Of the approximately 24,000 workshops operating in Poland, 75 percent are looking for employees, the Association of Automotive Parts Distributors and Manufacturers reported. The industry estimates that the shortage of mechanics not only extends the waiting time for repairs, but also negatively affects the costs of the service.
– The number of cars on Polish roads is constantly growing, and meanwhile the automotive industry is facing a paradoxical challenge. Despite the growing demand for services car repair shops are struggling with a dramatic shortage of qualified employees. This situation has far-reaching consequences, felt by both garage owners and drivers, who often have to stand in queues waiting for their car to be repaired. Vehicle servicing costs are also rising, said Tomasz Bęben, president of the Association of Automotive Parts Distributors and Manufacturers SDCM.
According to SDCM data, out of 24 thousand workshops operating in Poland 75 percent looking for professionals to work. As Bęben pointed out, the main reason for the shortage of car mechanics on the labor market is limited inflow of young people into the profession.
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Working in a workshop is a “passport to a career”
– Many potential aspirants are discouraged by the poor image of this profession. Stereotypical associations include dirty hands and hard physical work in a sewer or under a lift. However, work in the workshop is different these days. Today's mechanics are often highly qualified specialists with engineering degrees who increasingly use advanced computer and electronic systems. Modern cars are complex machines, the operation of which requires not only mechanical knowledge, but also skills in mechatronics, electronics and even computer science – Bęben pointed out.
In the opinion of the president of SDCM, work in the automotive industry today offers not only attractive remuneration and stable employment in a developing sector, but also opportunities for continuous professional development and learning about the latest technologies. – For young people passionate about motoring and technology, getting involved in this industry can be a gateway to a truly fascinating career – said Bęben.
Competitions for young mechanics
As noted by the president of SDCM, the automotive industry is taking initiatives to “disenchant” the mechanic's profession and change its perception among young people who have yet to enter the labor market. One of them is the “Talent Race” – a competition for students of vocational schools and technical schools who are interested in the automotive industry. – Its aim is to promote a modern image of the automotive industry, enable participants to acquire new knowledge, as well as discover and support young talents – said Bęben.
According to the initiator of the competition, honorary president of SDCM Alfred Franke, the “Talent Race” competition consists of seven monthly finals – stages and a grand finale. – Participants will have the opportunity to face real challenges from the automotive industry. It will be a type of professional internship, but the portion of knowledge transferred will be much larger and completely online. We want the competition to cover all automotive schools in Poland and become the beginning of a career for young people, Franke pointed out.
According to the organizers, participants can win valuable prizes every month, the total prize pool of which is PLN 260,000. zloty. The “Talent Race” will last until the end of the school year, and the final is scheduled for June next year. “I am convinced that the finalist's diploma will be a ticket to work in the best workshops in Poland, and in the future even to higher education,” Franke emphasized.
The competition is under the patronage of the Association of Automotive Parts Distributors and Manufacturers, the Polish New Mobility Association, as well as the Katowice and Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone. The competition ambassadors include: dr hab. engineer Anna Timofiejczuk from the Silesian University of Technology, prof. Ph.D. engineer Marek Brzeżański from the Krakow University of Technology, Ph.D. Eng. Maria Skrętowicz from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Ph.D. engineer Jerzy Jackowski from the Military University of Technology, Ph.D. engineer Grzegorz Ślaski from the Poznań University of Technology, Ph.D. engineer Jacek Czarnigowski from the Lublin University of Technology.
The competition is supported by over 50 automotive parts manufacturers and 9 workshop networks of parts distributors.
Main photo source: Adobe Stock