The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Foundation’s Board of Trustees recently approved a workforce initiative to promote the value of automotive dealership jobs.
The foundation began developing the initiative last year. It is in response to auto industry needs, especially the need to recruit service technicians. There is very little information available on the benefits of a technician career or on how to gain necessary the training and certifications.
Competing information on training centers has been a hindrance to recruiting, NADA said, as has been a lack of targeted messaging and marketing.
Throughout 2018, a website, digital and social media content, and videos will be developed, and industry leaders will be surveyed.
The initiative then will be launched at the 2019 NADA Show in San Francisco in January. Fundraising also will be held next year.
“Local dealerships provide more than a million good-paying jobs in sales, management, and service, which benefit communities everywhere,” NADA Foundation Chairman Annette Sykora said. “And the future of our industry is the dealership workforce. Considering the shortages that dealerships now face, especially in recruiting, training and retaining technicians, the time is now for our Foundation to educate America on the value of these jobs to workers and local communities.”