Help me to help attract and keep new techs in the industry.

[ADealerTech]

Hi Guys,

 

I love to read here and educate myself on the other side of the shop. Often I see posts about not being able to find techs or all the new techs do not possess the skill and ability to survive in the field or to be compatible with the position you need to fill.

 

I happen to run the Facebook group Automotive Technicians, a 12,000+ member strong community of technicians from around the country. We get a lot of aspiring technicians rolling through and they all have the same concerns, questions and difficulties getting into this field, and many more leave shortly after for a new career direction. I think we can both agree that this directly affects both us techs needing quality co-workers as it does you, the shop owners.

I want to put together a document that can address much of what they need to know and answer their questions and more importantly assure them through their insecurities. New techs have a lot of apprehension and insecurity and I feel if we can control this, we can increase the quality of job seeking candidates are out there.

 

I am going to type out some questions that will help me in this. I would really love a lot of different people to respond. If this is not agreeable with the administration here, I understand, and will understand if this gets deleted.

Our group is open for shop owners and managers to join, though admittedly some conversations may not sit well with owners and managers, I feel it is best we open the lines of communication and better this industry as a whole.

Thanks for your time in reading this and thanks to anyone who answers the questions. I will be checking often, so if you need any clarification on a question, just PM me.

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Questions

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1. How important is it that a new technician looking for employment with your shop has previously attended a dedicated automotive technician program? Do you prefer that the individual had gone to a nationally recognized school or a local community school? Are there any schools you are more inclined to hire from? Are there any schools your are less inclined to hire from?

2. What sort of tools do you expect a new technician entering the field have on day one of work in your shop? (Detailed lists welcome, but not expected.)

3. What level of pay do you expect to pay new technicians fresh out of school? (A range is best here, it's just to give them expectations.)

4. With this job being all about experience, how do you intend to handle technicians growth? Will you start them with oil changes and then keep feeling them out with more and more difficult jobs until they have the experience needed? Do you like to let them work alongside your more advanced techs to learn? (I find most technicians learn best from observing and then doing, rather than book instruction.)

5. What sort of information do you look for on an application and/or resume? Do you want a detailed tool inventory? Should they provide pictures of their tools? What sort of contacts do you prefer (remember this is for new technicians) to have listed?

6. What is your expectation for the amount of mistakes they will make? What sort of mistakes do you expect? What sort of mistakes do you expect to not see?

7. How can a new technician identify if they have what it takes or not? What level of learning is too slow?

 

8. How much time over book do you expect and allow for them to complete jobs when they are new? Will you speak with them when they are not meeting your expectation, if so, will you work with them or let them go?

9. What indicates to you that a tech is hungry to learn and how much are you willing to do to advance him beyond oil changes and other basic tasks if he shows aptitude/interest?

 

10. What are some bad habits that you would like new techs to be aware of and avoid?

11. (Final question.) In your opinion what is the best way for a new technician to develop diagnostic and electrical skills that are in short demand in this industry.

Edited November 22, 2014 by ADealerTech

[mspecperformance]

 

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Questions

---

 

1. How important is it that a new technician looking for employment with your shop has previously attended a dedicated automotive technician program? Do you prefer that the individual had gone to a nationally recognized school or a local community school? Are there any schools you are more inclined to hire from? Are there any schools your are less inclined to hire from?

 

If we are speaking on entry level technicians in this day and age I believe it is very important. Vehicles are very complicated today and some sort of formal instruction on vehicle mechanical and especially electrical systems is warranted in order to shorten the learning curve. Without a primer on the automotive field it puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on the shops part to take the technician from Zero to Hero (LOL).

2. What sort of tools do you expect a new technician entering the field have on day one of work in your shop? (Detailed lists welcome, but not expected.)

 

Basic Hand Tool (hardline tools), Voltmeter, Brake caliper kits, impact tools (electric ratchets are really convenient), quality torque wrenches. This is the list off the top of my head.

3. What level of pay do you expect to pay new technicians fresh out of school? (A range is best here, it's just to give them expectations.)

 

Any technician out of school would have to go through a probation period for at least 90 days possibly longer. Initial starting pay would be somewhere between 10-15 an hour.

 

4. With this job being all about experience, how do you intend to handle technicians growth? Will you start them with oil changes and then keep feeling them out with more and more difficult jobs until they have the experience needed? Do you like to let them work alongside your more advanced techs to learn? (I find most technicians learn best from observing and then doing, rather than book instruction.)

 

Thorough vehicle inspections and basic maintenance items would be a good starting point. It is vitally important that a technician understands the value of a proper vehicle inspection. Shadowing an experienced technician is a good idea as well as long as it does not hinder the productivity of that technician. All work should be supervised and quality checked by an experienced technician as well.

 

5. What sort of information do you look for on an application and/or resume? Do you want a detailed tool inventory? Should they provide pictures of their tools? What sort of contacts do you prefer (remember this is for new technicians) to have listed?

 

Tool List, Grades, School Grades, Professional References, Character References. I like personal statements to go along with resumes stating what kind of person they are, why they are in the automotive field, why they want this job etc. I like personality to come through on this and also I would like their personal statements to match their actual demeanor in an in person interview. Communication skills are key and also being able to communicate both verbally as well as on paper is important to me.

 

6. What is your expectation for the amount of mistakes they will make? What sort of mistakes do you expect? What sort of mistakes do you expect to not see?

 

New technicians are expected to make mistakes of course however it is the shop's responsibility for these mistakes to never get past the quality checks in place (Customer never see them). Of course the same mistakes being made over and over again is another story.

 

7. How can a new technician identify if they have what it takes or not? What level of learning is too slow?

 

There has to be an element of self belief. Not everyone is going to be super talented and learn quickly out of the gate. Attitude is the most important and the willingness to go beyond what is required to learn the trade. If a new technician is not making an effort to learn as much as possible and self study then they are not in the right field. Speed of learning can vary, what is important is how much you want it.

 

8. How much time over book do you expect and allow for them to complete jobs when they are new? Will you speak with them when they are not meeting your expectation, if so, will you work with them or let them go?

 

This is subjective and I don't think I can comment on how much over book is OK.

9. What indicates to you that a tech is hungry to learn and how much are you willing to do to advance him beyond oil changes and other basic tasks if he shows aptitude/interest?

 

Ask questions, be proactive, ask to do more, self study, attain ASE certs, ask for training, having a great attitude consistently.

 

10. What are some bad habits that you would like new techs to be aware of and avoid?

 

Do not be late, Do not be late, Do not be late, Do not stand around and do nothing, Don't be a chatty cathy with other technicians, Be mindful of your appearance, Have a good attitude at all times especially around customers, Be as organized as possible.

 

11. (Final question.) In your opinion what is the best way for a new technician to develop diagnostic and electrical skills that are in short demand in this industry.

 

Training and experience. Read, learn, ask questions.

 

 

hope this helps.

[ADealerTech]

Helps tremendously, thank you.

[mmotley]

I'll take a stab at this, I am training a new guy in the shop right now.

1. How important is it that a new technician looking for employment with your shop has previously attended a dedicated automotive technician program? Do you prefer that the individual had gone to a nationally recognized school or a local community school? Are there any schools you are more inclined to hire from? Are there any schools your are less inclined to hire from?

Somewhat important, but attitude, eagerness, and other qualities can make up for lack of formal training. However, schooling is always a plus. National or local would be fine. Not biased to any school.

2. What sort of tools do you expect a new technician entering the field have on day one of work in your shop? (Detailed lists welcome, but not expected.)

If it's a completely new guy with no experience, basic hand tools. Probably some sort of craftsman kit. Honestly, if I can get him/her early enough, I would prefer them to wait for me to make suggestions on what tools to buy.

3. What level of pay do you expect to pay new technicians fresh out of school? (A range is best here, it's just to give them expectations.)

I'm in Texas, I would start out at $10.

4. With this job being all about experience, how do you intend to handle technicians growth? Will you start them with oil changes and then keep feeling them out with more and more difficult jobs until they have the experience needed? Do you like to let them work alongside your more advanced techs to learn? (I find most technicians learn best from observing and then doing, rather than book instruction.)

They will work alongside a technician, but will focus on oil changes and tire rotations if there is one to be done. Their main goal will be to learn to do and oil change, tire rotation, and properly inspect a vehicle and make recommendations in a timely manner. Once they have that down, the will advance to brakes, etc.

5. What sort of information do you look for on an application and/or resume? Do you want a detailed tool inventory? Should they provide pictures of their tools? What sort of contacts do you prefer (remember this is for new technicians) to have listed?

Experience is the first thing I look for, followed by schooling. Contacts would be previous managers.

6. What is your expectation for the amount of mistakes they will make? What sort of mistakes do you expect? What sort of mistakes do you expect to not see?

Mistakes are expected, in fact sometimes mistakes have to be made to learn. As long as we don't repeat mistakes, we're good. Expected mistakes - cross thread bolts, round off bolts, roll a valve cover gasket, back a car into another car or object (you work on cars long enough, in a shop, and test drive, in a hurry, your gonna do it eventually). Not expected - too difficult to say. Sh!t happens, we're all human, as long as you keep us in the green.

7. How can a new technician identify if they have what it takes or not? What level of learning is too slow?

How can they identify if they have what it takes??? Best answer I can give is, if it is truly what they enjoy. If their youtube feed, facebook feed, and google history is about modding cars they don't own, if they have worked on their friends families cars for free, they probably have what it takes. No level of learning it too slow, you just may be stuck as a lube tech all your life

8. How much time over book do you expect and allow for them to complete jobs when they are new? Will you speak with them when they are not meeting your expectation, if so, will you work with them or let them go?

No telling. Some guys just naturally work fast. Others will take their time to make sure they do everything right (they are new and don't wanna screw up). I'd speak with them before letting them go though.

9. What indicates to you that a tech is hungry to learn and how much are you willing to do to advance him beyond oil changes and other basic tasks if he shows aptitude/interest?

My new guy just came in on a Saturday, off the clock, to do valve cover gaskets on one of our loaner cars... It is a PITA job (ES 330, gotta remove the intake), and I never once heard him complain. If he is constantly watching over your shoulder instead of playing with his phone, that is a good sign.

10. What are some bad habits that you would like new techs to be aware of and avoid?

Show up on time. On time means if we open at 8, be in your stall ready to work at 8. I don't care how much you work late, if I have customers here at 7:55 AM wanting their oil change done, you staying after 5 PM does me no good. In your stall, tool box unlocked, uniform on, ready to work. I pay you on time, you get here on time.
11. (Final question.) In your opinion what is the best way for a new technician to develop diagnostic and electrical skills that are in short demand in this industry.

Experience, plain and simple. Learn basic electrical concepts early on and ask for the electrical problem cars. Once you truly understand voltage, resistance, and amperage, electrical is a money maker! As far as general diagnostic, experience/education plays a roll.

Hope this helps.

[ADealerTech]

 

I'll take a stab at this, I am training a new guy in the shop right now.

1. How important is it that a new technician looking for employment with your shop has previously attended a dedicated automotive technician program? Do you prefer that the individual had gone to a nationally recognized school or a local community school? Are there any schools you are more inclined to hire from? Are there any schools your are less inclined to hire from?

Somewhat important, but attitude, eagerness, and other qualities can make up for lack of formal training. However, schooling is always a plus. National or local would be fine. Not biased to any school.

2. What sort of tools do you expect a new technician entering the field have on day one of work in your shop? (Detailed lists welcome, but not expected.)

If it's a completely new guy with no experience, basic hand tools. Probably some sort of craftsman kit. Honestly, if I can get him/her early enough, I would prefer them to wait for me to make suggestions on what tools to buy.

 

3. What level of pay do you expect to pay new technicians fresh out of school? (A range is best here, it's just to give them expectations.)

I'm in Texas, I would start out at $10.

 

4. With this job being all about experience, how do you intend to handle technicians growth? Will you start them with oil changes and then keep feeling them out with more and more difficult jobs until they have the experience needed? Do you like to let them work alongside your more advanced techs to learn? (I find most technicians learn best from observing and then doing, rather than book instruction.)

They will work alongside a technician, but will focus on oil changes and tire rotations if there is one to be done. Their main goal will be to learn to do and oil change, tire rotation, and properly inspect a vehicle and make recommendations in a timely manner. Once they have that down, the will advance to brakes, etc.

 

5. What sort of information do you look for on an application and/or resume? Do you want a detailed tool inventory? Should they provide pictures of their tools? What sort of contacts do you prefer (remember this is for new technicians) to have listed?

Experience is the first thing I look for, followed by schooling. Contacts would be previous managers.

 

6. What is your expectation for the amount of mistakes they will make? What sort of mistakes do you expect? What sort of mistakes do you expect to not see?

Mistakes are expected, in fact sometimes mistakes have to be made to learn. As long as we don't repeat mistakes, we're good. Expected mistakes - cross thread bolts, round off bolts, roll a valve cover gasket, back a car into another car or object (you work on cars long enough, in a shop, and test drive, in a hurry, your gonna do it eventually). Not expected - too difficult to say. Sh!t happens, we're all human, as long as you keep us in the green.

 

7. How can a new technician identify if they have what it takes or not? What level of learning is too slow?

How can they identify if they have what it takes??? Best answer I can give is, if it is truly what they enjoy. If their youtube feed, facebook feed, and google history is about modding cars they don't own, if they have worked on their friends families cars for free, they probably have what it takes. No level of learning it too slow, you just may be stuck as a lube tech all your life

8. How much time over book do you expect and allow for them to complete jobs when they are new? Will you speak with them when they are not meeting your expectation, if so, will you work with them or let them go?

No telling. Some guys just naturally work fast. Others will take their time to make sure they do everything right (they are new and don't wanna screw up). I'd speak with them before letting them go though.

 

9. What indicates to you that a tech is hungry to learn and how much are you willing to do to advance him beyond oil changes and other basic tasks if he shows aptitude/interest?

My new guy just came in on a Saturday, off the clock, to do valve cover gaskets on one of our loaner cars... It is a PITA job (ES 330, gotta remove the intake), and I never once heard him complain. If he is constantly watching over your shoulder instead of playing with his phone, that is a good sign.

10. What are some bad habits that you would like new techs to be aware of and avoid?

Show up on time. On time means if we open at 8, be in your stall ready to work at 8. I don't care how much you work late, if I have customers here at 7:55 AM wanting their oil change done, you staying after 5 PM does me no good. In your stall, tool box unlocked, uniform on, ready to work. I pay you on time, you get here on time.

11. (Final question.) In your opinion what is the best way for a new technician to develop diagnostic and electrical skills that are in short demand in this industry.

Experience, plain and simple. Learn basic electrical concepts early on and ask for the electrical problem cars. Once you truly understand voltage, resistance, and amperage, electrical is a money maker! As far as general diagnostic, experience/education plays a roll.

Hope this helps.

 

Yes, helps immensely. I also asked this in Facebook group I mentioned. We have finalized the first three sections of the document. I will post them here just so you guys can see what we are aiming to do:

 

 

INTRODUCTION TO BEING AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN

Compiled by the Automotive Technicians Facebook Group -- Last Updated on 11/28/2014

So you have decided that you want to be an automotive repair technician and are full of excitement, nerves and questions. We know how you feel, we were all there at once. We want to help you get on your way to a successful career and have taken some time to ask fellow techs and shop owners the questions you may have to help you get a better understanding of what to expect.

I. SCHOOLING

If there is one thing that shop owners and managers can agree on, is that cars today are becoming very high tech and complicated to work on. Due to the high learning curve of this field, it is universally accepted that you should seek post secondary education to become an automotive technician. If nothing else it shows you want this bad enough and have the drive to go after your goals.

 

What school should I attend? This is an excellent question with no one, easy answer. You will choose from two primary options, local and regional community colleges that offer automotive repair programs, both certificates and full on degrees, and national for profit institutions that offer primarily certificate programs, but some do have full degree programs as well.

 

What's the difference? First and foremost, we implore you to go through a degree program, it benefits you the most and makes you a much more well rounded candidate who can use their education to attain jobs both in and out of the industry as necessary.

 

No matter which school you choose you should be acutely aware of their accreditation, and whether their credits are transferable. This may not be the field for you in the end, so making the most out of your time in school is critical. If the school you choose is not accredited nationally, many of their courses will not transfer if you chose to change career paths or schools. This could equal a lot of extra money being spent on retaking courses.

 

Schools such as UTI, Lincoln Tech and WyoTech are very expensive and will come with long term financial obligations. Local colleges will definitely cost less and may come with tuition assistance for in state members. This is going to be something you will want to consider heavily in your decision. What we want you to keep in mind is that just because you hear bad things about one or the other, does not mean either/or is better. There are many schools out there offering this course of study and some will be bad and some will be good. Going to UTI will not ensure you a better education or experience of other techs. On the same hand, going to a community college does not mean you are getting a less intensive approach. In many cases a community college program can be better than the large and nationally recognized schools. You must do your research.

 

What's the bottom line? The short and narrow of it all is this: No matter which school you attend, what you get out of it depends on what you put in it. It's easy to succumb to peer pressure and goof off in class, but it does not benefit you. If you want to succeed in this career and have the best jump start, than you need to attend all your classes, complete all your assignments, give your teachers the attention and respect they deserve and study well beyond just the confines of class. Utilize all your resources, ask questions, get the answers you need. It's your future, it's important.

II. THE TOOL FACTOR

Tools, you are going to need them, and they are expensive. In fact they will be a huge financial burden for the remainder of your career. Just when you thought you had all the tools you will ever need, a new special tool required for a new model of car is introduced and it is usually expensive.

So what does this all mean for you? It means you need to pace yourself. You need to make sure you have the very basic tools to perform the duties of an entry level technician; all while not putting yourself into the poor house. The best piece of advice we can offer you before you read further into this section is to buy the best hand tools you can AFFORD.

• MY FIRST TOOL BOX

  First and foremost, read and understand this, the tool box does not make you money, it stores the tools that do and as such your first big investment should not be a multiple thousands of dollars box off one of the trucks, no matter what the shifty salesman tells you. It is perfectly acceptable and recommended that you get yourself an inexpensive Craftsman or the Harbor Freight 44" tool cab which has had a primarily positive reception in the industry and is a great bang for the buck. You should be able to get out for under $400.00 and have enough space to put your burgeoning tool collection.

• THAT TOOL TRUCK GUY

  More new techs get themselves in trouble with going into large debt with the tool truck. Are these nice tools in which will last you a lifetime? Absolutely. However, you aren't turning 100 hours a week at a $30.00 rate and therefore your wallet is packing more butterflies than dollar bills. If you have to buy something from them, make it the ratchet, a good, fine tooth ratchet cannot be overlooked. Wrenches would be your next potential truck purchase as there is a very noticeable difference between a good and bad wrench when it comes to gripping fasteners, but don't rule out some good old fashion Craftsman raised panel wrenches to save the bank. Things like sockets you can start off with the lower priced options from multiple sources until you build some cash flow.

   

  If you are going to spend cash on the tool truck brands, you should plan ahead and have some extra cash lying around while you are in school. Some schools openly advertise that they have partnerships with certain brands in which you can get upwards of 50% off tool purchases. You should utilize that to the best of your extent without resorting to Ramen dinners for the next decade. However, here is a little known fact, it doesn't matter what school you attend, all the big tool truck brands and even Craftsman have a student discount program. If your school does not have a partnership set up, you just simply have to reach out to the manufacturers themselves to get set up with the student account. No matter what school you are in, you can get these discounts.

• SO WHAT DO I NEED?

  We have done our best to put together a comprehensive list of tools you should have on day one of your career. However, we implore you to also speak with your hiring manager, when the time comes, as to what tools they would like you to have, in case we missed something -- hey we are only human.

   

  - 1/4" Ratchet & Socket Set

  - 3/8" Ratchet & Socket Set (deep and shallow recommended)

  - 1/2" Ratchet & Socket Set

  - Spark Plug Socket Set

  - Socket Extension Set

  - Metric Combination Wrench Set (8mm to 19mm)

  - SAE Combination Wrench Set (1/4" to 3/4")

  - Metric Long Pattern Combination Wrenches (21, 22, 24mm, for alignments)

  - Pliers (needle nose, locking groove, diagonal cutters, combination)

  - Vise Grips (small and medium recommended)

  - Screwdrivers (set of 6 with 3 most common slotted and 3 most common Phillips)

  - Multiple Pocket Screwdrivers (trust us on this one)

  - Ball Peen Hammer

  - Dead Blow Hammer

  - Basic Pry Bar Set

  - Gasket Scraper

  - Window Scraper (razor blade style)

  - Metric Hex Key Set

  - SAE Hex Key Set

  - Bit Driver & Bit Set (one with common Torx bits recommended)

  - 15" Crescent Wrench

  - Oi Filter Pliers (you may need to get brand specific cups if going to a dealer)

  - Circuit Tester (also known as a test light, incandescent recommended)

  - DVOM (you don't need a Fluke but get something decent, like an Innova 3320)

  - 1/2" Torque Wrench (this will be for wheels, the Harbor Freight option is fine for this)

  - 1/2" Impact Gun

  - 1/2" Metric Deep Impact Sockets

  - 1/2" SAE Deep Impact Sockets

  - 3 Piece Lug Nut Impact Socket Set with Protective Sleeves

  - Pick Set

  - Strong Extendable Maget

  - Small Inspection Mirror

  - Tire Pressure Gauge

  - Tire Inflator

  - Basic OBDII Code Reader & CEL Reset Tool

  - Bright & Lightweight LED Flashlight

  - Punch & Chisel Set

  - Couple Pairs of Safety Glasses

  - Pair of Mechanic Work Gloves (optional)

  - Soldering Iron (optional)

  - Wire Strippers (optional)

  - Wire Crimpers (optional)

  - Magnetic Parts Tray (optional)

Mechanic tool kits are excellent deals. A lot of tools covered in this list can be purchased as a set in one of the many mechanic tool sets offered at places like Sears and Harbor Freight. We highly recommend starting out this way and adding the things on our list that did not come with the kit. These stores offer a variety of sets and sizes, find the one that works best for you when it comes to set building.

 

III. APPLYING FOR YOUR FIRST JOB

 

You made it, you graduated successfully from an automotive repair program and now it's time to get your feet wet in the field. Most likely you will be getting them wet with oil for awhile. Unfortunately in this day and age even a lube tech position is going to have some stiff competition, so how do you get the the upper hand?

 

Your resume. Your resume is your first impression to most employers. Therefore it is important for you to make the best and most memorable impression with it that you can. There are thousands upon thousands of templates and resume building guides on the internet, we are not going to assault you with more, turn to Google for all your template needs.

 

What we are going to do is make some quick suggestions on things you should include and/or have on hand if requested.

 

• Being that this is your first foray into automotive repair, you don't have any actual experience to sell yourself with. Because of this you should really consider including your grades. This is partly why giving it your best was important, if you are going to list your grades, you want to be proud of them.

• Include professional references from past jobs, even if not related, so that the employer can reach out and get a feel for your work ethic.

• You also will want to include character references. Remember the person hiring does not know who you are or how you behave, so pick which of your friends and family will sing your glowing praises.

• Compile a detailed inventory of your tools, consider providing pictures of your collection. Your tools are you, you are worthless without them, nobody can afford to hire a tech with no tools for multiple reasons. You will not be efficient, you will be spending more time trying to borrow a tool from a co-worker than working and you will find that you quickly corrode their friendliness and willingness. Assure the employer that they will not have to worry about this, show them your tool inventory and put them at ease.

• Finally, include a personal statement about why you want to be a technician and your ultimate goals. Make sure that anything you say in your personal statement truly matches you, because it will become obvious, fast, in an interview if you do or do not.

Follow up on your applications! Try not to be too pushy about it though. Remember the hiring manager is running a business, they may be busy, they need time to review applicants. Just because you did not get a phone call the next day does not mean they aren't interested. Give yourself a week and then call the company to inquire as to if they had a chance to review your resume. You want to keep your name fresh in their mind, but you don't want to come off as a pest either.

 

Follow up on call backs promptly. If you get an interested employer on your answering machine or voice mail, respond with-in 24 hours. Do not keep them waiting, taking a long time to respond to a potential job could indicate you are not reliable, or not that interested. It is a bad taste to leave in their mouth.

[xrac]

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[mspecperformance]

Also I wanted to add I personally prefer Snap On Tools to anything else due to the ease of warranty and always having a truck anywhere you go. Sears/Craftsman stuff is a cheap alternative that can work as well however nothing is more annoying to a shop owner than tools breaking and not being able to complete a job until someone runs to Sears

[FROGFINDER]

Create a "The Voice" type situation with coaches and prizes.

[ncsvoboda7]

Just added your group on Facebook, please add me to your group.

[GermanCArDEpot.com]

What job can a non collage grad make 60k a year after only a few years . Kids just do not understand .

[alfredauto]

I might add that Alfred State, our local tech school has a tool requirement and an attendance requirement. Everyone in the program must have a sizeable tool box to be in the program, they have to wear a uniform, they can't show up late. So tech school is important to me, it shows the basics are covered. I prefer an applicant to be persistent, as in ask for a job and stop in every day until he gets an interview. If a guy wants to work he should show me. I dont expect an entry level tech to know everything, its all about by having a can do attitude while gaining experience. Also, dress for the job when applying, a greasy weed logo tshirt and a mouthful of chew spit guarantees a no call back.