Episode #44 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series provides an energetic discussion with the 2018 Automotive Technology Outstanding Student award recipient, Jaxen Stewart. Stewart is in his third year at Pittsburgh State University. He grew up immersed in the automotive repair industry since his grandfather owned a NAPA store, and he started working there at a very young age, alongside his father and grandfather. The podcast highlights Stewart’s passion for the automotive industry, his opinions on what value the trained technician brings to the table, as well as his goals and expectations for the future of the industry. Tune in now.

Episode #43 of Technician.Academy’s podcast delivers a rich conversation with technical training expert Chris Chesney. Chesney is the Senior Director of Customer Training for CARQUEST Technical Institute (CTI) and Advance Professional as well as a contributor to MotorAge Magazine. Chesney discusses one of his recent articles he wrote for MotorAge—“Implementing a Mentorship Model in Your Business”—as well as the value of showing future automotive technicians a career path. The podcast also provides a sneak peek into a forthcoming project that Chesney is closely involved with called Pathways in Technology Early College High School, a new type of school that brings together the best elements of high school, college, and the professional world. Tune in now.

Episode #40 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series provides an expansive discussion with automotive industry expert Donny Seyfer. Seyfer is a contributing editor to Babcox Publications and a contributor to Autobody Repair News, MotorAGE, and AutoInc. Magazine. Seyfer is also a co-owner of Seyfer Automotive Inc. in Wheat Ridge, Colorado and is an integral member of multiple automotive boards and foundations, including the National Automotive Technician’s Education Foundation (NATEF) Board of Governors and the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF). The podcast provides a lot of insight into Seyfer’s involvement in the industry and the need for automotive education programs that focus on the strengths of tactile learners. Seyfer also discusses how important it is to show future technicians a career path. Tune in now.

In episode #39 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, shop owner Jeff Buckley discusses training and how the automotive repair industry is represented in society. Buckley owns My Father’s Shop Certified Automotive Repair in Midlothian, Texas. He is an active member in community organizations and has been instrumental in connecting prospective employees at the high school level with skilled trade industries in the area. Buckley may be the only technician working at his shop, but he understands the value of having trained technicians in the bay and how important it is to recruit quality employees. Tune in now to hear more.

The 33rd episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast provides an enlightening discussion with guest Matt Fanslow, the Diagnostic Technician/Shop Manager at Riverside Automotive in Red Wing, Minnesota. Fanslow specializes in providing advanced Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO) training to current technicians and desires to do everything in his power to improve the overall image and professionalism of the automotive repair industry. In the podcast, Fanslow and host Richard Young discuss the current shortage of automotive technicians and the value of providing visual career paths for the technicians of tomorrow. Tune in today.

In the 31st episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast, host Richard Young invites shop owner Dan Williford to discuss the issue of trained personal shortages and how the automotive industry can attract new talent. Williford grew up in the automotive industry and now owns Pinnacle Automotive, a six-bay repair shop in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He truly believes in the value of treating each customer with respect and understands the importance of building and retaining trust between the shop and customer and how it directly impacts the success of the shop. Tune in today.

In the 29th episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, Richard Young talks with Founder and CEO of SI AutoPro, Jorge Antico. Antico was a 10-bay auto center owner for four years and recognized a need for shops to develop competitive advantages and provide superior consumer service experiences to its customers. Antico founded his software company in 1999 to give customers accurate assessments of their service needs and serve automotive shops in a number of different ways. In the podcast, Antico discusses his product ServiceIntelligence in detail, explaining how it provides ultra-accurate sales information, increases a shop’s car count, and deepens customer loyalty. Tune in now to hear more from SI AutoPro’s Jorge Antico.

Episode #28 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series provides an enthusiastic conversation with Suffolk Community College student, Antoinette Jackson. Jackson is a recipient of the 2017 Women in Auto Care Scholarship and will be graduating in May 2018 with an Automotive Technology Associates degree. Podcast host Richard Young and Antoinette Jackson discuss Jackson’s decision to delve into the automotive world and what her value as a female technician is and will be. Jackson explains what future innovations and changes she sees the automotive industry undergoing, and she expresses her desire to build a legacy in the automotive industry in the coming years. Tune into Episode #28 today.

The 27th episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast series provides an enlightening discussion with the President and GM of MotoRad America, Matt Buchholz. Buchholz had humble beginnings in the automotive industry, starting as a lube technician then transitioning to the bay where he accumulated eleven ASE’s and Master Technician status. Buchholz grew as an industry thought leader and arrived where he is today at MotoRad America. In the podcast, Buchholz expresses his passion for people and the importance of managing individuals uniquely, as everyone is hardwired in different ways. Buchholz also discusses the current shortage of skilled workers in the United States, why he thinks this has become a problem, what we can do to alleviate the issue, and more. Tune in today.

In Episode #26 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, podcast guest Jake Tully, winner of the 2017 ASE Technician of the Future Award, discusses why he decided to dive into the automotive industry in the first place and what his thoughts are on the future of the industry and his career. Tully attended Universal Technical Institute (UTI) from 2016-2017 and has received multiple awards in the years since his graduation from high school, including over a dozen Director’s List awards and ten Student of the Course awards at UTI. Tully recently accepted an auto tech position for the BMW Store in Cincinnati, OH and brings a lot of youth and excitement to this podcast. Tune in today.

In Episode #25 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, podcast host Richard Young and CEO of Technician.Academy Shawn Collins discuss their favorite topics of 2017 and other points of interest from the first twenty-four podcasts. Richard and Shawn express their excitement for 2018 and for those who are already scheduled to guest in future podcasts. Some of these upcoming guests include Matt Buchholz, President and General Manager at MotoRad of America; Jake Tully, winner of the 2017 ASE Technician of the Future Award; Hot Rodders of Tomorrow coaches; and several independent repair shop owners. Richard and Shawn also discuss where Technician.Academy went in 2017, the enhancements made to the T.A website, added resources for students, and more. Tune in today.

Episode #24 with Kyle Byrne – Understanding Shortages in the Automotive Industry
In the 24th episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, 2017 Auto Care Association Impact Award recipient, Kyle Byrne, discusses the honor of receiving such an award, why he got into the automotive industry in the first place, the shortages of automotive technicians today, what he thinks might stop a student from entering into the automotive industry, and more. Byrne is the VP of Distribution at Merrill Company/Arnold Motor Supply and has been passionate about the auto care industry throughout his career. Byrne brings his passions and dedication to the table in this enlightening podcast. Tune in now to hear more and don’t forget to leave a review!

The 21st episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast series provides a lively discussion with Shari Pheasant, a professional that’s been in the game for over thirty years. Pheasant is a shop co-owner, has founded several organizations and written a book titled “24 Car Care Tips for Women” (learn more at: http://shariqueenofhorsepower.com/), and is a member of Women in Auto Care, among other things. In the podcast, she discusses the importance of female owners and technicians in the industry, why the automotive industry doesn’t attract many females, the types of innovations that she believes will change the industry in the near future, and much more. Tune in now to hear more from Shari Pheasant.

In Episode #20 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, Cassy Marsh, assistant product manager at Carter Fuel Systems discusses what led her to pursue a career in the automotive industry. Cassy gives her thoughts on aftermarket manufacturers and why it is important that they have good working relationships with today’s technicians. She also discusses her thoughts about working in a male-dominated industry and some tips for young women in the industry today. Tune in now to hear more from Cassy.

In the 19th Episode of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, Eric Cook, better known as “Eric the Car Guy”, talks about his presence on YouTube, the motivation behind his YouTube channels as well as viewer demographics, and the importance of technician training today. Eric the Car Guy began posting repair videos on YouTube in 2009, and between his two channels—Eric the Car Guy and ETCG!—he’s posted over 900 videos. As a strong presence on YouTube and in the automotive industry, Eric the Car Guy understands the power of training and the importance of solving technician shortages.

In Episode #18 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, Debbie Nol, Business Manager at Arie Nol Auto Center, discusses her shop and how she got into the automotive business. Nol originally joined her husband in running the family business in 2000 with no interest in the industry. Now, her favorite part of her job is interacting with customers and encouraging them to ask questions. Nol also talks about the repair industry and her future goals as a shop owner. Tune in now to learn more about Debbie Nol and her shop.

In Episode #17 of Technician.Academy’s podcast series, Fixed Operations Manager for Romain Crosspoint, Larry Renschler, discusses with CEO Shawn Collins the value of a trained technician and the issues people are having with locating quality employees. As heard in the previous podcast, there is a real problem of technician shortages, and Renschler also voices his opinions on what could be causing this shortage and how it can be solved. As a manager, Renschler also explains what he looks for in a new employee and how his organization is working to retain new technicians after the first year.

Episode #16 of the Technician.Academy podcast series revolves around the real problem of technician shortages and what can be done to possibly remedy this issue. The podcast features Nick Barton, a shop owner of 10 years who’s very well-respected amongst his peers and even guides a local association of repair shop owners, which allows them to discuss and discover common issues of day-to-day operations. Like many other shop owners today, Barton is searching for more talented technicians to fill the bays at his shop. In the podcast, Barton discusses how he thinks the technician shortages can be solved, how distributors and manufacturers can help future technicians, and more.