Hiring the best and the brightest diesel mechanics during a technician shortage can require a change in tactics.
As trade school officials told CCJ, it’s not just about offering a promising paycheck and a few tools to get started, it’s more about the entire compensation package, culture and sometimes even a jet plane.
“We have employers come from all over the United States to recruit our students,” said Jim Mathis, president and CEO of WyoTech in Laramie, Wyoming. “Some employers fly their private jets in and load up students and take them back to their area to show off their shops and wine and dine them.”
Sandra Jordan, director of career services at Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus said employers are fishing big time for the best students, which can lead to all-expense paid trips. She recalled a recent conversation with a student who landed a job following an enticing recruiting effort that they won’t soon forget.
“I asked, ‘How did they get you onboarded?’” Jordan said.
