Post on 29-Jun-2020
BC AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR
LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION RESEARCH REPORT:
Funding provided in whole or in part through The Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
2. INTRODUCTION 7
3. PROFILE OF THE BC AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR 9
4. WORKFORCE CHARACTERISTICS 19
5. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION 24
6. CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING 30
7. WORKFORCE PROJECTIONS 38
8. SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT 53
9. CONCLUSIONS 56
APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY SAMPLE 57
APPENDIX B – TRAINING INVENTORY BY REGION 59
APPENDIX C – FUNDING SOURCES 63
APPENDIX D – SELECTED OCCUPATIONAL PROFILES 66
APPENDIX E SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES 72
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Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Sector
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
In BC, the automotive sector is primarily a service industry based around the sale, maintenance, repair and disposal of motor vehicles. It accounts for 1.9% of provincial GDP and 2.3% of employment. The sector is characterized by small businesses employing fewer than 10 people, with businesses being distributed across the province.
Demographic trends, competition from other sectors, changes in automotive technology and the increasing complexity of the business environment are making it difficult for employers in the sector to attract and retain sufficient numbers of people to maintain the workforce. In response, the BC Automotive Sector Labour Partnership Project was launched in the summer of 2012 to address the long term human resource needs of the automotive sector. This study is the first phase of the project and is intended to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the current labour market that will inform subsequent components of the project.
Approach
This report is based on information gathered through:
Publicly available reports and studies on the automotive sector.
Statistics from Statistics Canada, BC Statistics and Industry Canada.
A survey of industry employers and employees conducted over five weeks between December 2012 and February 20131.
Consultation with industry representatives.
Workforce Characteristics
Compared with the BC labour force those employed in the BC automotive sector are somewhat younger, more likely to be male, less likely to have a university level credential, less likely to be an immigrant and less likely to be a visible minority2. Those employed in trades account for 42% of the workforce, with the next largest groups being sales and service at 21% and finance and administration at 17%.
Recruitment and retention Recruitment is an issue for most employers in the sector and employers expect this to continue to be a challenge going forward. Regions outside the Mainland/Southwest report the greatest difficulty in recruiting staff, and the most difficult positions to recruit are skilled trades and service advisors/estimators. The most commonly identified barriers to recruiting are lack of workers with the necessary skills in the industry, wages and competition from other industries.
1 There were 243 valid responses to the employer survey giving it a margin of error of +/- 6.2% at the provincial level.
The employee survey had 160 valid responses and a margin of error of +/- 7.7%
2 Statistics Canada Census 2006
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Employers in the sector report high levels of success in retaining employees across occupations; however, 25% of employers are intending to leave the industry over the next five years and very few have a succession plan. Almost half of those intending to leave the industry are from mechanical repair and glass repair, which are sub-sectors characterized by small shops. This suggests there is a risk that the size of the sector, and consequently, employment may shrink if those leaving are unable to find buyers for their businesses.
Trades were identified as the most difficult employees to retain, and this group is the most likely to intend to leave the industry in the next five years. Among trades, those employed in collision repair were the most likely to report intending to leave. Wages and lack of career growth opportunities were the reasons employees identified for intending to leave the industry.
Certification and Training
The majority of employers believe certification is important and provide supports to their employees to obtain training. However, training does present a number of challenges for the sector, particularly for tradespeople, service advisors/estimators and business managers. Changing vehicle technologies mean that technicians must engage in ongoing technical training to keep current, and service advisors need to regularly update their knowledge. For business managers, training needs include both technical and management skills. The most significant barriers to engaging in training are lack of availability and lack of time. This suggests that there is a need for alternative methods of delivering training in the sector.
Outlook
The overall level of employment in the automotive sector in BC is expected to continue to rise as the number of cars on the roads rise; however, the composition of the workforce is expected to change. Relatively fewer Automotive Service Technicians with advanced diagnostic skill will likely be needed, while demand for installers and maintenance staff will grow. Employment in the collision repair sector is expected to decline if current trends in total losses and claims continue.
The tight labour market is expected to persist which means that it may be difficult to find suitable staff, employers can expect recruitment to take extended periods of time and positions may go unfilled. This is consistent with what is expected in other industries that employ a large number of trades (such as construction), which means that competition from other industries will continue to pose a challenge to employers in the automotive sector.
Strengths, weaknesses and opportunities
The primary human resource challenge facing the sector is attraction and recruitment of new employees. The strengths of the industry with respect to attraction and recruitment are:
Industry stability. The automotive sector in BC is a mature industry and is less cyclical in nature than industries such as residential construction. This means that there will not be rapid expansion, but rather employment growth is expected to continue to follow that of vehicles on the road and population.
Job Security. The stability of the industry means that job security is relatively high.
Availability of local employment opportunities. Local employment opportunities exist in each region which means potential employees may not need to move to find employment.
The weaknesses of the industry with respect to attraction and recruitment are:
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Wages. Wages in the industry tend to be less than those paid in other industries with high levels of trades occupations and compared to their counterparts in Alberta.
Career path/advancement. The industry is primarily made up of small shops employing less than 10 people which makes it difficult to provide career advancement opportunities within an organization.
Physical nature of work and health issues. Automotive trades require physical strength and stamina, and this may be a factor in the decision of older workers to leave these occupations.
Opportunities for improving attraction and retention in the sector are:
Succession planning. This can be used to encourage retention and provide career opportunities for employees.
Match apprentices with employers. Currently students completing a foundation program receive limited support in finding potential employers with which to do an apprenticeship. Developing a system of matching foundation graduates with employers will facilitate the matching process and may improve placement rates.
Develop a job board for the automotive sector. Currently employers use an assortment of mediums and word-of-mouth to advertise vacancies. The most common methods were word-of-mouth (76%) and referral by friends, colleagues or employees (74%). Creation of a centralized job board would expand the reach of postings and has the potential to provide a larger pool of applicants.
Develop career paths. Defining and communicating career paths may help make the sector more attractive both to those who already have a connection to the industry and those who do not have a connection.
Highlight job security and industry stability. Wages are lower in the automotive sector than in resource extraction industries but job security is relatively high, meaning that earnings may be higher over the long term. This can be used as part of a recruitment program directed at students in trades.
Diversify the workforce. First Nations, women, immigrants and visible minorities are under-represented in the automotive sector. These groups represent the fastest growing sectors of the labour force so marketing of the industry targeted to these groups can be used as part of a strategy to address recruitment issues.
Facilitate training through alternative delivery mechanisms. Lack of time and availability of training were cited as the primary barriers to engaging in training. Options to overcome this include developing short courses delivered online which employees could take during slow periods or having temporary replacement staff come in so employees can engage in training. Where regional availability is the primary problem, funding mechanisms can be developed to either provide training in the area or subsidize travel costs for employees to receive the training in other regions.
Encourage knowledge transfer. Many older technicians find the physical demands of mechanical and collision repair are too strenuous. These technicians can be used to provide mentoring/training to younger technicians in a number of ways including:
o Delivery of short courses through an online format. o Working casually or part-time to allow full-time technicians to engage in training.
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Recommendations
Given the structure of the sector, individual businesses are unlikely to be able to dedicate resources to the development of human resource strategies and training plans. To facilitate this we recommend the sector:
Develop a knowledge base of best practices where employers can share the strategies that they have used around recruitment, retention and training as well as the outcomes. Shared learning will assist in the transfer of knowledge and development of effective recruitment and retention strategies.
Develop tools for matching of employers and employees including apprentices.
Develop career paths within the industry and communicate these both within the industry and to potential employees.
Develop succession planning supports for small businesses.
Develop effective online tools to facilitate technical training and management training.
Facilitate knowledge transfer from experienced technicians to apprentices by providing options for older technicians as either mentors or as part-time casual employees providing relief while full-time technicians engage in training.
Expand the diversity of the workforce by developing outreach programs targeting women, First Nations and immigrants.
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2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The BC automotive industry plays an important role in the provincial economy through the provision and maintenance of the vehicle fleet which supports the flow of goods and services throughout the province. In doing this, the sector employs approximately 45,000 people across the province in a combination of technical and professional occupations.
Demographic trends, competition from other sectors, changes in automotive technology and the increasing complexity of the business environment are making it difficult for employers to attract and retain sufficient numbers of people to maintain the workforce. In response, the BC Automotive Sector Labour Partnership Project was launched in the summer of 2012 to address the long term human resource needs of the automotive sector. This study is the first phase of the project and is intended to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the current labour market which will inform subsequent components of the project.
The specific objectives of this report are to:
Develop a profile of BC’s automotive sector which will provide insight into the overall contribution to the provincial economy, employment levels by sub-sector and the size and type of businesses in each sub-sector.
Develop a profile of the current workforce.
Identify labour market trends over the past five years.
Identify industry trends and demographic trends that will impact the labour market and workforce in the next five to ten years.
Identify factors affecting recruitment and retention of employees.
Identify skills gaps and training needs of the sector.
Develop forecasts of labour supply and demand in the sector to identify workforce gaps.
Identify strategies to address the identified issues related to human resources.
2.2 APPROACH
In preparing this report MNP carried out the following activities:
Conducted research through publicly available studies and reports.
Gathered industry data and statistics through Statistics Canada, BC Stats and industry associations.
Conducted a survey of employers and employees in the BC automotive sector.
Consulted industry representatives to gather information on training and certification.
Facilitated a workshop with industry members to validate research findings.
2.3 SURVEY
Information on recruitment, retention, training gaps and preferred training modes was gathered through a survey of employers and employees in the automotive sector conducted over five weeks between December 2012 and February 2013. Surveys were distributed to businesses across the province and respondents were given the option of completing the survey online or by mailing or faxing the completed survey to MNP. This was supplemented with a phone
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campaign targeting employees. There were 243 valid responses to the employer survey giving it a margin of error of +/- 6.2% at the provincial level. The employee survey had 160 valid responses and a margin of error of +/- 7.7% at the provincial level. A description of the survey samples and regional distributions of respondents is provided in Appendix A.
2.4 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
The remainder of this report is divided into six sections:
Section 3 provides an overview of BC’s automotive sector and profiles businesses in the sector.
Section 4 describes the sector’s workforce.
Section 5 reviews the results of the employer and employee surveys with respect to recruitment and retention.
Section 6 reviews the results of the employer and employee surveys with respect to certification and training.
Section 7 provides workforce projections by region and occupation based on the BC Labour Market Scenario Model.
Section 8 reviews the automotive sector’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities with respect to attraction and recruitment of employees.
Section 9 summarizes the conclusions of the analysis and provides recommendations on how the sector can improve attraction, recruitment and training.
A description of the survey sample is provided in Appendix A and copies of the questionnaires are provided in Appendix E.
Information on training availability for the sector is listed in Appendix B.
Information on funding sources for training is listed in Appendix C.
Selected occupational profiles for the sector are provided in Appendix D.
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3. PROFILE OF THE BC AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR
In this section, a profile of the BC automotive sector is presented. This profile includes direct output as measured by Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”), employment and size and type of businesses. For selected sub-sectors profiles of the typical business are presented.
Sector Definition
In BC, the automotive sector is primarily a service industry based around the sale, maintenance, repair and disposal of motor vehicles. For the purposes of this study the industry has been defined to include the 10 sub-sectors listed in Table 3-1. The analysis that follows is based on these sub-sectors. Where data limitations did not permit reporting by each sub-sector, sub-sectors have been grouped.
Table 3-1: Definition of the BC automotive industry by North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) codes
Sub-sector NAICS Code3
Auto Glass 811122 Automotive Glass Replacement Shops
Collision Repair 811121 Automotive Body, Paint and Interior Repair and Maintenance
Mechanical Repair 81111 Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance
Auto Recyclers 41531 Used Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories Wholesaler-Distributors
PowerSport Dealers 4412 Motorcycle, Recreational, Boat and Other Motor Vehicle Dealers
Towing and Recovery 48841 Motor Vehicle Towing
New Car Dealers 44111 New Car Dealers
Used Car Dealers 44112 Used Car Dealers
Auto Rental and Leasing
5321 Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing – includes Passenger Car Leasing and Rental; Truck, Utility Trailer and Recreational Vehicle Rental and Leasing
Parts 44131 Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores
Excluded are
415 Motor Vehicle and Parts Wholesaler-Distributors (Suppliers);
811192 Car Washes
811199 All Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance (e.g. Diagnostic centres, motor vehicle; Emissions testing service, automotive, without repair; Lubrication services, motor vehicles; Motor vehicle emissions testing, without repairs; Rustproofing service, automotive; Tire repairing; Undercoating service, automotive)
3 NAICS codes are assigned based on the primary purpose of the establishment. A business that is primarily
engaged in retailing parts but has a small shop where repairs are performed will be assigned to Parts. On the other hand if the shop is primarily engaged in mechanical repair but also sells parts it will be assigned to mechanical repair.
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44132 Tire Dealers
418110 Recyclable Metal Wholesaler-Distributors - comprises establishments primarily engaged in buying, breaking up, sorting and selling ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal, including automobiles for scrap4. These are the companies that crush automobiles after they are dismantled for parts
3.1 VALUE CHAIN
The economic activity created by the automotive industry can be illustrated by a “value chain”. The value chain displayed in Figure 3-2 illustrates the primary activities of the sub-sectors, how they fit together and the services that support the industry.
Figure 3-2: Relationships within the BC automotive industry
4 Includes automotive wrecking for scrap, wholesale; dismantling machinery for scrap; dismantling ships; iron and
steel scrap, wholesale; marine wrecking, ships for scrap; metal waste and scrap, wholesale; non-ferrous metals scrap, wholesale; wreckers, auto, wholesale.
Suppliers
Retail and
Transportation Services
Maintenance
and Repair
Dismantling
and Recycling
• New and used automobile and light-duty truck wholesaler-
distributors• Truck, truck tractor
and bus wholesaler-distributors
• Recreational and other
motor vehicles wholesaler-distributors
• Tire wholesaler-distributors
• Other new motor
vehicle parts and accessories
wholesaler-distributors• Used motor vehicle
parts and accessories
wholesaler-distributors
• New car dealers• Used car dealers• PowerSport dealers
• Passenger car leasing• Passenger car rental
• Truck, utility trailer and recreational vehicle rental and leasing
• Motor vehicle towing
• Emergency road service
• Automotive glass
replacement shops• Automotive body, paint
and interior repair and maintenance
• Automotive
mechanical and electrical repair and
maintenance• Automotive parts and
accessories stores
• Used motor vehicle parts and accessories wholesaler-distributors
• Facility construction, renovation, rentals and maintenance
• Financial services: Accounting Insurance
Bank financing
• Legal and professional services
• Information technology
support
• Human resources support
• Marketing services
• Administrative services
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3.2 SECTOR CHARACTERISTICS
This section examines the automotive industry’s direct contribution to the BC economy in terms of output and employment using data from Statistics Canada.
Table 3-3: Contribution of BC’s automotive sector by sub-sector, 2011
GDP (millions)
5
Employment6
BC Automotive Industry $3,553.2 44,771
Motor vehicle and parts dealers 48.9% 54.8%
Automotive repair and maintenance 22.9% 29.3%
Support activities for road transportation 14.8% 9.1%
Automotive equipment rental and leasing 12.5% 6.1%
Auto recyclers 0.9% 0.7%
Source: Statistics Canada
The automotive sector is responsible for approximately 1.9% of the province’s total GDP and 2.3% of provincial employment7.
Vehicle and parts dealers account for over half the employment in the industry and slightly less than half of GDP. Repair and maintenance which includes collision repair, glass repair and mechanical repair is the next largest contributor. Combined these two categories account for 84% of employment and 72% of GDP.
Employment trends
Table 3-4: Percentage change in employment by sub-sector, 2007 to 2011
Percentage Change
BC Automotive Industry +1.9%
Motor vehicle dealers -5.6%
PowerSport dealers -1.2%
Automotive parts, accessories and tire stores +37.5%
Automotive repair and maintenance -3.5%
Support activities for road transportation +20.5%
Automotive equipment rental and leasing +1.3%
Auto recyclers -28.2%
Source: Statistics Canada
5 Statistics Canada CANSIM Tables 379-0027 and 379-0031, Chained $2007
6 Statistics Canada CANSIM Table 281-0024
7 Comparison to provincial employment based on Statistics Canada Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours
(SEPH) industrial aggregate employment figure which covers all industrial sectors except those primarily involved in agriculture, fishing and trapping, private household services, religious organisations and the military personnel of the defence services.
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Employment in the automotive sector grew 1.9% between 2007 and 2011. This was largely driven by employment growth in parts, accessories and tire stores.
Figure 3-5: Employment by sub-sector, 2007 to 2011
Source: Statistics Canada.
Employment in vehicle dealers and repair and maintenance fell by 7% between 2007 and 2008 which coincides with the global economic downturn. Since then employment in these sectors has increased but is still below its 2007 level.
Figure 3-1 Distribution of employment by region
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
02,0004,0006,0008,000
10,00012,00014,00016,00018,000
Vehicle dealers
PowerSport dealers
Automotive parts,
accessories and tire stores
Automotive repair and
maintenance
Support activities for
road transportation
Automotive equipment rental and
leasing
Used motor vehicle parts
and accessories wholesaler-distributors
Em
plo
ym
en
t
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Vancouver Island Coast 16%
Mainland/Southwest 55%
Southern Interior 24%
Nothern BC 5%
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The regional employment distribution is closely related to the population distribution in the province. Over half of employment in the industry is in the Mainland/Southwest as illustrated in Figure 3-1. The southern interior which comprises the Cariboo, Thompson/Okanagan and the Kootenay regions has the next largest share, followed by Vancouver Island/Coast and Northern BC.
Number and size of establishments
Table 3-2 Number and size of establishment by sub-sector, 2012
Number of establishments
Number of Employees
Less than 10 10-49 More than 50 Unknown
All sub-sectors 7435 48.0% 13.6% 2.1% 36.2%
New car dealers 472 10.2% 55.1% 24.2% 10.6%
Used car dealers 508 40.9% 5.1% 0.6% 53.3%
PowerSport dealers 584 42.3% 21.2% 1.0% 35.4%
Parts stores 554 44.0% 22.2% 3.4% 30.3%
Mechanical repair 2,855 59.9% 4.9% 0.2% 35.0%
Collision repair 1,143 47.7% 15.8% 0.3% 36.1%
Auto glass 240 70.0% 4.6% 0.4% 25.0%
Motor vehicle towing
308 38.0% 14.3% 0.0% 47.7%
Automotive rental and leasing
685 35.6% 13.0% 0.9% 50.5%
Auto recyclers 86 45.3% 17.4% 0.0% 37.2%
Source: Statistics Canada
Most businesses in the automotive sector have fewer than 10 employees. This is consistent across all sub-sectors except new car dealers.
Following the 2008 economic downturn the number of new car dealers in BC declined by approximately 10%8 which is consistent with the national trend. At the same time, the number of used vehicle dealers increased nationally which may indicate that some new car dealers began exclusively selling used cars.
8 Statistics Canada. Table 080-0023 - Annual retail store survey, financial estimates by North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) and store type, annual (dollars unless otherwise noted).
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Figure 3-6: Distribution of establishments by sub-sector9
The majority of businesses (57%) in the sector are engaged in providing repair and maintenance services. This includes mechanical, collision and glass repair. Retail sales which includes vehicle sales and parts accounts for 28.5% of businesses. Rental, leasing and support services are the remaining 14.5%.
3.3 BUSINESS PROFILES
Profiles of the typical establishments were developed for Vehicle Dealers, Mechanical Repair Shops, Collision Repair Shops and Glass Repair Shops based on information gathered through the employer survey, Statistics Canada and Industry Canada. Insufficient data was available to develop profiles for the other sub-sectors.
Vehicle Dealers
This sub-sector includes new and used car dealers. New car dealers tend to be larger and as a group their operations are more similar than used car dealers so only one profile is provided. Used car dealers are a more diverse group and have been divided into two groups based on revenues to reflect this diversity.
9 Statistics Canada Table 551-0002, Establishment counts from Canada Business Register, 2012
New car dealers, 6.3%Used car dealers, 6.8%PowerSport dealers, 7.9%Parts stores, 7.5%Mechanical repair, 38.4%Collision repair, 15.4%Auto glass, 3.2%Motor vehicle towing, 4.1%Automotive rental and leasing, 9.2%Auto recyclers, 1.2%
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Table 3-7 Profile of typical vehicle dealers in BC
New Car Dealers Used Car Dealers
Revenues > $2 million
Revenues < 1 million
Revenues > 1 million
Number of employees 20 or more Less than 10 10 or more Time in business 10 years or more One third less than
10 years 10 or more years
Business model Mix of corporations and franchises
Mix of corporation, partnerships and sole proprietorships
Corporation
Number of locations Multiple One One Trades and Technical 10 to 20 2 4 Other shop staff 3 to 5 2
2
Parts 4 1 3 Sales and Customer Service
6 2 5
Administrative 5 1 5 Management 4 1 3 Apprentices 3 2 1
Source: Employer survey, MNP analysis
The majority (72.5%10) of new car dealers employ more than 20 people with the typical dealership having between 20 and 49 employees. Most positions are full-time but some sales and administrative staff may work part-time.
New car dealers tend to offer a range of services including used vehicle sales, parts, collision repair and mechanical repair and maintenance and this is reflected in the size and greater diversity of their workforce.
The sale of new vehicles requires a licensing agreement with the manufacturer which effectively restricts entry into this market. As a result, most businesses in this group have been in operation for more than a decade.
Used car dealers are primarily small businesses employing fewer than 10 people (88%11) and have revenues of less than $1 million. They are less diversified in terms of their service offerings than new car dealers but may offer collision or vehicle repair and maintenance services.
Used car dealers with revenues of more than $1 million tend to be more diversified in their service offerings and have been in business longer than those with revenues less than $1 million. There are fewer barriers to entry in this group which means that there is a mix of length of time that businesses have been in operation for.
10
Statistics Canada. Table 551-0002 - Canadian business patterns, location counts, employment size and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), national industries, by Canada and provinces, semi-annual (number)
11 Statistics Canada. Table 551-0002
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Mechanical Repair
The mechanical repair sub-sector is characterized by small shops which are broken into two groups based on revenues.
Table 3-8 Profile of typical mechanical repair shops
Revenues Less than $1 million Greater than $1 million Number of employees Less than 10 More than eight Time in business Half less than 10 years 10 or more years Business model Mix of corporation and sole proprietors Corporation Number of locations One One Trades and Technical 5 10 Other Shop staff 1 1.5 Parts 1 1 Sales and Customer Service 0 0 Administrative 2 4 Management 1 1 Apprentices 1 2 Source: Employer survey, MNP analysis
Mechanical repair shops tend to specialize in offering mechanical repair services and rarely provide other services.
There are few barriers to entry for mechanical repair shops and this is reflected in the tendency towards small shops and the mix of length of time in business.
Mechanical repair shops tend to employ fewer than 10 people (92%12), the majority of which are trades and technical staff. In many of these shops the owner is also one of the tradespeople and staff often have multiple roles.
Employment tends to be full-time and very few part-time positions are offered.
12
Statistics Canada. Table 551-0002
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Collision Repair
The collision repair sub-sector is characterized by a mix of small and medium-sized shops. These are broken into three groups based on revenues and profiled in Table 3-9.
Table 3-9 Profile of typical collision repair shops
Revenues
Less than $1 million $1 million to $2 million Greater than $2 million
Number of employees Less than 10 5 to 20 5 to 20 Time in business 25 or more years 25 or more years 25 or more years Business model Corporation or sole
proprietorship Corporation or sole
proprietorship Corporation or sole
proprietorship Number of locations One One Multiple Trades and Technical 4 8 to 12 10 to 15 Other Shop staff 1 3 4 to 6 Parts 1 1 2 Sales and Customer Service
0 1
Administrative 2 2 to 4 5 or 6 Management 1 1 or 2 1 Apprentices 1.5 2.5 2.5 Source: Employer survey, MNP analysis
Like mechanical repair, collision repair shops tend to specialize and do not offer other services. If another service is offered, it is most likely glass repair.
The majority of the staff are tradespeople and as the scale of the operation increases the ratio of support staff to tradespeople is relatively stable.
Most positions tend to be full-time, however, in larger operations there are some part-time administrative and customer service roles.
Collision repair is characterized by shops that have been in business for more than 25 years. Most expansion is through the opening of additional locations as opposed to new entrants. This is likely a reflection of the barrier to entry created by the Insurance Corporation of BC’s (“ICBC”) accreditation program. To become accredited takes approximately two years and non-accredited shops receive lower rates from ICBC. Accredited shops perform 93% of ICBC’s auto body work suggesting that accreditation gives a shop an advantage in attracting customers.13. This coupled with the lower rates non-accredited shops receive puts new businesses at a disadvantage and effectively restricts entry into the collision repair market.
13
Ministry of Finance, Review of Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, August 2012
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Glass Repair
Glass repair is characterized by small shops and is broken into two groups based on revenues.
Table 3-10 Profile of typical glass repair shops
Revenues
Less than $1 million Greater than $1 million Number of employees two to four Less than 10 Time in business 10 years or more 25 years or more Business model Corporation or franchise Corporation or franchise Number of locations One One or two Trades and Technical 1 to 3 5 to 8 Other shop staff 0 0 Parts 0 0 Sales and Customer Service 1 1 Administrative 1 1 Management 1 1 Apprentices 2 0 Source: Employer survey, MNP analysis
Glass repair shops are small operations which have less than 10 employees, most of whom are tradespeople or technical staff.
This sub-sector has more franchise operations than either mechanical repair or collision repair.
Glass repair shops often offer residential and/or commercial glass services in addition to automotive glass.
Like collision repair, most shops have been in business for over a decade. ICBC’s Glass Express program may have a similar influence on entry into this market that which the accreditation program has on collision repair.
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4. WORKFORCE CHARACTERISTICS
In this section we develop demographic profiles of the workforce by occupation using 2006 Census data. Occupational groupings are based on the Standard Occupational Classification 1991 and are grouped into six categories based on skill and required education levels. These are trades, sales and service, finance and administration, truck drivers and managers.
Those working in the BC automotive sector are somewhat younger, are more likely to be male, are less likely to have a university education and are less likely to be immigrants or visible minorities than the overall provincial labour force (see Table 4-1). There are differences by occupation and region and these are discussed below.
Table 4-1 Demographic characteristics by region, BC and Automotive Sector
BC Automotive Sector
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Age group
15 to 24 15.2% 15.8% 16.4% 17.0% 16.8% 16.5% 16.9% 25.1%
25 to 44 45.5% 38.8% 38.2% 42.0% 44.9% 39.9% 41.5% 39.9%
45 to 54 23.8% 26.5% 26.8% 24.7% 23.1% 27.4% 25.6% 22.2%
55 to 64 12.9% 15.9% 15.2% 13.0% 12.3% 13.4% 12.9% 9.9%
65+ 2.6% 3.1% 3.3% 3.2% 2.9% 2.8% 3.3% 2.4%
Education
Less than high school 11.0% 13.2% 16.6% 23.3% 12.1% 13.0% 17.3% 23.1%
High school 28.6% 27.4% 29.3% 31.5% 31.7% 32.6% 33.6% 32.3%
Trades certification 9.6% 12.9% 14.9% 14.8% 23.1% 29.7% 28.3% 24.5%
College diploma 25.0% 24.4% 24.1% 20.9% 24.7% 20.5% 18.1% 16.8%
BA or above 27.0% 20.2% 12.9% 10.5% 8.4% 3.9% 2.5% 2.9%
Male 52% 51% 53% 56% 80.8% 80.0% 78.5% 73.4%
Visible minority 35.3% 6.8% 4.2% 3.6% 31.1% 3.2% 2.1% 1.5%
Immigrant 39.2% 15.2% 11.0% 10.1% 34.1% 9.8% 8.0% 6.7%
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
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Trades
Trades account for 42% of the automotive sector workforce. In this group are those whose primary responsibilities are the servicing and repairing of vehicles. Automotive Service Technicians includes motor vehicle mechanics, technicians, and mechanical repairers. Motor Vehicle Body Repairers are those employed repairing damaged vehicles.
Table 4-2 Demographic characteristics by region, trades
Automotive Service Technicians Motor Vehicle Body Repairers
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Age group
15 to 24 13.4% 16.6% 14.1% 22.6% 9.4% 12.6% 10.1% 0.0%
25 to 44 47.3% 40.6% 47.4% 46.0% 54.4% 57.9% 51.5% 67.4%
45 to 54 25.3% 26.7% 25.9% 18.5% 24.4% 26.3% 24.2% 23.9%
55 to 64 12.7% 13.9% 11.5% 10.5% 10.5% 3.2% 14.1% 8.7%
65+ 1.3% 2.2% 1.1% 2.4% 1.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Education
Less than high school 6.9% 4.9% 8.0% 12.7% 12.8% 14.4% 8.7% 7.5%
High school 15.1% 13.0% 14.2% 13.4% 13.8% 23.3% 15.4% 15.1%
Trades certification 42.9% 52.6% 56.3% 50.7% 43.4% 46.7% 47.1% 54.7%
College diploma 30.1% 28.0% 19.9% 22.5% 26.6% 13.3% 28.8% 22.6%
BA or above 5.0% 1.5% 1.7% 0.7% 3.4% 2.2% 0.0% 0.0%
Male 98.9% 98.3% 100.0% 98.2% 98.3% 97.8% 91.2% 100.0%
Visible minority 24.7% 2.4% 3.0% 1.1% 28.0% 8.0% 1.9% 0.0%
Immigrant 27.7% 8.8% 13.4% 7.0% 31.5% 16.0% 9.8% 0.0%
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
Employees in the trades are almost exclusively male.
Automotive Service Technicians are more likely to be over age 55 than Motor Vehicle Body Repairers. This may reflect differences in the nature of the work that provides more opportunities for Automotive Service Technicians to do less physically demanding work.
Automotive Service Technicians tend to have at least a high school credential and most have a trade certification or college diploma.
Motor Vehicle Body Repairers are less likely to have a trade certificate or above than Automotive Service Technicians; however, the data presented likely understates the education levels of the current workforce. In 2001 ICBC introduced its accreditation system which requires certification of technicians so over time this would be expected to lead to increased levels of certification in this occupation.
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Sales, service, finance and administrative occupations
Sales and service occupations represent 21% of the sector’s workforce and include those whose primary responsibilities are retail sales and customer service. Finance and administration are approximately 17% of the workforce and include those whose occupations are clerical involving general office duties or related to accounting, bookkeeping or financing.
Table 4-3 Demographic characteristics by region, Finance, Administration, Sales and
Service Occupations
Sales and Service Finance and Administration
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Mainland/ Southwest
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Interior Northern BC
Age Group
15 to 24 28.3% 27.8% 31.2% 50.5% 17.2% 9.8% 13.2% 12.8%
25 to 44 35.0% 38.0% 37.3% 18.6% 48.6% 44.2% 41.5% 53.0%
45 to 54 19.3% 18.4% 17.7% 19.6% 21.0% 30.9% 29.7% 24.8%
55 to 64 14.4% 13.6% 12.2% 8.2% 10.7% 13.6% 13.4% 9.4%
65+ 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% 3.1% 2.6% 1.5% 2.2% 0.0%
Education
Less than high school 17.2% 18.8% 23.1% 35.6% 10% 13% 12% 17%
High school 44.5% 48.8% 52.4% 40.6% 40% 46% 47% 38%
Trades certification 8.6% 9.7% 9.2% 10.9% 11% 12% 13% 10%
College diploma 20.2% 17.5% 12.6% 12.9% 28% 25% 25% 27%
BA or above 9.4% 5.2% 2.7% 0.0% 10% 4% 3% 7%
Male 83.8% 82.2% 78.9% 73.3% 35.2% 35.7% 31.0% 19.4%
Visible minority 26.0% 6.1% 3.0% 1.9% 22.1% 2.9% 0.5% 1.8%
Immigrant 25.0% 8.4% 5.2% 4.8% 22.5% 8.0% 7.4% 7.5%
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
Like trades, education levels reflect the job requirements.
The majority of those employed in finance and administration are women and this group tends to be more likely to have university level credential than other occupations in the sector.
Like finance and administration, sales and service employs more women than other occupations in the sector.
Those working in sales and service occupations are the youngest group and have among the lowest levels of education. This may be a reflection of the age profile and
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22
many people in this group are likely in entry level positions and to be in the process of obtaining credentials.
Truck drivers
Truck drivers represent about 3% of the workforce and include those who drive delivery vehicles and tow trucks.
Table 4-4 Demographic characteristics by region, Truck Drivers
Truck Drivers
Mainland/Southwest Vancouver Island/Coast Interior Northern BC
Age group
15 to 24 16.2% 6.3% 10.4% 18.8%
25 to 44 49.5% 50.0% 37.3% 43.8%
45 to 54 25.7% 34.4% 25.4% 12.5%
55 to 64 5.7% 9.4% 19.4% 12.5%
65+ 2.9% 0.0% 7.5% 12.5%
Education
Less than high school 23.6% 33.3% 37.1% 63.2%
High school 41.5% 24.2% 32.9% 10.5%
Trades certification 14.2% 21.2% 14.3% 26.3%
College diploma 13.2% 21.2% 15.7% 0.0%
BA or above 7.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Male 98.1% 81.8% 97.1% 100.0%
Visible minority 18.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Immigrant 23.9% 0.0% 5.3% 10.5%
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
This group has lower levels of education than other occupations in the sector which is consistent with the educational requirements for these positions.
This group also tends to have a larger proportion of people aged 65 and over than other occupations.
Managers
This category includes those employed as supervisors and managers. The sample was too small to break down by region. This group has a similar age profile to those employed in sales and approximately 39% are women. In this group, 42% have a non-trades related post-secondary credential which is significantly higher than in other occupations.
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Tenure in industry and occupation
Employees in the automotive sector tend to be long tenured as shown in Table 4-5.
Table 4-5 Employee tenure in industry and occupation
Tenure in industry Tenure in occupation
Less than 2 years
2 to 10 years
More than 10 years
Less than 2 years
2 to 10 years
More than 10 years
Trades 7% 35% 58% 11% 36% 52%
Technical 5% 24% 71% 5% 38% 57%
Customer Service 6% 24% 71% 12% 71% 18%
Sales* 20% 40% 40% 17% 83% 0%
Administrative 33% 33% 28% 26% 37% 37%
Tow Truck driver* 0% 57% 43% 0% 71% 29%
Business manager 8% 15% 77% 15% 15% 69%
Other management / administration
18% 24% 59% 24% 35% 41%
Source: Employee survey
*Small sample so results should be interpreted with caution.
The majority of employees in trades and technical occupations have been in the industry and their occupation for more than 10 years. There is some indication that people have moved into these occupations from other occupations in the industry.
Those in administrative and other management positions tend to have lower tenure in both the industry and their occupation than those in other positions. This is likely due to a large number of these positions being entry level and the skill set associated with them being more transferable to other industries.
Business managers are more similar to trades and technical occupations in that the majority have been in the industry for more than 10 years. The distribution of tenure in this occupation is consistent with career progression in the industry.
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5. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
5.1 RECRUITMENT
In this section we review the results of the employer survey with respect to recent experience with recruitment, expectations about future recruitment and perceptions around recruitment challenges. We find that:
Recruitment is an issue for most employers and they expect this to continue to be a challenge going forward.
Trades and service advisor/estimators are the occupations most difficult to recruit.
Lack of workers with the necessary skills in the industry, wages and competition from other industries were the most commonly identified barriers to recruiting.
Recruitment experience
Figure 5-1 Difficulties recruiting, by sector and region
Source: Employer survey
The majority of employers surveyed reported that they had experienced difficulty in recruiting during the past 24 months.
Respondents in the Interior were the most likely to report difficulty recruiting, followed by the Thompson Okanagan, Mainland/Southwest and Vancouver Island/Coast.
Similar levels of difficulty were reported across sectors.
Industry wide shortage of workers with the necessary skills (32%), lack of skills related to the industry (30%), wages (28%) and competition from outside the industry (25%) were the primary reasons employers gave for having difficulty recruiting.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/Southwest
Thompson/Okanagan
Interior
All regions
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair
other
All sectors
Difficult Somewhat difficult Not at all difficult
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Expectations about future recruitment14
Table 5-2 Occupations expected to be difficult to recruit in the future, by sector
Vehicle Dealers
Mechanical Repair
Collision Repair
Glass Repair
Other
Automotive Service Technician X X X X X
Motor Vehicle Body Repairer X X X
Painter X X X
Glass Technician X X
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative X X X X X
Apprentice X X X X X
Source: Employer survey
Trades and estimator/service advisor/customer service representative were the positions that were consistently identified across all sectors and regions as being difficult to recruit and employers expect to continue having difficulty recruiting in these areas.
Glass technicians were only perceived as being difficult to recruit in the Thompson/Okanagan and this is expected to continue to be the case in the future both in this region and in the Vancouver Island/Coast region
In the Mainland/Southwest employers are expecting business managers to be difficult to recruit in the future.
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative are not expected to be difficult to recruit in the Thompson/Okanagan in the future.
The most commonly cited reasons for expectations around future recruiting difficulty were too few people entering the industry (57%), aging population (26%) and competition from outside the industry (25%).
5.2 RETENTION
In this section we review the results of the employer survey with respect to experience with retention of employees and intentions to remain in the industry over the next five years. We find that
Employers have generally been successful in retaining employees but a sizeable number of employers intend to leave the industry within the next five years.
Trades are the most difficult employees to retain and as we discuss in the next section this group is the most likely to intend to leave the industry in the next five years.
14
For the purposes of this analysis a position was considered difficult to recruit if it was identified by at least 25% of total respondents as being difficult to recruit or at least 25% of respondents from a given sector identified it as difficult to recruit or if it was ranked in the top five among all respondents.
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Barriers to retention are wages and lack of career growth opportunities.
Retention experience
Figure 5-3 Success retaining employees by type and region
Source: Employer survey
Employers reported high levels of success in retaining employees and this was consistent across all sectors.
The least success in retaining employees was in the Interior. Retention of apprentices and non-journeymen employees in the Interior was well below that in other regions, while retention of journeymen was only slightly lower. Inability to retain apprentices may be due to the availability of training as employers in the Interior were the most likely to cite lack of training opportunities as a barrier to recruiting.
Among sectors, vehicle dealers reported less success in retaining employees than other sectors. This was most striking with respect to apprentices where 43% of vehicle dealers reported being unsuccessful compared to 12% in other sectors.
Barriers to retention were wages, lack of career growth opportunities and poor work performance. For businesses employing less than 10 people, benefits were the second most commonly identified barrier along with performance. For businesses employing more than 10 people, hours of work was cited almost as frequently as lack of career growth and performance.
The positions employers identified as the most difficult to retain were Motor Vehicle Body Repairers (14%), Automotive Service Technicians (12%), Detailers (10%) and Painters (10%). This was consistent across regions.
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/Southwest
Thompson/Okanagan
Interior
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/Southwest
Thompson/Okanagan
Interior
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/Southwest
Thompson/Okanagan
Interior
Ap
pre
nti
ces
Jou
rney
men
Oth
er
Successful Somewhat successful Unsuccessful
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Intentions to remain in the industry
Figure 5-4 Employer intentions to leave the industry
Source: Employer survey
Approximately 25% of employers are planning on leaving the industry in the next five years. This includes both those planning to retire and those who are selling their business but not retiring.
Of those planning on retiring or selling their business only 35% have a succession plan in place. The most common succession plan is to sell the business to family member or existing employee.
5.3 EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION
In this section we review the results of the employee survey with respect to their satisfaction with various elements of their job and their intention to remain in the industry over the next five years. We find that:
The barriers to retention identified by employers are consistent with employee satisfaction levels with various aspects of their jobs.
Trades are the group most likely to intend to leave the industry over the next five years.
Employee satisfaction Career advancement was identified as having the highest levels of dissatisfaction across occupations as shown in Figure 5-5.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair
Other
Total
Yes No Don't know
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Figure 5-5 Satisfaction with career advancement by occupation group
Source: Employee survey
For trades, pay was as unsatisfactory as career advancement while for other occupations dissatisfaction with pay was much lower as shown in Figure 5-6.
Figure 5-6 Satisfaction with pay by employee group
Source: Employee survey
Availability of training both technical and non-technical received relatively high levels of dissatisfaction from occupation groups other than trades. This was highest among management where 33% expressed dissatisfaction with technical training availability and 25% expressed dissatisfaction with the availability of non-technical training.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Trades
Technical
Sales and customer service
Administration
Management
Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Not Satisfied
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Trades
Technical
Sales and customer service
Administration
Management
Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Not Satisfied
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Job security and career choice received the highest levels of satisfaction across occupations with over close to 90% of respondents expressing satisfaction with job security and 80% expressing satisfaction with career choice.
The majority of employees would recommend their occupation (82%). Trades and technical staff were less likely than other groups to recommend their occupation (60%) and those working in collision repair were the least likely to recommend their occupation (47%). Reasons given include pay, health concerns and the cost of tools.
Employee intentions
Figure 5-7 Employee future intentions by occupation
Source: Employee survey
* Small sample so results should be interpreted with caution.
Most employees intend to remain in the industry over the next five years.
Those in trades and technical occupations are the most likely to be planning on leaving the industry and wages were the primary reason given for this. Motor Vehicle Body Repairers are much more likely to intend to leave the industry than those employed in other trades.
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
Trades
Technical
Customer Service
Sales*
Admin
Tow Truck driver*
Business manager
Stay in Industry Retired Leave
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6. CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING
In this section we review the results of the employee and employer surveys with respect to support for certification, training needs, training supports provided, barriers to training and preferred modes of training. We find that:
The majority of employers believe certification is important and provide supports to their employees to obtain training.
Technical skills were consistently identified as training needs across sectors and employee groups.
Business managers were the only group who felt that they were lacking skills to do their jobs.
Lack of time for training and availability of training were identified as the primary barriers to training.
Certification
Figure 6-1 Importance of certification to employers, by sector
Source: Employer survey
Employers reported strong support for certification of their employees.
Support for certification was highest among collision repair and mechanical repair and lowest among glass repair and other. This is likely a reflection of the market conditions these businesses operate in. To receive accreditation from ICBC requires that staff have certification and due to concerns about manufacturers’ warranties most customers prefer licensed technicians perform maintenance and repair.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair
Other
Important Somewhat important Not important
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Formal education requirements
Table 6-2 Recommended level of formal education, by occupation
High School
Trades certification
College diploma
Other
Automotive Service Technician X Driver`s license Motor Vehicle Body Repairer X Driver`s license Painter X Driver`s license Glass Technician X Driver`s license Detailer and other shop staff X Driver`s license Shop supervisor X Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
X Understanding of technical aspects and repairs
Sales X Driver X Driver`s license (Class
depends on vehicle) Dispatcher X Receptionist X Accountant/bookkeeper X Business manager X Business administration
courses or credential plus experience in the industry
Source: Working in Canada, Service Canada Job Futures Quebec
Recommended formal education requirements vary according to the occupational category. For most positions not requiring a trade certification or specific technical knowledge such as accounting, experience and knowledge of the industry is as important as formal education levels.
Among employees working in trades, approximately 25% of the workforce has less formal education than required15. Those working as Automotive Service Technicians tend to have higher levels of education than those working as Motor Vehicle Body Repairers. This was most apparent in the Vancouver Island/Coast region where 27.7% of Motor Vehicle Body Repairers had education levels below a trades certification. Given ICBC’s accreditation requirements this gap is expected to close.
Among those working in clerical and administrative roles less than 10% do not have the recommended level of formal education.
Sales and service occupations are the group where the largest gap in formal education exists. In the Mainland/Southwest 17% of employees in this group have less than high school while in Northern BC 36% of employees have less than high school. For these occupations, industry knowledge is as important formal education.
15
Statistics Canada, Census 2006, highest level of education obtained.
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Training needs16
Table 6-3 Employer identified training needs by sector
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair
Other
Technical skills X X X X X
Oral communication X X
Critical thinking (assess validity of information)
X X X
Problem solving X X X X
Decision making X X X X
Task planning and organization X X
Work flow coordination X X
Working with others X
Computer usage (keyboarding skills, software)
X X
Digital technology (diagnostic equipment, multimeters, calculators)
X X
Source: Employer survey
Technical skills were consistently identified across all sectors as a training need. Problem solving, decision making and critical thinking were also a need identified in most sectors.
Oral communication was identified as a training need outside the Mainland/Southwest and in glass repair and the other sector.
Critical thinking was identified as more of a need in the Mainland/Southwest than in other regions.
16
A skill was identified as a training need for employers if at least 25% of respondents within a sub-sector identified it as needing to be improved or it was ranked in the top five within a sub-sector. The same criteria was used for employees based on their occupation.
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Employees, with the exception of Business Managers felt that they were not lacking any job related skills and their training needs are consistent with those identified by employers as shown in Table 6-4.
Table 6-4 Employee identified training needs, by occupation
Trades Technical Sales/ Customer Service
Admin-istrative
Tow Truck driver*
Business manager
Other manage-ment/ admin-istrative
Technical skills X X X X X X
Reading comprehension X
Oral communication X X
Critical thinking (assess validity of information)
X X X X
Problem solving X X X X
Decision making X X
Task planning and organization
X X X
Work flow coordination X X X
Providing guidance and/or direction
X X X
Applying policies and procedures
X X X
Computer usage (keyboard skills, software)
X X X X X X X
Digital technology (diagnostic equipment, multimeters, calculators)
X X X X
Source: Employee survey
* Small sample so results should be interpreted with caution
Those employed in the trades were less likely to identify problem solving and critical thinking as a training need relative to other occupations. Computer usage was also less of a training need for this group than other occupations.
Business managers had the broadest range of identified training needs including both technical and management skills.
Across sectors, those employed by vehicle dealers were the least likely to identify technology or computer usage as training needs but more likely to identify reading and writing. This is consistent with the more diversified nature and size of vehicle dealers which means that there is likely more automation and written communication required.
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Training Supports
Table 6-5 Employers reporting a training plan and budget, by sector
Source: Employer survey
About half of employers report having a training plan but only one-third report having a training budget.
Mechanical repair shops are the most likely group to have a training plan and budget while glass repair shops are the least likely.
Regionally, businesses in the Mainland/Southwest were the most likely to have a training plan and budget followed by those in the Thompson/Okanagan. Businesses in the Interior are more likely to have a plan and less likely to have a budget than those in the Vancouver Island/Coast region.
Employers perceptions of the impact government funding would have on their ability to provide training was mixed. Almost 76% of mechanical repair shops felt it would improve their ability to provide training while just under half of other sub-sectors felt this way.
0.0%
20.0%
40.0%
60.0%
80.0%
100.0%
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair Other Total
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Over 90% of employers reported that they provided training incentives. The types of training incentives provided are reported in Table 6-6.
Table 6-6 Share of employers providing training incentives, by type of incentive and
sector
Vehicle dealers
Mechanical repair
Collision repair
Glass repair
Other Total
Pay the full amount of course fees
44.8% 42.9% 57.1% 35.0% 53.8% 57%
Pay for time off to take training 31.0% 26.5% 43.9% 25.0% 51.3% 42%
Raise salary/wage upon completion of training
31.0% 22.4% 25.5% 30.0% 25.6% 30%
Pay travel expenses 24.1% 20.4% 27.6% 10.0% 33.3% 28%
Allow employees to take on new responsibilities or tasks upon completion
13.8% 29.6% 19.4% 15.0% 28.2% 27%
Pay for technical training taken by employees from outside suppliers
10.3% 28.6% 20.4% 10.0% 15.4% 24%
Give employees a promotion upon completion of training
3.4% 5.1% 10.2% 10.0% 10.3% 9%
Pay some share of course fees 6.9% 5.1% 4.1% 5.0% 15.4% 7%
Encourage employees to take technical training but do not pay for it
0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 5.0% 7.7% 3%
Do not provide training incentives
6.9% 0.0% 1.0% 10.0% 2.6% 2%
Source: Employer survey
Employers in the glass repair sector are the least likely to provide training incentives. This may be due to on-the-job training being the primary form of training in the sector and the lack of training available.
Employers in collision repair are the most likely to pay for courses and provide paid time off. This is likely a reflection of ICBC’s accreditation requirements.
Close to one-third of employers provide raises upon completion of training but very few offer promotion.
Barriers to training
Employers identified lack of training availability (29%) and lack of time for workers to participate in training (27%) as the greatest challenges they face in providing training. This was mirrored by the employees who cited lack of time as the biggest barrier to training (27%), followed by lack of availability either in their region (26%) or at a convenient time (24%).
Approximately 19% of employers identified employee resistance to training as a barrier and this was primarily in the mechanical repair and collision repair sectors.
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Training Modes
Table 6-7 Employee perception of the effectiveness of training modes, by occupation
Trades Technical Customer Service/
Parts
Admin Tow Truck Driver*
Business Manager
Other management/ administrative
Instruction from co-workers
X L X L X X L
On-the-job X X L X X X L
Apprenticeship X X n/a n/a L X n/a
In-house training L L L L X X L
Short course L X X X X
On-site supplier X L L n/a L
Full-time post secondary education
L L n/a n/a L X
e-learning L X L X X
Private training facility
X n/a L X
Continuing Education
L n/a L X
Mobile training L X n/a L n/a
Distance education
X n/a L X n/a
Source: Employee survey
* Small sample so results should be interpreted with caution
X – rated as effective; L- rated as less effective, blank – rated as not effective; n/a – not applicable
How employees perceive the effectiveness of alternative training modes varies by occupation. Those occupations where most of the training is provided through formal education channels tend to rate this method as effective, while those where hands-on-training is the norm tend to rate formal education as less effective.
On-the-job training and instruction from co-workers were the most effective training methods for all occupations.
Formal education such as post-secondary was also perceived as effective by those in occupations where post-secondary is the recommended credential. These employees were less likely to rate instruction from co-workers and on-the-job training as effective.
For those in trades and technical occupations, formal education channels were not considered effective
Like perceptions of effectiveness employees’ preferred modes of training vary based on their occupation.
Those employed in trades and technical occupations prefer on-the-job training, in-house training, short courses and training provided through an education institution.
Those in non-trades occupations identified on-line training as their preferred mode followed by on-the-job training, in-house training and training provided through an education institution.
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Technological change
Both employers and employees felt that technological change was creating a need for training in the industry. The technologies identified were:
Hybrid technologies
Electric cars
Metal composition
Avoidance technologies
Panel bonding
Electrical and electronic systems and diagnostics
New paint products
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7. WORKFORCE PROJECTIONS
In this section we review the key determinants of employment in the automotive sector, industry and demographic trends which will affect labour demand and supply in the sector and projections for the sector’s labour demand and supply between 2012 and 2020.
Employment in BC’s automotive sector is closely related to the number of vehicles on the road and population growth as shown in Figure 7-1. In BC, there is one vehicle on the road for every two people aged 15 and over and this relationship has been stable over time.
Figure 7-1 Change in population, licensed passenger vehicles and automotive sector
employment 1999-2011
Source: BC Statistics, ICBC
7.1 AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR TRENDS
Industry trends affecting the BC automotive sector are the same as those affecting the sector in other Canadian jurisdictions. These include:
Increasing age of vehicles. This increase in vehicle age is related to the increasing reliability of vehicles and the tendency to drive fewer kilometres. Between 1990 and
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Ind
ex
20
07
=10
0
BC Automotive Sector Employment BC Population Licensed Passenger Vehicles
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2010 the average age of passenger vehicles in BC rose from 8.25 to 9.6917. Average kilometres driven per vehicle in Canada decreased from 17,000 to 15,336 between 2000 and 200918 driven largely by increases in the price of fuel. These trends have a number of implications for employment in the industry. First, the demand for advanced diagnostic skills is expected to be lower as reliability increases while that for maintenance and minor repairs will grow. Secondly, older vehicles are more likely to have maintenance performed at independent shops19 so demand for small maintenance shops is likely to grow while that for dealership maintenance services is expected to follow the growth in the number of new cars on the road.
More total losses. There is evidence that scrappage rates are increasing in Canada. According to Automotive Industry Association of Canada’s 2012 Outlook scrappage rates have been rising since 200820. This corresponds to increases in the price of used auto parts of around 50%21 which suggests that scrap values are increasing. This trend is negatively impacting the demand for collision repair and this is expected to continue.
Technology. The market for hybrid and electrical vehicles is growing. Between 2007 and 2008 the share of passenger vehicles on the road in BC that were hybrids increased from 0.4% to 1%22. This trend is expected to continue as federal and provincial tax incentive programs continue and United States’ Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations (“CAFE”) come into effect in 2016. While the CAFE regulations only apply to vehicles sold in the United States, the vehicle selection in Canada mirrors that available in the United States. The increase in prevalence of hybrid and electrical vehicle technologies means Automotive Service Technicians and maintenance staff will require additional training.
Car sharing. A longer term trend that may affect the future growth of the number of vehicles in urban areas is car sharing. This is becoming increasingly popular in metro Vancouver and is available in Victoria and Kelowna. The likely effect of this trend is to reduce the growth rate of vehicles in urban areas which will have a similar impact on the demand for sales, repair and maintenance services in these areas.
While overall employment in the automotive sector in BC is expected to continue to rise as the number of cars on the roads rise, the composition of the workforce is expected to change.
Relatively fewer Automotive Service Technicians with advanced diagnostic skills will likely be needed while demand for installers and maintenance staff will grow.
17
La Coporation des concessionaires d’automobiles du Quebec. Âge moyen des véhicules par province - juillet 2010. (http://www.ccaq.com/fr/la-ccaq/statistiques.statistiques-pour-le-quebec-.php)
18 Natural Resources Canada. Canadian Vehicle Survey 2009 Summary Report. 2011
19 Automotive Industries Association of Canada. 2012 Outlook Study: A Comprehensive Review of the Automotive
Aftermarket Industry in Canada. November 2012.
20 Ibid.
21 Statistics Canada. Table 332-0006 - Wholesale services price index, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS),
monthly (index, 2008=100)
22 ICBC. Quick Statistics. August 2012.
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Demand for collision repair services is not expected to grow as long as scrap values remain high which means employment in this sector may decline.
7.2 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
Two demographic trends have implications for the automotive sector.
Increasing urbanization. BC’s population is concentrated in large urban centres. Based on the 2011 Census 67.1% of the population lives in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley or Victoria areas and an additional 7.4% of the population lives in the Kelowna or Nanaimo areas. Between 2006 and 2011 90% of growth in BC’s population was in these five areas. This is consistent with overall Canadian growth trends that indicate that while the population has been relatively stable outside urban areas, the proportion of the population in these areas is falling as growth is concentrated in urban areas23. This suggests that outside the southern regions of the province growth in the demand for automotive sector services will be flat and it may become increasingly difficult to fill vacant positions locally.
Aging population. The population of BC is aging. According to the 2011 Census the median age of the population has risen from 40.8 in 2006 to 41.9 and 25% of the working age population is between 45 and 5424. For the first time the number of people 0 to 14 is less than those aged 65. This suggests that there will be increasing demand for workers in all sectors as older workers retire which may lead to increasing competition if the labour supply does not increase due to immigration.
7.3 PROJECTIONS
Workforce projections are based on regional forecasts from the BC Labour Market Scenario Model for the period 2010-2020. This model incorporates statistical data including the labour force survey, population projections and the Census; economic projections from the Ministry of Finance Budget and Fiscal Plan; the nature of major projects in development and coming on-stream during the outlook period; and consultation with industry. The projections presented here were done in 2011 using the most recent data available at the time25 and are based on 3-digit National Occupation Codes (NOC). This is the most detailed level at which the forecasts are differentiated.
The two sources of demand used in the projections are
New jobs – those created by growth due to increased demand in the sector.
Replacement jobs – those created by vacancies due to retirements and workers leaving the sector.
The two sources of supply in the projections are
23
Statistics Canada. Canada’s Rural Population Since 1851: Population and Dwelling Counts. February 2012.
24 BC Statistics, 2011 Census Fast Facts: Toddlers and Teetotallers, May 2012.
25 The key data sources are Labour Force Survey, Census 2006, BC Statistics population estimates and projections,
BC Ministry of Finance Budget and Fiscal Plan 2011/12 to 2013/14, BC Economic Accounts, and BC Major Projects Inventory.
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New entrants – young people leaving the education system and entering the labour market for the first time
Migration of workers – experienced workers entering the labour market from other sectors, provinces or countries
Regional projections are presented based on development region boundaries. The North Coast, Nechako and Northeast have been grouped into Northern BC and the Cariboo, Kootenay, and Thompson/Okanagan have been grouped into Interior.
Automotive Service Technicians (NOC 732)
This category includes automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, mechanical repairers and motor vehicle body repairers. The forecasts suggest that the tight labour market which exists in all regions of the province for Automotive Service Technicians (“AST”) will persist for the forecast period and this is similar to the forecast for other trades occupations including construction trades. Most openings in the province will be to replace workers who are retiring or leaving the sector and these positions will be filled by a combination of migration and young people entering the workforce for the first time. Regional forecasts are presented below.
Figure 7-2 Forecast workforce gap, Automotive Service Technicians, Mainland/Southwest
2012-2020
Lab
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up
ply
Ga
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Surplus equal to 2% of workforce will gradually decline due to increases in demand, increasing numbers of retirements and fewer workers entering the field
After 2016 a persistent shortage of approximately 1% of the workforce is projected
New workers are expected to come from entry into the labour force by young people and migration from other sectors or regions.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
39.3% 60.7% 48.3% 51.7%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-300
-200
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-3 Forecast workforce gap, Automotive Service Technicians, Vancouver
Island/Coast 2012-2020
Lab
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up
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Ga
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Shortage equal to 1% to 2% of the AST workforce is forecast to persist until 2016.
By 2017 the number of AST’s will equal the number of positions.
Slowing growth in demand and increases in workers entering the field are forecast to close the gap.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
24.0% 76.0% 52.0% 48.0%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
Figure 7-4 Forecast workforce gap, Automotive Service Technicians, Interior, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Surplus of 1% is forecast to turn into a shortage of about 1% of the workforce.
Growth in new jobs is forecast to decline so most openings will be due to retirement.
Entry of workers into this field is forecast to be stable.
Most new workers will be new entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
24.4% 75.6% 62.7% 37.3%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
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0
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-5 Forecast workforce gap, Automotive Service Technicians, Northern BC, 2012-
2020
Lab
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up
ply
Ga
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Shortage of 2% of the workforce will gradually close as growth in new jobs declines.
Surplus of 2% to 3% is forecast by 2016.
The majority of openings are forecast to be due to replacement.
Most new workers will be young people entering the workforce
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
35.2% 64.8% 59.6% 40.4%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-100
0
100
200
300
400
500
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Retail Salespersons and Sales Clerks (NOC 642)
This category includes rental agents, new and used vehicle salespersons, counter clerks and other customer service staff involved in retail activities. The skills associated with these positions are readily transferable to other industries and the automotive sector will be competing with other industries to attract these workers. The forecasts presented here are for these occupations across industries in the province. A tight labour market will develop primarily due to increases in new jobs. Most new workers will be young workers entering the labour force for the first time.
Figure 7-6 Forecast workforce gap, Retail Salespersons and Clerks, Mainland/Southwest,
2012-2020
Lab
ou
r s
up
ply
Ga
p
Surplus of 2% of the workforce will decline and become a 1% shortage by 2017.
Most openings will be new jobs.
Over half of new workers will be new entrants to the
labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
43.7% 56.3% 63.6% 36.4%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-7 Forecast workforce gap, Retail Salespersons and Clerks, Vancouver
Island/Coast, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
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Shortage of 0.7% of workforce will increase until 2014 after which it will decline and disappear by 2017.
Most openings will be to replace retiring workers while new workers will be first time entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
16.4% 83.6% 72.7% 27.3%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
Figure 7-8 Forecast workforce gap, Retail Salespersons and Clerks, Interior, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Small shortage is forecast to begin in 2014 and will persist.
Most openings will be replacement positions.
The primary source of new workers will be first time entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
21.8% 78.2% 78.0% 22.0%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-9 Forecast workforce gap Retail Salespersons and Clerks, Northern BC, 2012-
2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
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Shortage will move to surplus by 2015.
The majority of openings will be replacement positions.
New workers come primarily from new entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
35.6% 64.4% 82.1% 17.9%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Administrative Positions (NOC 141 and 143)
This category includes general office staff such as receptionists and finance, insurance and related staff. Like sales, these occupations are not unique to the automotive sector and the skills are readily transferable to other industries. Most new positions in these occupations will be to replace workers who are retiring or leave the position. With the exception of the Mainland/Southwest region, the majority of new workers will be young people entering the labour force.
Figure 7-10 Forecast workforce gap, Administrative Positions, Mainland/Southwest, 2012-
2020
Lab
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up
ply
Ga
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Surplus representing 2% of the workforce will gradually decline and turn into a shortage of 11%.
Most new positions will be to replace workers who have retired.
The majority of new workers are forecast to be young workers entering the labour force for the first time.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
41.8% 58.2% 54.9% 45.1%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-3000
-2000
-1000
0
1000
2000
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4000
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-11 Forecast workforce gap, Administrative Positions, Vancouver Island/Coast,
2012-2020
Lab
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up
ply
Ga
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Shortage will increase to 1.7% of the workforce in the near term before disappearing by 2017.
The majority of new positions are expected to be replacement.
Most new workers will be young people entering the
labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
21.4% 78.6% 59.0% 41.0%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
Figure 7-12 Forecast workforce gap, Administrative Positions, Interior, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Shortage of approximately 0.8% is forecast by 2014.
New openings will be due to replacement of workers who retire or leave the position.
Most new workers will be young people entering the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
26.4% 73.6% 60.2% 39.8%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
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0
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4000
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-13 Forecast workforce gap, Administrative Positions, Northern BC, 2012-2020
Lab
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up
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Ga
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Shortage of 1.5% will become a surplus of 1.8% by 2016.
Most new positions will be due to replacement.
New entrants to the labour force will be the primary source of new workers.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
35.4% 64.6% 66.5% 33.5%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-3000
-2000
-1000
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Transport Truck Drivers (NOC 741)
This category includes transport truck drivers, special purpose drivers of heavy trucks and tow truck drivers. Like administrative and retail sales the skills associated with this occupational grouping are transferable to industries outside the automotive sector so the forecasts here are for the BC labour force as a whole. The labour market for truck drivers is forecast to be tight between 2012 and 2020. Most openings are forecast to be replacement and will be filled by a mix of young workers entering the labour force and migrants from other occupations and regions.
Figure 7-14 Forecast workforce gap, Truck Drivers, Truck Drivers, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Surplus of 2% of the workforce will decline and become a shortage by 2016.
Most openings will be replacement.
New workers will include both migrants and young people entering the workforce for the first time.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
34.7% 65.3% 48.6% 51.4%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
-800
-600
-400
-200
0
200
400
600
800
1000
2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Figure 7-15 Forecast workforce gap, Administrative Positions, Vancouver Island/Coast,
2012-2020
Lab
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up
ply
Ga
p
Shortage equal to 1.7% of the workforce will decline and disappear by 2017.
New openings will be replacements with relatively few due to growth in demand.
Slightly more new workers will be migrants than new entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
16.1% 83.9% 46.6% 53.4%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
Figure 7-16 Forecast workforce gap, Truck Drivers, Interior, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Small shortage (less than 1% of the workforce) will persist
New openings will be replacements with relatively few openings due to growth in demand.
New workers will include both migrants and young people entering the workforce for the first time.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
21.4% 78.6% 50.2% 49.8%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Table 7-17 Forecast workforce gap, Truck Drivers, Northern BC, 2012-2020
Lab
ou
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up
ply
Ga
p
Shortage of 2% of workforce will disappear and be replaced by a surplus of over 2%.
Most openings will be replacement
Slightly more new workers will be migrants than new entrants to the labour force.
Source of Openings Source of Workers
New jobs Replacement New entrants Migration
36.3% 63.7% 43.8% 56.2%
Source: BC Labour Market Scenario Model
Management Occupations
Management positions in the automotive sector are filled by people who have progressed through lower level occupations in the industry. The tight labour market conditions that currently exist for these occupations and the expectation that other occupations will continue to face similar conditions suggests that labour market current conditions for management employees will persist.
-800
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2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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8. SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT
The primary challenges facing the automotive industry in BC are attraction and recruitment of new employees. The current tight labour market is expected to continue for the foreseeable future which means the industry needs to develop recruitment strategies to ensure adequate supply of new workers are entering the industry. In this section we review the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the industry with respect to recruitment and retention.
Strengths
Industry stability. The automotive sector in BC is a mature industry and is less cyclical in nature than industries such as residential construction. This means that there will not be rapid expansion but rather employment growth is expected to continue to follow that of vehicles on the road and population.
Job Security. The stability of the industry means that job security is relatively high.
Availability of local employment opportunities. The industry in BC is primarily a service industry which supports other sectors. As such, local employment opportunities exist in each region meaning that potential employees may not need to move to find employment.
Weaknesses
Wages. Wages in the industry tend to be less than those paid in other industries with high levels of trades occupations as shown in Table 8-1 which compares the wage ranges for selected trade occupation in BC and Alberta. Automotive trades have a wider range than most other trades and median wages that are lower than all other trades except carpenters and plumbers. This suggests that the earnings of automotive trades are less than those in other trades. Compared to their counterparts in Alberta they also earn less. Further evidence of this is found in the $25 median wage reported by Automotive Service Technicians and Motor Vehicle Body Technicians who completed their training between July 1 2009 and June 10, 2010. Those who completed construction trades during the same period have median wages ranging between $28 and $30 per hour26.
26
BC Statistics. 2011 Apprenticeship Student Outcomes Survey Report of Findings.
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Table 8-1 Wage ranges, selected trade occupations, BC and Alberta
BC Alberta
Low Median High Low Median High
Automotive Service Technician/ Motor Vehicle Body Repairer
$12.75 $25.64 $35.00 $16.00 $25.64 $38.00
Truck Drivers $13.00 $23.00 $31.32 $16.25 $24.00 $35.00
Carpenter $14.50 $23.00 $31.95 $15.00 $25.00 $35.00
Electricians $15.00 $26.00 $35.00 $18.00 $31.00 $42.00
Plumber $16.00 $24.68 $33.00 $17.00 $26.00 $40.00
Pipefitters $16.83 $27.50 $39.00 $20.00 $30.00 $43.70
Heavy Equipment Operator $18.00 $26.75 $32.83 $17.00 $26.00 $35.00
Other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
$18.00 $30.00 $36.00 $22.00 $32.00 $45.00
Heavy Equipment Mechanic $20.52 $29.77 $38.00 $20.00 $31.00 $42.00
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey
Career path/advancement. The industry is primarily made up of small shops employing less than 10 people which makes it difficult to provide career advancement opportunities within an organization. While employers reported providing a career path, employees expressed dissatisfaction with what was provided.
Physical nature of work and health issues. Automotive trades require physical strength and stamina and this may be a factor in the decision of older workers to leave these occupations. The physical demands and exposure to chemicals were cited as contributing factors by employees considering leaving the industry and those unwilling to recommend their occupation.
Opportunities
Succession planning. This can be used to encourage retention and provide career opportunities for employees.
Develop a system for matching apprentices with employers. Currently students completing a foundation program receive limited support in finding potential employers with which to do an apprenticeship. Developing a system of matching foundation graduates with employers will facilitate the matching process and may improve placement rates.
Develop a job board for the automotive sector. Currently employers use an assortment of mediums and word-of-mouth to advertise vacancies. The most common methods were word-of-mouth (76%) and referral by friends, colleagues or employees (74%). Creation of a centralized job board would expand the reach of postings and has the potential to provide a larger pool of applicants.
Develop career paths. Employees reported the primary reasons they chose their occupation were opportunity to use their skills and knowledge (32%) and familial connections (20%). A family connection was strongest for those employed in the trades or management. Among those in occupations that require limited training and no certification such as installers or tow truck drivers availability of a job was a primary consideration. Those in sales, administration and management positions were more
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likely to cite opportunities for career advancement as a primary consideration. These relationships can be leveraged to build career paths which illustrate the opportunities within the industry for potential employees. This may encourage people with a family connection to stay in the industry and will make the sector more attractive to those who do not have a family connection.
Job security and industry stability can be used to compensate for lower wages. Industries such as mining pay higher wages to make up for dangers, health effects and instability in the sector. Wages are lower in the automotive sector than in resource extraction industries but job security is relatively high meaning that earnings may be higher over the long term. This can be used as part of a recruitment program directed at students in trades.
Diversify the workforce. First Nations, women, immigrants and visible minorities are under-represented in the automotive sector. These groups represent the fastest growing sectors of the labour force so marketing of the industry targeted to these groups can be used as part of a strategy to address recruitment issues.
Facilitate training through alternative delivery mechanisms. Lack of time and availability of training were cited as the primary barriers to engaging in training. Options to overcome this include developing short courses delivered online which employees could take during slow periods or having temporary replacement staff come in so employees can engage in training. Where regional availability is the primary problem, funding mechanisms can be developed to either provide training in the area or subsidize travel costs for employees to receive the training in other regions.
Encourage knowledge transfer. Many older technicians find the physical demands of mechanical and collision repair are too strenuous. These technicians can be used to provide mentoring/training to younger technicians in a number of ways including:
o Delivery of short courses through an online format. o Working casually or part-time to allow full-time technicians to engage in training.
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9. CONCLUSIONS
The BC automotive sector is experiencing a tight labour market which means that it may be difficult to find suitable staff, employers can expect recruitment to take extended periods of time and positions may go unfilled. Regions outside the Mainland/Southwest report greater difficulty in recruiting staff and the most difficult positions to recruit are skilled trades and service advisors/estimators. These conditions are expected to persist going forward and are consistent with what is expected in other industries that employ a large number of trades such as construction. This means that competition from other industries will continue to pose a challenge to employers in the automotive sector.
Employers report high levels of success in retaining employees across occupations; however, 25% of employers are intending to leave the industry over the next five years and very few have a succession plan. Almost half of those intending to leave the industry are from mechanical repair and glass repair which are sub-sectors characterized by small shops. This suggests there is a risk that the size of the sector and consequently employment may shrink if those leaving are unable to find buyers for their businesses.
Training also presents a number of challenges for the sector, particularly for tradespeople, service advisors/estimators and business managers. Changing vehicle technologies mean that technicians must engage in ongoing technical training to keep current and service advisors need to regularly update their knowledge. For business managers, training needs included both technical and management skills. The most significant barriers to engaging in training were lack of availability and lack of time. This suggests that there is a need for alternative methods of delivering training in the sector.
Recommendations
The automotive sector in BC is largely composed of small businesses employing fewer than 10 people. This means that individual businesses are unlikely to be able to dedicate resources to the development of human resource strategies and training plans. To facilitate this we recommend the sector:
Develop a knowledge base of best practices where employers can share the strategies that they have used around recruitment, retention and training as well as the outcomes. Shared learning will assist in the transfer of knowledge and development of effective recruitment and retention strategies.
Develop tools for matching employers and employees including apprentices.
Develop career paths within the industry and communicate these both within the industry and to potential employees.
Develop succession planning supports for small businesses.
Develop effective online tools to facilitate technical training and management training.
Facilitate knowledge transfer from experienced technicians to apprentices by providing options for older technicians as either mentors or as part-time casual employees providing relief while full-time technicians engage in training.
Expand the diversity of the workforce by developing outreach programs targeting women, First Nations and immigrants.
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APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF SURVEY SAMPLE
Regional boundaries are based on the BC’s development regions. The Interior includes the Northeast, North Coast, Nechako, Cariboo and Kootenay development regions.
Sector definitions are as follows:
Vehicle dealers – new and used car dealers, motorcycle dealers
Mechanical repair – mechanical repair shops, quick lube service
Collision repair – collision repair shops
Glass repair – glass repair shops
Other – Towing, automotive rental and leasing; parts and accessories and automotive recycling and dismantling.
Occupational groupings are as follows:
Trades – Automotive Service Technicians, Motor Vehicle Body Repairers, Glass Technicians and Painters
Technical – Installers and servicers
Customer Service – Estimator, Service Advisor, Parts and Customer Service Representative
Sales – Retail sales (including vehicle sales), Outside sales and Account Managers
Administrative – Dispatcher, Reception, bookkeeper
Tow Truck Driver – Tow Truck Driver
Business Manager – Shop or Business Manager
Other management Administrative
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Employer survey distribution of sample by region and business type
Vancouver Island/ Coast
Mainland/ Southwest
Thompson/ Okanagan
Interior Unknown Total
Vehicle dealers 7% 34% 7% 10% 41% 12% Mechanical repair 16% 55% 7% 4% 18% 23%
Collision repair 12% 29% 12% 9% 38% 40% Glass repair 10% 5% 25% 10% 50% 8% Other 15% 41% 3% 10% 31% 16%
Total 13% 35% 10% 8% 34% 100%
Sample size =243
Employee survey distribution of sample by region and occupation
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/ Southwest
Thompson/ Okanagan
Interior Unknown Total
Trades 12.0% 47.4% 38.5% 8.7% 31.3% 30.0%
Technical 4.0% 2.6% 34.6% 17.4% 31.8% 13.8%
Customer Service 12.0% 21.1% 11.5% 0.0% 26.3% 11.9%
Sales 4.0% 2.6% 0.0% 13.0% 16.7% 3.8%
Administrative 24.0% 5.3% 7.7% 21.7% 21.1% 11.9%
Tow Truck Driver 20.0% 2.6% 0.0% 0.0% 14.3% 4.4%
Business Manager 12.0% 7.9% 7.7% 13.0% 15.4% 8.1%
Other Management Administrative
12.0% 10.5% 0.0% 26.1% 27.8% 11.3%
Sample size = 160
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APPENDIX B – TRAINING INVENTORY BY REGION
Table 9-1 Automotive training at public institutions in BC, Mainland/Southwest
BCIT
(Burnaby)
Kwantlen Poly-technic
(Richmond)
University of the Fraser Valley
(Chilliwack)
Vancouver Community College
(Vancouver)
Vancouver Island University
(Nanaimo)
Automotive Transmission Service Tech
No No No No No
Automotive Glass Technician No No No Apprenticeship No
Automotive machinist No No No No No
Automotive Painter No No No Apprenticeship No
Automotive Refinishing Prep Foundation No Foundation Foundation, Apprenticeship and High School
No
Automotive Service Technician Foundation, Apprenticeship, Co-op and Ford ASSET
Foundation, Apprenticeship and ACE IT
Foundation and Apprenticeship
Apprentice/e-pprentice, Foundation, 2 year Diploma
Apprenticeship
Logistics and distribution 2 No No No No No
Logistics and distribution 3 No No No No No
Motor Vehicle Body Repairer Foundation No No High School, Apprentice/e-prentice, Foundation
No
Motorcycle Mechanic Apprenticeship and Foundation
No No No No
Parts and Warehousing person 1 No Foundation No No No
Partsperson 2 No No No No No
Partsperson 3 No No No No No
Recreation Vehicle Service Technician
No No No No No
Source: MNP Research
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Table 9-2 Automotive training at public institutions in BC, Vancouver Island/Coast
Camosun College
(Victoria)
North Island College
(Campbell River)
Vancouver Island University
(Nanaimo)
Automotive Transmission Service Tech No No No
Automotive Glass Technician No No No
Automotive machinist No No No
Automotive Painter No No No
Automotive Refinishing Prep No No No
Automotive Service Technician Foundation and Apprenticeship Foundation Apprenticeship
Logistics and distribution 2 No No No
Logistics and distribution 3 No No No
Motor Vehicle Body Repairer No No No
Motorcycle Mechanic No No No
Parts and Warehousing person 1 No No No
Partsperson 2 No No No
Partsperson 3 No No No
Recreation Vehicle Service Technician No No No
Source: MNP Research
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Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
Table 9-3 Automotive training at public institutions in BC, Interior and Northern BC
College of New
Caledonia (Prince George)
College of the Rockies
(Cranbrook)
Northern Lights College
(Dawson Creek)
Northwest Community
College
(Terrace)
Okanagan College
(Kelowna)
Selkirk College
(Grand Forks)*
Thomson Rivers
University
(Kamloops)
Automotive Transmission Service Tech
No No No No No No No
Automotive Glass Technician No No No No No No Glazier
Automotive machinist No No No No No No No
Automotive Painter No No No No Foundation and Apprenticeship
No No
Automotive Refinishing Prep No No No No Foundation and Apprenticeship
No No
Automotive Service Technician Foundation and Apprenticeship
Foundation and Apprenticeship
Foundation (FSJ/DC) and Apprenticeship
Foundation and Apprenticeship
Foundation and Apprenticeship
No Apprenticeship
Logistics and distribution 2 No No No No No No No
Logistics and distribution 3 No No No No No No No
Motor Vehicle Body Repairer Foundation No No No Foundation and Apprenticeship
No No
Motorcycle Mechanic No No No No No No No
Parts and Warehousing person 1
No No No No No No Apprenticeship
Partsperson 2 No No No No No No Apprenticeship
Partsperson 3 No No No No No No Apprenticeship
Recreation Vehicle Service Technician
No No No No Foundation and Apprenticeship
No No
Source: MNP research
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Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
Other training facilities
ICBC Training Facility – offers a selection of courses for the Collision repair industry which support the ICBC accreditation program.
Automotive Service Training Centre (Surrey, BC) – offers pre-apprenticeship training for motor vehicle body repairers, automotive service technicians and refinishing prep technicians. Other courses include automotive diesel technician, automotive service operations, auto body estimating, automotive service consultant, auto parts and warehousing, dispatching and transportation, sales and leasing and financing and leasing.
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63
APPENDIX C – FUNDING SOURCES
Employer funding sources
Program Effective Dates Description Eligibility Limits Source
Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit
May 1, 2006 – ongoing
Employer receives 10% of wages and salaries during the first two years of an apprenticeship
Red Seal programs Up to $2,000 per year
Government of Canada
Basic Training Tax Credit
January 1 2007 – December 31, 2014
Employer receives up to 20% of salary or wages paid to an apprentice during the first 24 months of the apprenticeship
Non-red seal apprenticeships Maximum is $4, 000 per year
BC government
Completion Tax Credit
January 1 2007 – December 31, 2014
Employer receives 15% of salary or wages paid to an apprentice who completes level 3 or above
Non-Red Seal and Red Seal Programs Up to $2,500 for level 3
Up to $3,000 for level 4 or level 5
BC government
Enhanced tax credit (basic)
January 1 2007 – December 31, 2014
Employer receives 50% of basic tax credit
Employers of First Nations and persons with disabilities who are eligible for the basic training tax credit, the completion tax credit or the federal apprenticeship job creation tax credit.
Up to $2,000
(Up to $6,000 in total)
BC government
Enhanced tax credit (Level 3)
January 1 2007 – December 31, 2014
Employer receives 50% of completion tax credit for level 3.
Up to $1,250
(Up to $3,750 in total)
BC government
Enhanced tax credit (level 4 or 5)
January 1 2007 – December 31, 2014
Employer receives 50% of completion tax credit for level 4 or 5.
Up to $1,500
(Up to $4,500 in total)
BC government
Source: Canada Revenue Agency, Province of British Columbia
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64
Employee Funding
Program Description Eligibility Limits Source
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant
Apprentices can receive $1,000 per year taxable cash grant
Completion of first or second level of a Red Seal trade
$2,000 per person per program, maximum of two programs
Government of Canada
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant
Apprentices can receive $2,000 taxable cash grant
Completion of apprenticeship training and have received journeyperson certification
Certification received on or after January 1, 2009
Government of Canada
Basic tax credit Apprentices receive a tax credit. Eligible in the year level 1 or level 2 is completed of a BC recognized non-Red Seal Program.
$1,000 BC government
Completion tax credit
Apprentices receive a tax credit upon completion of level 3 or 4
Red Seal and non-Red Seal programs $2,000 credit for level 3
$2,500 credit for level 4 or 5.
BC government
Enhanced tax credit Apprentices receive an additional tax credit over and above other tax credits.
First Nations of persons with disabilities who received a federal apprenticeship incentive grant.
$1,500 for completion of level 1 or 2 of a non-Red Seal program
$500 for completion of level 1 or 2 of a Red Seal program
$3,000 for completion of level 3
$3,750 for completion of level 4 or above
BC government
Canada Student Loans and Grants
Student loans and grants are provided based on assessed financial need and are repayable upon completion of program. Grants do not need to be repaid.
Foundation, diploma or certificate programs which run 12 weeks in a 15 week period and is offered through a designation post-secondary institution.
Up to $320 per week of full-time study
Governments of Canada and BC
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65
Program Description Eligibility Limits Source
Secondary student apprenticeship scholarship
Scholarship for apprentices who began their training in high school
Youth apprentices or trainees registered with the ITA prior to graduation who
Graduated with a C+ or better in all grade 12 numbered courses
Reported 900 or more hours to the ITA within six months of graduation
Completed all four SSA courses within three months of graduation
$1,000 BC government
Employment Program of BC
Program to assist unemployed individuals find sustainable employment.
Apprentices who meet Employment Insurance eligibility
Cost of basic expenses required to obtain employment.
BC government
Source: Canada Revenue Agency, Province of British Columbia
Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
66
APPENDIX D – SELECTED OCCUPATIONAL PROFILES
Occupational profiles are based on material gathered from Working in Canada27 and Human Resource and Skills Development Canada’s essential skills profiles.
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE TECHNICIAN (NOC 7321)
27
http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/home-eng.do
Required Education:The recommended education, or a desired level of skill or knowledge, for
apprentices entering this occupation is Grade 12 or equivalent including
English 12, Apprenticeship and Workplace Math, or Trade Mathematics 11
and Applied Physics, or Science and Technology 11.
Summary: Automotive Service Technicians examine, test and repair the parts and systems on cars and light trucks. Their work
also involves reassembling and testing repaired items against manufacturers' standards and performing preventative maintenanc e
such as wheel alignments, oil changes and tune-ups. They may be employed by automotive repair shops, dealerships, automotive
specialty repair shops, and motor vehicle body repair companies.
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• Nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal program
• Completion of an employer-sponsored apprenticeship program or
challenging the certif ication (for individuals who have extensive
experience working in the occupation).
• Youth can begin the apprenticeship progress while in high school
through ACE IT or Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) programs.
• Individuals who do not have required work experience or employer
sponsorship may enrol in a Foundation program directly with the training
provider.
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Good hand-eye coordination
• Mechanical aptitude
• Time management skills
• Logical thinking and decision making skills
• Communication skills
• Computer skills
• Ability to continue learning as technology
advances
• Driving skills and a valid driver’s licence
Wages: $45,000 - $70,000 per year ($12.75 – $35 per hour)
Physical requirements:
• Must be able to lif t heavy weights
• Requires ability to move in, around and under
vehicles
• Senses of sight, sound, smell and touch are
important
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67
MOTOR VEHICLE BODY REPAIRERS (NOC 7322)
Required Education:The recommended education, or a desired level of skill or knowledge,
for apprentices entering this occupation The required education level
for individuals entering this trade occupation is Grade 12 or
equivalent including English 12, Apprenticeship and Workplace Math,
or Trade Mathematics 11 and Applied Physics, or Science and
Technology 11.
Summary: Motor vehicle body repairers repair and replace damaged vehicle body parts and interior f inishings; repaint body
surfaces; and may replace automotive glass. They may be employed in dealerships, collision repair shops and automobile apprai sal
centres.
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• Nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal
program
• Completion of an employer-sponsored apprenticeship program or
challenging the certif ication (for individuals who have extensive
experience working in the occupation).
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Good knowledge of autobody repair techniques
• Up-to-date on technological developments
• Attention to detail, colour sense, organization
• Good customer service skills
• Ability to analyze and solve problems
• Ability to work in a noisy and dirty setting, strenuous
physical ef fort, uncomfortable positions, dust and
paint allergies, etc
Wages: $40,000 – $56,0000 per year ($16.00-$31.00 per hour)
Physical requirements:
• Must be able to lif t heavy weights
• Requires ability to move in, around and under
vehicles
•Good sense of sight, hearing and feel and good
dexterity
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68
BUSINESS MANAGER (NOC 0621)
Required Education:• Completion of secondary school is
required.
• A university degree or college
diploma in business administration
may be required.
Summary: Business Managers plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of repair and maintenance
shops/garages or dealership’s repair departments. They supervise a team of technicians, or other staf f in the repair department or
organization and are responsible for managing work load, inventory, and client service.
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• Several years of related industry
experience at increasing levels of
responsibility are usually required
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Oral communications skills
• Thinking skills (problem solving, critical thinking, decision making)
• Prof iciency in computer use (i.e. Word processing, databases, spreadsheets etc)
• Document comprehension and use (i.e. information f rom automotive
manufacturers’ reports and bulletins, graphs, lists, tables, blueprints, schematics,
drawings, signs, labels etc.)
• Numerical acumen, including money math, scheduling or budgeting and
accounting math, measurement and calculation and numerical estimation
Wages: unavailable
Physical requirements:
• Must be able to lif t lif t, carry, and use heavy parts and equipment
• Limb co-ordination to perform activities such as answering the phone, typing in
information on the computer etc.
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69
ACCOUNTING AND RELATED CLERKS (NOC 1431)
Required Education:• Completion of secondary school is usually
required.
• Completion of college or other courses certif ied by
the Certif ied General Accountants Association of
Canada, Canadian Securities Institute or Canadian
Bookkeepers Association may be required.
Summary: Accounting and related clerks calculate, prepare and process bills, invoices, accounts payable and receivable, budgets
and other f inancial records according to established procedures. They are employed throughout automotive sector.
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• Some accounting clerks must be bondable.
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Technical knowledge including the use of databases,
spreadsheets, sof tware etc
• Good numeric acumen (i.e. identifying transaction errors and
reconcile accounts etc)
• Familiarity and competency with accounting concepts and the
main accounting sof tware programs
• Good organizational skills, attention to detail, problem-solving
skills, communication skills
• Ability to work on a team
• Good writing skills and document use
• Ability to learn continuously (i.e. keep current with changes to
accounting sof tware, Canada Revenue Agency guidelines and
generally accepted accounting principles)
Wages: $12.28 - $27.00 per hourPhysical requirements:
• N/A
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70
TRUCK DRIVERS (NOC 7411)
Required Education:• Candidates can work in this occupation without any
specif ic training
• Depending on the situation, employers require a high
school diploma, and knowledge of or training in
mechanics
• Many employers provide on-the-job training
Summary: Truck drivers operate heavy trucks to transport goods and materials over urban, interurban, provincial and international
routes. They may also act as delivery drivers for parts, tools or drive vehicles between dealerships. In the automotive sector they are
employed by towing companies, automotive recyclers, dealerships, repair shops and parts and accessory stores
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• Valid driver’s license of the appropriate class for the
vehicles driven
• Excellent driving record
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Essential skills include reading, writing, numeracy, thinking and
communication skills
• Occupational safety and accident prevention
• Load balancing and occasionally computers
• Customer relations
• Patience, maturity, self-reliance, resourcefulness, prudence and
resistance to fatigue and stress are the other desired qualities
Wages: $13.00 – $31.32 per hour
Physical requirements:• Must be able to lif t heavy weights
• Good vision and hearing
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Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
RETAIL SALES (NOC 6421)
Required Education:• High school completion
• Most employers provide on-the-job training
Summary: Sales people rent sell or lease tools, parts, vehicles and equipment directly to consumers.
Certification / Pre-requisites:
• None but knowledge of the industry is an asset
Required Competencies (personal attributes, skills and knowledge):
• Essential skills include reading, writing, numeracy, thinking and
communication skills
• Review and completion of order forms and delivery information
• Customer relations
• Digital technology and computer usage
• Working with others
• Continuous learning of new products and features
Wages: $10.25 – $22.00 per hour
Physical requirements: N/A
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Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
APPENDIX E SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
ABOUT THE SURVEY The survey is being conducted by MNP LLP (“MNP”) on behalf of the BC Automotive Sector and the Automotive Retailers Association (“ARA”). The survey is part of a comprehensive analysis of the labour market for the automotive sector and the results will be used to develop strategies to support the recruitment and retention of skilled labour in the Automotive Sector. Your participation is voluntary and all information collected will be treated as confidential. All completed surveys received by MNP prior to January 28, 2013, will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of three iPODs. A representative from MNP will contact you if your name has been drawn. About MNP MNP is one of the largest chartered accountancy and consulting firms in Canada, providing client-focused accounting, taxation and consulting advice. National in scope and local in focus, MNP has proudly served individuals and public and private companies for more than 65 years. For more information, visit www.mnp.ca
INSTRUCTIONS If your business has multiple locations, please complete one survey for each location. You have three options for completing this survey: 1. Online
Go to (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ARA_Employer_Survey) If you are completing the survey online, the information you input enters our database as soon as you enter it. If you need to change your response before completing the survey use the prompts (prev) to go back to the response you need to change. The survey should take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.
2. Paper Complete the attached survey and FAX it to 604-685-8594 ATTN: Automotive Survey OR seal it in an envelope marked confidential and mail it to: Automotive Sector Survey c/o MNP 2300, 1055 Dunsmuir St Vancouver, BC V7X 1J1
3. Telephone Call 1-877-688-8408 or email automotive.sector@mnp.ca to arrange a time to complete the survey
To make completion easier, we suggest that you take the time to gather your data and thoughts on the questions and then complete the survey. All completed surveys received by MNP prior to January 28, 2013 will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of three iPODs. A representative from MNP will contact you if your name has been drawn.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE 1. Which of the following describes the main activity of your business? Please check all that apply
Franchise/New car dealer
Used car dealer
Recreational vehicle dealer
Motorcycle dealer
Automotive mechanical repair
Quick lube service
Body and collision repair
Glass repair
Parts and accessories wholesale and distribution
Automotive recycling and dismantling
Towing
Automotive rental and leasing
Retail trade including department and warehouse stores
Other (please specify: ______________________________)
2. Which of the following describes your type of organization ownership?
Sole Proprietorship
Partnership
Corporation
Franchise
Other (please specify: _________________________________)
3. How many locations does your business have?
____________ Number
4. In what year was your business established?
____________ Year
5. Over the last 12 months, what were the gross revenues for your location’s business?
Under $250,000
$250,000 to $499,999
$500,000 to $999,999
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999
$2,000,000 and over
6. Which of the following best describes your expectation for your business over the next 12 months?
Revenues will decrease
Revenues will be similar to the previous 12 months
Revenues will increase moderately
Revenues will increase significantly
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
7. How many people (including yourself) are employed in your business?
1
2-4
5-9
10-19
20-49
49 or more
8. How many employees do you currently have for each of the positions below? PLEASE INCLUDE OWNERS ONLY ON THE OWNER LINE. Please record EACH EMPLOYEE IN ONLY ONE POSITION. If an individual performs multiple duties, please count the individual in the area where they spend the largest amount of time.
Position # Full-time (>30
hours per week)
# Part-time (<30
hours per week) # Male # Female
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and
servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman
Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer
service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle
sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Position # Full-time (>30
hours per week)
# Part-time (<30
hours per week) # Male # Female
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Other management/administrative
Store/business manager
Owner
Apprentice
9. For each position where you currently have employees, please indicate how many of your
employees have the following qualifications.
Position Apprentices Journeyperson Other
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Other shop floor staff
Partsperson/warehousing
10. For each position where you currently have employees, please indicate how employees are
paid.
Position Flat rate by the
job
By the number of hours worked
Salary Commission Other
Automotive service technician
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Position Flat rate by the
job
By the number of hours worked
Salary Commission Other
Automotive mechanical installers and
servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service
representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Owner
Apprentice
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
RECRUITMENT 11. Which of the following recruitment strategies does your business use? Please select all that
apply
Word of Mouth
Referral by friends, business colleagues and employees
Postsecondary institutions/school campus recruiting
Career fairs
Newspaper advertising
Websites (i.e. employment and labour internet postings)
Industry, Trade and Professional Associations
Other (please specify: _________________________________)
12. Which occupations/positions have you been recruiting in the past 24 months? Please select all that apply.
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Apprentice (please specify position _____________________________)
13. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not at all difficult, 3 is somewhat difficult, and 5 is very difficult,
how difficult has it been for you to recruit the employees necessary to successfully operate your business in the past 24 months?
1 – Not at all difficult
2 3 – Somewhat
difficult 4
5 – Very difficult
N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. Which occupations/positions have been particularly difficult for you to recruit? Please select
up to three occupations/positions.
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Apprentice (please specify position _____________________________)
15. Which of the following do you believe are the most significant barriers to recruiting employees
at your business? Please select up to three barriers.
Pay
Benefits
Hours of work
Working conditions
Job security
Cost of tools
Competition from within the automotive industry
Competition from other industries
Poor image of the sector
Lack of skills related to the industry
Lack of training available in the area
Unwillingness of qualified workers to move to the region
Industry wide shortage of workers with necessary skills
Other (please specify _____________________________________________________) 16. Which occupations/positions do you anticipate will be challenging to recruit in the future?
Please select up to three occupations/positions that you anticipate being difficult to recruit in the future.
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Apprentice (please specify position _____________________________)
17. What are the reasons you expect these occupations to be difficult to recruit for? Please select
all that apply.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Aging population
Too few people entering the industry
Lack of suitable training in the occupation
Competition from within the automotive industry
Competition from outside the automotive industry
Unwillingness of qualified workers to relocate to the region
Changing technology
Other (please specify _________________________________)
RETENTION Please use a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not at all successful, 3 is somewhat successful and 5 is very successful to answer the following three questions. 18. How successful has your organization been in retaining journeypersons?
1 – Not at all successful
2 3 –
Somewhat successful
4 5 – Very
successful N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
19. How successful has your organization been in retaining apprentices?
1 – Not at all successful
2 3 –
Somewhat successful
4 5 – Very
successful N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. How successful has your organization been in retaining other employees?
1 – Not at all successful
2 3 –
Somewhat successful
4 5 – Very
successful N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
21. Which occupations/positions have been particularly difficult for you to retain? Please select up
to three occupations/positions that have been difficult to retain.
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Apprentice (please specify position _____________________________)
22. Which of the following do you believe are the most significant barriers to retaining employees at your business? Please select up to three barriers.
Pay
Benefits
Hours of work
Working conditions
Poorly equipped for the work place
Lack of career growth opportunities
Lack of training opportunities
Lack of mentoring
Shortage of work
Poor work performance
Additional training required
Do not want to stay in the region
Other (please specify _____________________________________________)
None
TRAINING 23. Does your organization have a training plan?
Yes
No
Don’t Know
24. Does your organization have a training budget?
Yes
No
Don’t Know 25. Which of the following incentives do you provide to your employees? Please check all that
apply
Pay for time off to take training
Pay the full amount of course fees
Pay some share of course fees
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Pay travel expenses
Give employees a promotion upon completion of training
Raise salary/wage upon completion of training
Pay for technical training taken by employees from outside sources
Encourage employees to take technical training but do not pay for it
Allow employees to take on new responsibilities or tasks upon completion of training
Other (please specify ____________________________________________)
Do not provide training incentives
Don’t know
26. Which, of the following does your organization provide to encourage or support development of its employees? Please check all that apply
Provides a career path
Provides career planning
Provides on-the-job training
Provides mentoring for newer workers
Provides formal technical training directly through the company
Pays for technical training taken by employees from outside sources
None of the above
Other (please specify ____________________________________________)
Don’t know
27. What types of skills does your staff need to improve? Please select the three skills your staff need the most improvement in.
Technical skills
Numerical calculations
Measurement
Reading comprehension
Writing
Oral communication
Critical thinking (assess validity of information)
Problem solving
Decision making
Task planning and organization
Work flow coordination
Providing guidance and/or direction
Applying policies and procedures
Working with others
Computer usage (keyboard skills, software)
Digital technology (diagnostic equipment, multimeters, calculators, internet etc)
Other (please specify ________________________________________________)
Don’t know 28. What do you believe are the greatest training challenges at your location? Please select up to
three challenges.
Lack of training programs in the area
No budget to provide training
Lack of time for employees to participate in training
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Lack of access to online delivery of training material
Employee resistance to training
No method for assessing training needs
Other (please specify _______________________________________________)
None
29. Does your organization provide support for staff to receive formal certification in their
occupation.
Yes
No
Don’t Know Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
30. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is very little extent, 3 is some extent, and 5 very great extent, to
what extent would the availability of government funding to support employee training improve your organization’s ability to provide staff training?
1 – Very little extent
2 3 – Some
extent 4
5 – Very great extent
N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please use a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is strongly disagree, 3 is somewhat agree and 5 is strongly agree to answer the following two questions. 31. It is important to me and my organization that my staff has formal certification for their
position.
1 – Strongly disagree
2 3 – Somewhat
agree 4
5 – Strongly agree
N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
32. There is a major need for training and skills upgrading as a result of technological change in
my industry.
1 – Strongly disagree
2 3 – Somewhat
agree 4
5 – Strongly agree
N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
SUCCESSION PLANNING Succession planning is a process which identifies how a business will be transferred or sold to new management. 33. Do you plan to retire or sell your business in the next 5 years?
Yes
No
Don’t Know 34. Do you have a succession plan in place?
Yes
No
Don’t Know If you answered yes to Question 34, please describe your succession plan. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DEMOGRAPHICS
35. Are you:
Male
Female
36. What age group do you fall into:
15 to 24 years
25 to 54 years
55 to 64 years
65 years or older
37. Which of the following associations are you a member of? Please check all that apply
Confidentiality
MNP is committed to maintaining the security, confidentiality and accuracy of the personal information we collect to provide the highest level of service to our clients. Our privacy policy adheres to both the guidelines and principals underlying the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, as well as our own commitment to ensuring that clients are comfortable providing us with personal information. The MNP Privacy Policy can be viewed at mnp.ca.
MNP is acting as an independent third party in this study. The results will be reported collectively and in aggregate with no ability to identify individual respondents or businesses. All information provided to MNP, including completed surveys, will be used only for the purpose of this study. Individual survey responses will not be shared with project partners, and will be retained by MNP only until the final report has been accepted by the Steering Committee. Upon acceptance, all information will be destroyed.
By completing this survey you are consenting to the collection of personal information by MNP. This information will be used only for the purposes of this study and will not be disclosed to anyone, including study partners, for any reason without your further prior consent.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
Automotive Retailers Association (ARA)
New Car Dealers Association
BC Automobile Association (BCAA)
Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
Other (Please specify ___________________________)
RECOMMENDATIONS 38. To improve participation, recruitment and retention, in BC’s automotive industry, what actions
would you recommend be undertaken by: a. The BC Automotive Industry?
b. BC Employers?
c. The Provincial Government?
39. Do you have any final comments or recommendations?
40. If we have any further questions, may we contact you?
Yes
No
41. Thank you for participating in this important survey. Based on the information we gather from these surveys, we anticipate undertaking future work to help the sector address human resource issues. Would you be willing to participate in the second phase by providing further input and recommendations to solutions?
Yes
No. 42. If you answered yes to Question 41, please provide your name and contact information.
Please note: Your contact information will only be used to contact you regarding human resources issues in the automotive sector.
Lastly, to ensure that you are entered into a lottery for a chance to win one of three iPODs, please complete the contact information section below.
Contact Name:
Preferred method of contact (email and/or phone):
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employer Survey
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name:
Organization:
Region:
Vancouver Island/Coast Mainland/Southwest Thompson/Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northern BC
Telephone:
Email:
Date:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT STUDY
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
ABOUT THE SURVEY The survey is being conducted by MNP LLP (“MNP”) on behalf of the BC Automotive Sector and the Automotive Retailers Association (“ARA”). The survey is part of a comprehensive analysis of the labour market for the automotive sector and the results will be used to develop strategies to support the recruitment and retention of skilled labour in the Automotive Sector. Your participation is voluntary and all information collected will be treated as confidential. All completed surveys received by MNP prior to January 28, 2013, will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of three iPODs. A representative from MNP will contact you if your name has been drawn. About MNP MNP is one of the largest chartered accountancy and consulting firms in Canada, providing client-focused accounting, taxation and consulting advice. National in scope and local in focus, MNP has proudly served individuals and public and private companies for more than 65 years. For more information, visit www.mnp.ca
INSTRUCTIONS You have three options for completing this survey: 1. Online
Go to (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ARA_Employee_Survey) If you are completing the survey online, the information you input enters our database as soon as you enter it. If you need to change your response before completing the survey use the prompts (prev) to go back to the response you need to change. The survey should take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.
2. Paper Complete the attached survey and FAX it to 604-685-8594 ATTN: Automotive Survey OR seal it in an envelope marked confidential and mail it to: Automotive Sector Survey c/o MNP 2300, 1055 Dunsmuir St Vancouver, BC V7X 1J1
3. Telephone Call 1-877-688-8408 or email automotive.sector@mnp.ca to arrange a time to complete the survey
To make completion easier, we suggest that you take the time to gather your data and thoughts on the questions and then complete the survey. All completed surveys received by MNP prior to January 28, 2013 will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of three iPODs. A representative from MNP will contact you if your name has been drawn.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
EMPLOYMENT
1. Which of the following describes the main activity of the business you work for? Please check all that apply
Franchise/New car dealer
Used car dealer
Recreational vehicle dealer
Motorcycle dealer
Automotive mechanical repair
Quick lube service
Body and collision repair
Glass repair
Parts and accessories wholesale and distribution
Automotive recycling and dismantling
Towing
Automotive rental and leasing
Retail trade including department and warehouse stores
Other (please specify: ______________________________)
2. Which of the following best describes your current employment status?
Employed, full-time (30 or more hours per week)
Employed part-time (less than 30 hours per week)
Temporary or seasonally employed
Apprentice
Other (please specify____________________)
Don’t Know
3. Which of the following best describes your occupation?
Automotive service technician
Automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Vehicle body repairers/bodyman Technician
Painter
Glass technician
Recreation vehicle service technician
Shop supervisor
Detailer
Other shop floor staff
Estimator/service advisor/customer service representative
Partsperson/warehousing
Parts delivery driver
Retail salesperson (including vehicle sales)
Outside/wholesale salesperson
Automotive recycler/dismantler
Tow truck driver
Dispatcher
Receptionist
Fleet manager
Accountant/bookkeeper
Account manager
Store/business manager
Other management/administrative
Apprentice (please specify position _____________________________)
4. Why did you choose this occupation?
Family business or familial connection
Image or status of the industry
Opportunities for career advancement
Job security
Salary
Flexible work arrangements
Ability to use your knowledge and skills
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Mentoring opportunities
Other (please specify _______________________________________________)
5. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is very unlikely, 3 is somewhat likely, and 5 is very likely, how likely is it that you would recommend your occupation to others currently thinking about career choices?
1 – Very unlikely
2 3 – Somewhat likely
4 5 – Very likely
N/A
Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How many years have you been employed in this industry?
Less than 2 years
2 years to 5 years
5 years to 10 years
10 years to 20 years
More than 20 years
Don’t know
7. How many years have you been employed in your current occupation?
Less than 2 years
2 years to 5 years
5 years to 10 years
10 years or more
Don’t know
8. How are the majority of your earnings paid to you?
By the number of hours worked
Flat-rate by the job
Salary (a set weekly or monthly rate)
A base pay plus flat-rate by the job or sale
Commission
Other (please specify ______________________)
Don’t know / refused
9. Please rate your overall satisfaction (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not at all satisfied, 3 is somewhat satisfied, and 5 is very satisfied) with each of the following:
Not at all satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Very
Satisfied N/A
Your current pay 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Not at all satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Very
Satisfied N/A
Your benefits package 1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. The availability of technical training
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. The availability of non-technical training
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. Your career advancement opportunities
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. Your career choice 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. Your job security 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why you are satisfied or dissatisfied. 10. Do you have access to high speed internet?
At work
At home
Both at work and at home
Don’t know
No access to high speed internet
EXPERIENCE & TRAINING 11. Does your employer provide encouragement or support for training and or certification for
employees?
Yes
No
Don’t Know Please explain. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Does your employer ….Please check all that apply
Pay you for your time while training
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Allow you unpaid time off for training during your regular work hours
Pay for the full amount of your course fees
Pay some share of your course fees
Pay your travel expenses
Raise your salary upon completion of training
Give you a promotion upon completion of training
Allow you to take on new responsibilities and tasks
Provide some other incentive
Not aware of any incentives
Provide no incentives
Other (please specify ________________________________________________)
Don’t know / refused
13. In the last 24 months, have you or are you currently participating in any job related training and/or apprenticeship programs necessary for your current position?
Yes
No
Don’t Know/No Response
(IF NO, PLEASE SKIP TO QUESTION 16)
14. In what kind of training program(s) and/or apprenticeship(s) are you or have you participated?
Please list all training and/or apprenticeship programs attended, currently attending, or completed:
Name of training/apprenticeship
program Location Currently attending
Year of completion (if
applicable)
A Yes
No
B Yes
No
C Yes
No
D Yes
No
15. For each of the following types of training you have taken, please rate the degree (on a
scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is not at all effective, 3 is somewhat effective, and 5 is very effective) to which you felt it was effective in enabling you to do your job.
Not at all effective
Somewhat effective
Very
effective N/A
On-the-job training 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. In-house training, such as formal classes provided at the work site
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Not at all effective
Somewhat effective
Very
effective N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Manufacturer or parts supplier provided training at the work site
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Manufacturer or parts supplier funded training at an educational institution or private training facility
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Short course, such as a weekend or week-long Course
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Full-time course at an educational or training institution
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Apprenticeship training 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Mobile training programs offered by colleges/universities
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. After-hours continuing education course at an educational or training institution
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Interactive distance learning, such as satellite courses but not e-learning
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. E-learning or online training 1 2 3 4 5 N/A Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective. Quality of instruction from co-workers
1 2 3 4 5 N/A
Please provide a brief explanation of why it was or wasn’t effective.
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
16. Do you feel that you are lacking any specific job-related skills?
Yes
No
Don’t Know/No Response
17. Which of the following skill areas would you like to improve? Please select up to three areas you would like to improve.
Technical skills
Numerical calculations
Measurement
Reading comprehension
Writing
Oral communication
Critical thinking (assess validity of information)
Problem solving
Decision making
Task planning and organization
Work flow coordination
Providing guidance and/or direction
Applying policies and procedures
Working with others
Computer usage (keyboard skills, software)
Digital technology (diagnostic equipment, multimeters, calculators, internet etc)
Other (please specify ________________________________________________)
Don’t know 18. How much upgrading of your knowledge or skills with respect to new vehicle technologies
will you need over the next few years?
No upgrading
Some upgrading
Considerable upgrading
Don’t know
(IF ANSWERED „NO UPGRADING‟, PLEASE SKIP TO QUESTION 20) 19. In what areas related to new vehicle technologies do you anticipate requiring knowledge
or skills upgrading? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Which of the following factors keep you from taking job related training? Please check all
that apply
Employer will not allow time away from work
Lack of time outside of working hours
Not aware of any programs offered at a convenient time or on a convenient day
Programs are too far for you to travel
Not aware of any programs offered in your region
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Lack of financial support from your employer
Available training is poor quality
Lack of appropriate equipment on which to train
No interest in taking job-related training
Other (please specify _____________________)
No preventing factors
Don’t know / refused
21. If you were going to take job related training, how would you prefer to receive job related training? Please check all that apply
On-the-job training
In-house training, such as classes provided where you work
Training provided through an educational institution or private training facility and funded by a manufacturer or parts supplier
Weekend or week-long course
Full-time course at an educational or training institution
Mobile training programs offered by colleges/universities
Mobile training programs offered by manufacturers or parts suppliers
Continuing education course offered at an educational or training institution in the evening or on weekends
Interactive distance learning such as satellite courses
Online training
Other (please specify _________________________________________)
I do not need any technical training
Don’t know
FUTURE PLANS
22. In five years time where do you see yourself?
Working in the same job for the same company or at a different company
Working at a higher level job within my company
Working at a higher level job at a different company
Owning and operating my own business in the same industry
Retired
Working outside of the industry I am currently in
Other (please describe _______________________________________________)
Don’t know / refused IF ANSWERED “WORKING OUTSIDE OF THE INDUSTRY I AM CURRENTLY IN”, PLEASE ANSWER
THE FOLLOWING TWO QUESTIONS:
23. What are some of the reasons for you wanting to pursue work outside of the industry in which you are currently employed? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________
24. What would encourage you to stay in the industry?
More employer-funded training
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Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
Better benefits
Better image or status of the industry
Better career advancement opportunities
Mentoring opportunities
Higher salary
Other (please specify __________________________________)
DEMOGRAPHICS
25. What age group do you fall into:
15 to 24 years
25 to 54 years
55 to 64 years
65 years or older
26. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?
Less than Grade 12
High school diploma or equivalent
Some post-secondary trades-specific training
Completed apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma
Some post-secondary non-trades-specific training
College non-trades-specific diploma, degree or certificate
University certificate or diploma below a bachelor’s level
Bachelor’s degree or above
Other (Please specify __________________________)
Don’t know / refused
27. Which of the following categories best describes the income bracket you currently fall under (before deductions)?
Less than $20,000
Confidentiality
MNP is committed to maintaining the security, confidentiality and accuracy of the personal information
we collect to provide the highest level of service to our clients. Our privacy policy adheres to both the
guidelines and principals underlying the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act,
as well as our own commitment to ensuring that clients are comfortable providing us with personal
information. The MNP Privacy Policy can be viewed at mnp.ca.
MNP is acting as an independent third party in this study. The results will be reported collectively and in
aggregate with no ability to identify individual respondents or businesses. All information provided to
MNP, including completed surveys, will be used only for the purpose of this study. Individual survey
responses will not be shared with project partners, and will be retained by MNP only until the final report
has been accepted by the Steering Committee. Upon acceptance, all information will be destroyed.
By completing this survey you are consenting to the collection of personal information by MNP. This
information will be used only for the purposes of this study and will not be disclosed to anyone, including
study partners, for any reason without your further prior consent.
Page | 10
Automotive Retailers Association – Employee Survey
$20,000-$39,999
$40,000-$59,999
$60,000-$79,999
$80,000 or above
Don’t know
28. Are you:
Male
Female Lastly, to ensure that you are entered into a lottery for a chance to win one of three iPODs, please complete the contact information section below.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name:
Organization:
Region:
Vancouver Island/Coast
Mainland/Southwest
Thompson/Okanagan
Kootenay
Cariboo
Northern BC
Telephone:
Email:
Date:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IMPORTANT STUDY
Labour Market Information Research Report: BC Automotive Industry
Prepared by