Car and truck technicians are in short supply—but you can expand recruitment and retention by demonstrating exactly how they can advance in your dealership.

Create a Ladder of Advancement

Give employees and applicants a roadmap to career progression in both seniority and compensation. Develop a series of positions building one upon the other, each recognizing increased proficiency, each titled accordingly. Start with entry-level and add numerous positions and sub-positions with defined requirements that techs can work to satisfy.

Track and Score Multiple Levels Within Each Skill-Grade

Identify criteria for each skill-grade. Regularly measure and record achievements. Grade skills to acknowledge accomplishments and progress while simultaneously coaching toward the next level.

Recognize Job Abilities, Training, Experience, Seniority, Time-in-grade

Identify techs’ abilities to do increasingly difficult work. Track, measure and record the levels achieved. Help develop and identify those proficiencies that enable techs to reliably routinize tasks.

Establish Training Requirements, Proficiency Range, Salary Range

Develop written standards, training requirements—including OEM requisites—and salary ranges for each level. Specify the skills and abilities your technicians need in order to grow in the job. Show technicians the advancement opportunities they can aspire to and pursue in a well-planned, orderly ladder of achievement.

Setting a career path gives your team members clear direction for each step in their development, and as a manager, it gives you a roadmap for one-on-one coaching and improvement discussions with each technician. A win-win for your entire team!