Thinking about fixing cars? Fanshawe looks to match students to mechanics

Long waits to get vehicles into the shop to be fixed has prompted one Ontario college to boost training targeting people who may be curious about working as a mechanic, but not yet committed. 

Garage owners says they're desperate for qualified people, with one generation retiring, and trades less interesting to younger workers. At the same time, the number of vehicles on the roads is still sky high. 

At one auto shop in London, Ont., it's a two week wait to get an appointment, with the mechanics regularly working long hours. 

"Every high school used to have an auto shop class," said Matt Smith, the owner of Wortley Auto Service. "More people were streamed into the trades at one point. Now, it's hard to find people with the training and skills to get into a shop and start working."

Colleges across province are working to change that, with more courses available in auto mechanics. At Fanshawe College, September will see two new pre-apprentice programs launch.

It's a first-step toward a full apprenticeship course, allowing people who may not be convinced fixing vehicles is for them, to test the waters before making it a career. It could also attract people looking to re-train in a new field. Students can also meet a potential sponsor, necessary for a full apprenticeship ahead of certification. 

"It's kind of a full pipeline support system to be able to get those non-traditional individuals into the trades, which is going to need to happen to be able to fill that gap," said Heather Carey, manager of Fanshawe's Corporate Training Solutions. 

But Carey said the school needs help to make the new pre-apprenticeship programs a success. Fanshawe is calling on local garage owners to take-on a student to train for a 10 week paid work placement, after the 14 week in-class course. 

"It's a win-win scenario where participants gain hands-on experience, and employers have the opportunity to shape skilled workers who can help their business," Carey said. 

Mackenzie Colvin did his in-class training at Fanshawe and successfully found an apprenticeship spot. He's now working but still appreciates the value of the hands-on-learning he got from that experience. 

"It was really important, being brought-in from the ground up, to being where I am now," said Colvin, now a mechanic of several years. 

When he was going through school, he heard murmurs of a worker shortage, but said he didn't expect to feel its effects so soon.

"With how busy it is, work is definitely something you carry home with you. It's not something that you just clock out and you put away. You definitely start to think about it all the time," Colvin said.

To meet demand for its program, Fanshawe College is asking employers interested in hosting work placements to contact them. The college is offering wage subsidies to some employers.