SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The postsecondary school supply of new entrant vehicle technicians has not kept up with the spike in demand, according to a TechForce Foundation report.
Based on an analysis of National Center for Education Statistics' 2011-2016 data, TechForce found that the ongoing shortage of new entrant technicians became more severe in 2013 and the gap between supply and demand has continued to increase through the present.
New entrant technicians are those needed to fill the growth in new positions in the occupation as well as replace those who leave the occupation. They are distinguished from experienced technicians who may move between employers but don't add to the overall trained workforce in the occupation.
The report noted that auto tech postsecondary completions have been declining since 2013. The supply of postsecondary auto graduates decreased by 1,829 completions in 2016, compare with 2012.
There were an estimated 38,829 graduates for 2016 in contrast to the projected Bureau of Labor Statistics new entrant demand of 75,900, according to the report. Private sector institutions have experienced the greatest decline while public two-year institutions (primarily community colleges) have increased substantially.