dealer’s chances of retaining talented staff members improve if they “grow their own” employees through mentoring opportunities that could turn into full-time jobs. Several dealerships offer internships through Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES), a national partnership of automakers, dealers and educators. (For more information on resources available to dealerships, visit NADA’s Career Resources page.)
Growing Your Own
In many cases, automotive career events are just the beginning of a long-term relationship between the dealership and students. Dennis Brooks, owner of Volvo & Mack Trucks of Waco, Texas, has made a commitment to pay the tuition of his interns, as long as they continue to work while they’re in school. By the time they enter a full-time job, he says, “they will have seen us for three years. So we have a good idea of our mutual expectations.”
Brooks’ dealership will hold career events in April for the third year in a row. He says that like many heavy truck dealerships, he needs more diesel mechanics, and he’s tailored his events to students interested in service careers. So far he’s been pretty successful. “I have two interns who work for us right now, and they’ve been here for a year,” he says. “We could hire a couple more if they presented themselves.”
A Lucrative Decision
Pamela Ridner, marketing director for Kemna Auto Group in Algona, Iowa, says she’s hoping to learn a few things from the students attending events at the company’s five dealerships. Ridner handles the dealerships’ online advertising, and she’s looking for ideas for her next advertising campaign. “I’m hoping that we’ll have enough time to write a script for a radio spot that would advertise our career month event next year,” she says.
Ridner says it’s important for students to know that dealerships offer a variety of positions, and that choosing a career in automotive retailing can be a lucrative decision. Kemna Auto Group currently has openings in Internet advertising and marketing in addition to positions in the service department.
To request an Automotive Career Month Kit, visit our Dealer Resources page.