Auto shops press Congress to boost technician apprenticeships (Courtesy of the Washington Times) — Independent auto repair shops want Congress to go full throttle to fund apprenticeship programs.
Automotive Service Association spokesman Robert Redding told The Advocates that his group wants to ensure funding for “FY27 apprenticeship programs” in the fiscal 2027 appropriations legislation Congress is working to finalize, calling it “a big deal for us.”
“We were very pleased with many of the small business provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill that became law,” Mr. Redding said. “And if they do a third budget reconciliation package, we’re waiting to see if that is going to materialize.”
According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, automotive and truck retail industries continue to face a shortage of service technicians.
“About 39,000 new service techs graduate from U.S. career technical colleges and training programs each year. Yet the industry needs to replace nearly 76,000 techs each year to keep up with retirements and new job demand,” the auto dealership trade group says on its website.
That leaves an annual shortfall of about 37,000 trained techs, according to NADA estimates.