The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and I-CAR have collaborated on a survey to gain insights into collision repair technicians’ perceptions of their industry. The survey aims to explore job satisfaction, earning potential, and factors that influence technician retention. Conducted by Ducker Carlisle, a firm experienced in sourcing technician feedback, the survey will remain open until July 31. SCRS and I-CAR plan to release a comprehensive industry report, including survey trends, later this year.
This survey follows SCRS’ OEM Summit Session held during the 2022 SEMA Show, which focused on addressing the technician crisis. The session, led by Chad Walker from Ducker Carlisle, examined previous data on the technician crisis and featured industry experts such as Dara Goroff from I-CAR, John Helterbrand from Collision Engineering, and Jennifer Maher from TechForce Foundation.
Recognizing the need for skilled workers across the automotive industry, SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg emphasized the importance of understanding how the collision repair segment compares to other automotive sectors in terms of attracting new entrants. The automotive and collision repair industries have long struggled with attracting and retaining skilled technicians. A Techforce study found a significant shortfall in the number of technicians graduating from schools compared to the industry’s demand.
A 2022 survey commissioned by the Collision Engineering Program (CEP) revealed a lack of awareness about collision repair careers, although respondents expressed openness to exploring them. The survey underscored the need to gather perspectives from technicians across different segments, ranging from individual shop owners to larger multi-shop organizations, in order to attract and retain talent.
According to the survey results, technicians with less than 10 years of experience are more likely to switch to a career in collision engineering compared to those who have spent over a decade in a different industry.