NAPA program helps shops grow own techs

ATLANTA — Genuine Parts Co. has launched a nationwide apprenticeship program to help its NAPA AutoCare Centers groom new technicians.

The paid apprenticeship is designed to last 18 to 24 months on average and includes online, classroom and hands-on training under the guidance of a mentor, as well as a requirement to attain three ASE certifications.

"The reason behind the apprenticeship — frankly it's been no secret — is that for shops in our industry to find a technician in general has been a struggle, to say the least," Joe Procyk, NAPA program development specialist, said.

The apprenticeship program format was the brainchild of Pete McNeil, owner of McNeil's Auto Care, a NAPA AutoCare center in Sandy, Utah, and his master technician, Jake Sorensen, a 2019 ASE Technician of the Year recipient.

Faced with the same struggle as many other auto repair facilities of finding and hiring quality technicians, Messrs. McNeil and Sorensen developed a program to train a new generation of automotive technicians in their shop.

"They developed an apprenticeship program that had tremendous success. They had put three individuals through and the results have been astounding. They have an individual who is setting new efficiency records.

"They have another individual who graduated from it who is running all of their towing facilities. The program has been proven to produce quality technicians," Mr. Procyk said.

"So what we did at NAPA AutoCare is we worked with Jake and Pete directly to take the basis of their program and then grow that and offer it on a national basis."

The NAPA program is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor so at the successful completion, the apprentice will be recognized as an automotive technician journeyman, he said.

NAPA introduced the apprenticeship program last October and so far has enrolled 346 apprentices. There are more than 16,000 NAPA AutoCare Centers in the U.S.

These apprentices are responsible for completing classroom training videos developed with Messrs. McNeil and Sorensen; online learning management system-based courses; in-person instructor-led classes; and hands-on services in the shop under the guidance of a mentor.

The program includes nine stages, with each progressively increasing the apprentice's knowledge and understanding of various automotive repair procedures, diagnosis, theories, etc., he said.

The nine stages and the length of time to complete are:

1. General service tech training that brings a new person up to a general service tech knowledge level able to perform oil changes, tire rotation, tire mounting and balancing, etc. — one month;

2. General service tech, additional auto service training — two months;

3. Emissions certification — three months;

4. Braking systems diagnosis and how each system works/earn the ASE G1 certification — three months;

5. Earn ASE A5 certification/more brakes training — three months;

6. Earn ASE A4 certification/steering and suspension — three months;

7. Electrical systems — three months;

8. Earn ASE A/C certification/air conditioning diagnosis and repair — three months; and

9. Diagnostics/fuel systems — three months.

"The whole purpose behind this is not just to teach them the book smarts but they will get out there, they will get their hands dirty, they will get the experience they need to actually become an experienced technician at the end of this apprenticeship program," Mr. Procyk said.

"If you talk to any shop owner, it can be quite difficult and quite a challenge to find a technician. But then on top of that this apprenticeship program gives the shop owner a unique opportunity to not only bring in someone and train them so they can have a technician, but they can train them the right way. They can start with someone who doesn't have bad behaviors or bad tendencies to train them in the way that is proper," he said.

"The incentive is it's already hard to find a technician. So we provide the shop owner all of the training and the tools necessary that they need in order to emulate this program and it has allowed them to train an apprentice from the beginning to negate any potentially unwanted behaviors."

NAPA AutoCare centers that sign up for the apprenticeship program receive a 36-page handbook that walks the shop through each step to start the program and instructions on how to use and navigate the Autotech Online Training Portal.

NAPA suggest shops find apprentices through local help wanted ads, local vocational schools or GED programs, and through job postings on NAPA's online member job board.

Shop owners also can offer incentives to apprentices by way of a new tool cart with a customized selection of tools from NAPA. Shop owners can purchase the tool cart at cost for $999 and offer it as an earn-back incentive if the apprentice completes the program, Mr. Procyk said.

"One of the greatest barriers of entry for technicians entering this field is, quite frankly, the cost of the tools. Because of the enormous expense, it can be a deferment for individuals who want to join this industry. So for individuals who sign up for this program, we at NAPA have worked directly with our vendors to offer a tool cart as a complete pass through," he said.