THA 138: The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

THA 138 The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

If you’ve ever thought about getting into the ADAS calibration business, this episode will give you information to help in formulating your decision.

With me is David Friend owner of Mobile Tech and Wilmington Hybrids, from Wilmington, NC David has two Locations a ADAS Calibration shop and teaches ADAS calibration in his dedicated training center. Scott Brown, from Connie and Dicks Service, Claremont, CA and founder of diag.net and Mike Reynolds, owner of Mobile Automotive Service Solutions in Charleston, and an automotive instructor at Trident Technical College who has a big investment in the equipment, targets, OE scan tools and subscriptions to perform ADAS calibration.

This episode will help you determine if you and your market can support an ADAS calibration center, we talk about how long will we need ADAS calibration centers as the future will hold the smarts to do dynamic calibrations someday.

The panel will answer these questions: Should you consider putting up an ADAS calibration center? Do I need training, even if I will not do calibrations?
Does ADAS save lives? What about liability? Are there Standards? Is there any benefit if you get in early?

RR 455: Scott Shotton – Building Quality Trainers of Tomorrow

RR 455: Scott Shotton – Building Quality Trainers of Tomorrow

Scott Shotton has over 25 years of technical experience in automotive repair shops. As the owner of The Driveability Guys, Scott performs mobile diagnostics and reprogramming for local repair shops. In his second interview, Scott talks about building classes and that our future trainers are a must and a priority!

In this episode, find out what are the important prerequisites of becoming a trainer. Learn the values of preparation, research, classes, case studies and more to become a successful automotive aftermarket trainer.

RR 453: Dutch Silverstein puts an ADAS Scholarship Worth $4,000 On the Line!

Dutch Silverstein puts ADAS Scholarship worth $4,000 on the line!

Free Training! Unheard of. Dutch Silvestein of A&M Auto Service is putting up a $4,000 scholarship for a shop owner and technician for ADAS training. This means TWO guys from the same shop (an owner and his lead tech) can attend this hands-on seminar. ADAS technology is not going away and everyone needs to move on training. You may even decide to become an ADAS calibration center as a result of your training.

In this episode find out why Dutch is providing this free scholarship from his own pocket to the industry. He believes the industry must step up and get involved with scholarships of all kinds. He also challenges shop owners to determine if they are spending enough time learning how to put money in their pocket through training.

RR 435: Young Careers In The Making – Automotive College Student Panel at CarFest 2019

Young Careers In The Making – Automotive College Student Panel at CarFest 2019

This episode with Ashlynn Poole, Cheyanne Keith, and Michael Wheeler is proof that Carfest is doing some great things by reaching out to automotive colleges to further enhance the awareness of independent aftermarket professionals. These students volunteered and worked hard in their assigned bays working with professionals to further engage their technical hunger.

There are some huge learning moments for you as you’ll hear what is on the mind of potentially the kind of young new hire you will make in the not too distant future

CarFest is a production of the Community of Automotive Professionals (CAP); a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement and revitalization of both the automotive industry and South Texas communities. They have done a tremendous job in going to secondary schools to raise awareness and motivate our youth to volunteer and learn how to become a tech in the industry.

RR 434: Training Talk – Daytime vs. Night Time Training | ASE Certification | Instructors and Students

Training Talk – Daytime vs. Night Time Training | ASE Certification | Instructors and Students

Experience the insights of a Tech and Automotive Instructors talking about the difference between Day and Night training along with ASE certifications and Training from Schools on how to keep students engaged through balanced lectures and hands-on experience with a few visuals!

Our Tech Talk Panel guests include Marty Depowski is an Automotive Instructor of Wayne County Community College, Michigan; David Myers is an Automotive Instructor, Southwestern Community College, North Carolina; and Dwayne McCarty is a Technician of Martins Garage, Ft. Myers, FL.

RR 428: Tech Talk – ADAS | Support Vendors That Support Training | Fundamental Training

Technical Talk – ADAS | Support Vendors That Support Training | Fundamental Training

Tech talk with Kevin Fitzpatrick, Vice President Autologic; Steven Zack, Automotive Technical Instructor for Bosch; and Matt Fanslow, Shop Manager/Diagnostician of Riverside Auto Repair. Our episode reiterates the importance of training, we get into ADAS Calibration, adapting to tech changes, and the amount of good training available among others.

Trainings and Big Events are available for technicians whether it is in the classroom or online. Our guests elaborate and advise on the challenges and the steps to advancement. They say there is no shortage of good training.

RR 426: Supporting Technician Training with Technology and Partnerships – Paul Louwers – AVI On Demand

Supporting Technician Training with Technology and Partnerships – Paul Louwers – AVI On-Demand

Paul Louwers, CEO and CO-founder of the Automotive Video Innovations and the driving force behind the concept and execution of AVI. He has been in the training business for over 25 years.

Paul explains that on-demand training is just one tool for a shop owner and technician in their training arsenal. Because of the online learning management system, and I can’t stress that enough, when you add in leader-led training, and hands-on, the power of networking; the learning is compounded. Find your learning combination.

AVI is a technology company that excels at creating training for the automotive industry. They are producing relevant content for, Service and Repair Centers, Parts Manufacturers, Parts Distributors, and Automotive Schools.

RR 422: A Case for Shop Specialization

A case for shop specialization

We are discussing in a bird’s eye view of Shop Specialization and training.

I’m with Rob Morrell, Sr. Director of Management and Technical Training at WorldPac Technical Institute and Mark Warren, training manager at WTI. So glad to share Rob and Mark’s interview with you as we are going to have a very open discussion on specialization and, as you would expect, the ‘T’ word comes up. Training!

This episode tackles the challenge of what makes a specialty shop. Mark and Rob share their personal perspectives on one approach to specialization. You’ll also hear of their support for FREE education for post-secondary automotive students.

RR 419: Bringing Technician Proficiency to the Next Level Through Mentoring Programs

Bringing Technical Proficiency to the Next Level Through Tech Mentoring Programs

What is technician mentoring? It is a training program focused on technical proficiency. Helping our techs not just technical but also on effective communication, effective teamwork, positive shop culture and a higher bottom line for everyone. Encouraging a team aspect that benefits everyone involved and getting techs better at their jobs.

Ensuring our industry’s growth is our Vision 2019 power panel are veteran educators and trainers with years of expertise within the industry; Scott Shotton owner of the Driveability Guys, Eric Ziegler owner of E-Z Diagnostic Solutions and Trainer, Dave Denmon of Dave’s Car Care and Gerson Carcache Master Tech at Dave’s Car Care.

The episode is driving the discussion of technician mentoring and the need for assisting shops in developing their technicians. Not only keeping a seasoned technician current but in developing bench talent.

RR 418: AIST – The Future of Automotive Education

AIST – The Future of Automotive Education

This episode recorded at Vision 2019 in KC brings you into the loop on Automotive Institute of Science and Technology (AIST) in Colorado Springs, CO. This new ‘non-traditional’ public charter school that will use the P-TECH model (Pathways in Technology Early College High School), designed to provide students the foundation they need to be successful in the automotive aftermarket industry when they graduate.

Students will be able to enroll in a 4- or 6-year program, starting their freshman year of high school through their second year of college and all publicly funded. AIST will offer students three pathways: Automotive Technology, Business, or Engineering (mechanical and electrical) and will be project based.

With me is Anthony Williams, Special Projects Manager with Advance Auto Parts who had the seed of the idea for AIST and speaks to his dream becoming a reality. And Chris Chesney Sr. Director, Customer Training Carquest Technical Institute.

THA 112: Aftermarket Training in the Age of Rapid Tech Changes. How To Navigate Your Training Needs.

Aftermarket Training in the Age of Rapid Tech Changes – How To Navigate Your Training Needs

The commitment to training must come from both the technicians and shop owners. We keep hearing that we are in a hi-tech industry. The stats are out there to prove that. You’ve seen so many new ADAS equipped vehicles. Have you thought about being equipped to repair them? From both the equipment and intellectual assets you need.

These three professionals have seen it all and are faced with many of the same challenges. Ryan Kooiman, Director of Training, Standard Motor Products, Bob Pattengale, Is the National Training Manager for Bosch and Jon Forro, shop owner of AST and an automotive Instructor.

We talk the importance of pre and post training assessments, stopping the participation trophy and seeing the same faces in class. From their perspective, they are concerned that if the aftermarket doesn’t make a stronger commitment to training the dealers will take their business.

RR 404. Rodney Pierini. A Grant That Supports Automotive Education – First Of Its Kind

A Grant that Ensures The Future of the Aftermarket.

CAWA receives a $25K grant from the University of the Aftermarket. The program would consider financial assistance, accreditation support, access to automotive products for classroom use and access to industry training for the teachers. This grant will allow CAWA the resources to establish the program and serve as a model for others to implement because we believe it’s a first in the country to provide this type of support for our high school automotive teachers.

Our guest Rodney Pierini is the President and CEO of CAWA – California Automotive Wholesaler’s Association. Mr. Pierini has served on many auto care industry committees and groups including serving as the Chair of the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations, the Auto Care Association Board of Directors and Chair of the Auto Care Association Government Affairs Committee, to name a few. He is also a recipient of Northwood University’s Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award.

RR 396: Education – Inside the Automotive Business School of Canada

Education – Inside the Automotive Business School of Canada

Listen to the story of how one Automotive Business College prepares students for an Automotive Career.

Bob Greenwood, CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd and Professor John Jackson from Automotive Business School of Canada.

This episode will motivate you to continue your strong message to the educators who are working hard to prepare students for a career in the aftermarket. There are great ideas in this episode to drive your inspiration to keep you or get you involved in aftermarket education.

We cover a lot of ground and I believe you’ll be impressed with what the Automotive Business School of Canada is doing to educate, intern and place students into the aftermarket.

THA 098: Daytime Training vs Night Time Training – A Discussion of Ideas

  Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good   Chris Chesney is the Senior Director of Customer Training, CARQUEST Technical Institute, and a NASTF board member and a member of the ‘Road To Great Technician’ project.  Listen to Chris’s previous episodes HERE. Lucas Underwood is an Automotive diagnostic specialist, shop owner, and foreman. He owns L & N…

RR 387: In Praise of Our Trainers

In Praise of Our Trainers

Our Guests: Bob Greenwood, AMAM, is the President and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd and has over 40 years’ experience working with Independent shops developing their business to maximize business net income.

Eric Ziegler owns and operates EZ Diagnostic Solutions Inc and is an accomplished automotive trainer working for Automotive Seminars and the Driveability Guys training technicians in the latest diagnostic techniques and technologies throughout the Midwest and US.
This is some straight up podcasting with hard-hitting talk about our industry trainers. Do we appreciate them the way we should? Are they paid enough? Do we look at training as an expense or an investment?

Bob and Eric seem like an odd couple to talk about this, but you’ll positively love the honest, transparent and frank talk that we had. Bob wrote an article titled. ‘In Praise of Trainers in the magazine Auto Service World and, I believe you’ll appreciate the way he and Eric bridge this topic.

THA 096: Engaging Kids in the Automotive

Engage our Kids in the Automotive

This episode is a call to action to step up and get involved in your high school or college advisory boards and your community. Stop by a school and offer your help to the instructors or department chair or speak to your local rotary, PTA or career day. I guarantee they’ll welcome you with open arms.

The panel: Frank Leutz from Desert Car Care in Chandler, AZ., and host of the top-rated Wrench Nation radio show and podcast. Patrick McHugh from Bimmer Rescue in Richmond, VA who has created a middle school STEM class he offers at his shop. And John Gustafson the president and CEO of Gustafson Brothers Huntington Beach, California Who holds three student Boot Camps each year and Steve Ford an auto industry veteran and award-winning broadcast journalist and educator. You’ll find Steve doing volunteer work, as he contributes to skilled trades and youth, career outreach programs.

See the show notes page to find important resources and downloads mentioned on the broadcast. This episode will give you many ideas on how and what to do / from volunteering // to creating your own personal initiative in your business and community.

If we don’t reach out, we fail because we didn’t take the steps necessary to engage and help our education system and enlighten the students to the high tech and awesome careers in the automotive. They will only know about it from you.

RR 383: AAPEXedu 2018 The Road To Great Technicians – Roundtable

AAPEX EDU 2018 The Road To Great Technicians

A fundamentally valuable discussion as we get ready to deal with the tsunami of seeding our industry with our future technicians that will have the competencies necessary to perform mechanical and diag work and the need to develop career paths for every level of technician.

We need apprentice and mentoring programs that are universal to the industry, along with an industry moving in the same training direction so we can create competent technicians to work on the tech and safety issues of our future vehicles. We do not need our government involved in directing competencies, we need to do it ourselves.

This discussion is one you’ll need to hear time and time again. You will need to be involved and help move this initiative forward. Don’t wait to get involved. A first step is to become a member of NASTF. It is Free. Go to NAFTF.org

RR 377: Gary Smith – The Knowledge Of Electricity Is The Basis Of Every Solution To A Diagnostics Problem

The Knowledge Of Electricity Is The Basis Of Every Solution To A Diagnostics Problem

Gary Smith has been fascinated with electricity his whole life and understands that the more you know of electricity’s core fundamentals, the better diagnostician you’ll be.

He says many technicians have never been to a basic electric class so how will survival in today’s repair environment keep pace with the ever enhancing tech, circuits, and modules. Gary like so many other trainers I’ve interviewed can’t say it enough. You must continually train, invest in yourself and get to a basic automotive electrical class every three years.
Ham radio enthusiast, Gary Smith, tells the story of Edward Weston who invented a tool in circa 1893 that you still use today.

Thanks, Gary, for the reminder that you must be curious if you want to solve diagnostic challenges today. He reminds technicians that after a training class, they must go back to educate the rest of the team. When you teach you learn.

RR 372: Edwin Hazzard – Training is the Responsibility of the Technician

Did You Know That Training is the Responsibility of the Technician?

A hard-hitting interview on technician training with trainer, writer, and mobile diagnostic tech Edwin Hazzard, Owner of Southeast Mobile Tech who has a lot to say about the responsibility of training in the aftermarket.

Edwin Hazzard owns a mobile diagnostic company in South Carolina. He contributes articles to Motor Age and has instructed in many different capacities over the years. Edwin has been a dealership technician and taught at the high school level.

He enjoys what he does for a living and sees diverse age group in classes. He says investing in training is important just to be relevant and up to date with the recent technology. If you don’t update, you evaporate.

RR 371: Technician Round Table at ASTE – Griffin-Reynolds-Steele

Technician Talk: Retention, Aftermarket Training vs. Dealership Training And How To Handle And Fix Mistakes In The Shop.

The panel consists of Mike Reynolds, Mobile Automotive Service Solutions in Charleston, SC, Shane Steele, Hoover Dodge located in Summerville, South Carolina, and Robert Griffin, Owner and technician at Griffin Transmissions, North Charleston, SC.

THA 087: Automotive Career’s Starts in High School and in the Home!

An Automotive Career Starts in High School and in the Home!l

We, as a collective aftermarket, need to stop talking about the need for quality automotive training and the technician shortage and get involved. It will be our fault for the lack of young people joining our industry.

The schools are there for industry. Superintendents and presidents need to hear from industry. A good advisory board will make a huge difference in the quality of instruction, investment from the school and placement of students.

The panel includes James Halderman, ASE Master Technician, and author of 18 Automotive Textbooks and James Pressly, Trade and Industrial Specialist, Career and Technical Education with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and Shane Hawkins, East Gaston High School in Mount Holly, NC and adjunct instructor for Gaston College. Also an impromptu visit from Kyle Holt of S/P2.

RR 364: ASCCA Automotive Degree Program. First of Its Kind to Channel Students to Independents.

ASCCA Degree Program. First of Its Kind to Channel Students to Independents.

The ASCCA Degree Program at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, CA was forged by a small group of independent shop owners and a dedicated educator. Kicked off by Dara Bakhshandeh of CD Auto Care, in La Mesa, CA with support from John Epstein of John’s Automotive Care, San Diego, and Brad McCombs, instructor, Cuyamaca Community College.

The program was started to find qualified technicians and ASCCA (Automotive Service Councils of California) will be involved through their membership. One of their goals is to grow the program from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree which can appeal to a student who dream of owning own business one day and want to work and learn from shopowner.
This program could be developed in other states but will need an association like ASCCA to oversee it. ASCCA also offers out-of-state memberships.