Your Source for Up-To-Date News and Research on the Collision Repair Industry 

 

click here to subscribe to the FREE INSIGHT Editor's Desk News Alert Email

SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY
Today's News
INSIGHT This Month
INSIGHT Archives
Survey Center
Letter to the Editor

Business Tools
Subscription Information
CSI Reporting
Financial Analysis
IRS Audit Guide

Management/
Technical Info
Market Watch Rates
INSIGHT Inside this month's issue...

Feedback
Letter to the Editor

Mentors at Work Seeks Mentor of the Year Nominations

This “Mentor Of The Year” award will be presented to the journeyman tech, currently working in a shop, who has shown exceptional skill and prowess in teaching and training new technician talent for his or her employer. The award will be presented at this year’s NACE, October 31st during the Collision Industry Night of Achievement at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. Nomination forms may be requested from Mentors At Work by calling 888-225-6968 or via e-mail at info@mentorsatwork.com and are due by September 15th.

“Our skilled tech shortage is approaching the critical level that has been predicted for several years now,” said Mark Claypool, President and CEO of Mentors at Work. “The situation is becoming so severe the United States Department of Labor has identified the automotive industry as being one of its top 10 areas of focus. Journeymen techs, who mentor new hires in shops across this country, will play an increasingly crucial role in developing the workforce of tomorrow for shops that empower them to do so.”

“This dedication and the above and beyond the normal call of duty efforts deserves everyone’s appreciation. Technicians who effectively mentor others will have a direct, positive impact on our industry’s longterm ability to fix cars right and in a timely manner,” added Claypool. “By presenting this Mentor Of The Year Award, we are able to recognize those who are currently mentoring others and encourage shop owners and managers to consider building effective mentoring/apprenticeship systems within their own shops. This, in turn, will help our industry meet its longterm skilled labor needs. We simply have no other choice than to address this challenge head on.”

According to Claypool, the things the judges will be looking for when reviewing nominations for Mentor Of The Year are: What makes the nominee stand out as a trainer compared to other talented techs in the shop? What do apprentices who have been working with the nominee say about him/her? What communications skills and teaching skills does the nominee use to train others? What has the nominee done to teach new hires about the world of work beyond just the technical skills?

“Contenders for the Mentor of the Year award must have demonstrated the ability to motivate others to learn, people who take every opportunity to help others learn, people who work in a way that makes others want to emulate them, and provide positive reinforcement when it is earned and constructive criticism when necessary,” added Claypool. “There are some fine techs in this industry who simply aren’t equipped to teach others. It takes a special set of talents, beyond skill and speed, to be a mentor. We, as an industry, must pay homage to these special people within our shops.”

The 2004 Mentor of the Year was J.C. Baccus, a 25-year veteran technician with Caliber Collision Centers in California. In 2005, the Mentor of the Year was Ron Ratzlaff, a journeyman tech with 36 years of experience who is employed by 911 Collision Centers in Tucson, Arizona.

Claypool, a leading experts on occupational mentoring and apprenticeships, is the founder of Mentors At Work. He serves as SkillsUSA’s TeamUSA Leader for the World Skills Competition, the next of which will be held in Japan in 2007. He is the former Executive Director of the National Auto Body Council (NABC), the I-CAR Education Foundation, and was National Director of Development for SkillsUSA/VICA.

©2006 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT
All Rights Reserved

FEATURED
LINKS:

INSIGHT Supports the NABC!
Do You?