Comprehensive program will recruit, train and
retain technicians, helping to fill an industry-wide talent gap
projected to grow to 46,000 positions by 2026
Icahn Automotive Group LLC, an Icahn Enterprises L.P. company,
which owns and operates leading auto repair and maintenance
providers Pep Boys, AAMCO and Precision Tune Auto Care, today
announced a new program designed to invest in and support promising
future automotive technicians, as they make their way from the
classroom to the service bay. Through the new program, “Race to
2026,” Icahn Automotive is encouraging more men and women to pursue
viable careers in the skilled trades by rolling out partnerships
with technical training schools; offering scholarships, tuition
reimbursement and apprentice programs; and creating internship
programs, job placement and continuing education opportunities.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190219005932/en/
Jonathan Fanstill (left), a student at
UTI, received a $2500 scholarship today from Icahn Automotive
Group, presented by Brian Kaner, president of service for Icahn
Automotive Group and Pep Boys. (Photo: Business Wire)
Icahn Enterprises’ automotive business segment has long invested
in companies with a vested interest in promoting the skilled trades
and supporting the well-trained professionals who each day help
keep millions of vehicles in safe, reliable condition. In 2015,
Icahn Enterprises automotive company Federal-Mogul Motorparts
developed and launched Garage Gurus, a first-of-its-kind
comprehensive technical education platform offering on-site, online
and on-demand training and related support to thousands of
technicians, service writers, shop owners and other industry
professionals.
“Icahn Automotive is stepping forward to invest in the future of
our businesses and our industry by helping promising technicians
develop the skills necessary to be successful,” said Icahn
Automotive Group CEO Dan Ninivaggi. “This industry offers young
people from all backgrounds the opportunity for attractive,
challenging and rewarding careers. We want to be a catalyst for
changing the way the automotive service industry connects with,
trains and supports tomorrow’s professional technicians.”
Now one of the largest service chain operators in North America,
Icahn Automotive offers a broad range of industry-leading
opportunities and career paths. Technicians can start by providing
basic maintenance and move on to more complex repairs, or progress
to running a company-owned store, owning and operating a franchised
business, or serving in a corporate leadership role. Once a
technician joins an Icahn Automotive business, they can take
advantage of benefits such as tuition assistance, an apprenticeship
program and company-sponsored certifications.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the automotive
repair industry will need nearly 46,000 more technicians by 2026 to
meet anticipated demand. Additionally, in any given year there are
as many as 75,000 job openings, due in large part to the retirement
of the last generation of technicians who benefitted from broadly
available vocational education programs. While this demand is on
par with other fields, technical training and related career
assistance for those interested in the skilled trades has not kept
pace.
“We’re at an inflection point in the automotive industry. We’re
facing a technician shortage at a time when demand has never been
higher,” said Brian Kaner, president of service for Icahn
Automotive Group and Pep Boys. “Over the past several decades,
vehicles have become highly computerized while we allowed the
disinvestment in technical education and steered a whole generation
toward four-year degrees and crippling student debt. Now, the need
for service is increasing as people keep their cars longer and
fleet populations grow, and the national conversation about the
skilled trades is peaking as parents and students realize that
technical training is again, as it always has been, an excellent
first step to a successful career.”
The “Race to 2026” program was launched at Universal Technical
Institute’s (UTI) NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C.,
on the heels of the 2019 Daytona 500, with the unveiling of an
instructional car that has an iconic ‘26 as the number. Icahn
Automotive opened two branded classrooms in which students will
learn in an environment featuring the latest educational resources
as well as inspiring messages such as “Find the tools you need,”
“Find your own path” and “Find out how far you can go.” Additional
Icahn Automotive-sponsored learning facilities will be established
at Alfred State College of Technology, and UTI and Lincoln Tech
locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Arizona.
The program launch and classroom unveiling attracted industry
and government leaders, including Pep Boys, AAMCO, Precision Tune
and UTI representatives; Pep Boys “Technician of the Year” winners;
Garage Gurus; elected officials and Auto Care Association
leadership. The event provided a platform to discuss the importance
of preparing youth for promising careers in the automotive trade.
Icahn Automotive celebrated by awarding a $2500 scholarship to
Jonathan Fanstill, a student enrolled at UTI. The scholarship is
the first in a new program that will award $30,000 to 12 students
annually and the Company also plans to also accept students into an
internship program later in the year.
Over the past several years, Icahn Automotive has invested in
growing its service model through acquisition and the improvement
of existing locations and a focus on people, programs, training and
technology. In 2018 the company launched Pep Boys Mobile Crew, a
state-of-the-art mobile repair unit that will provide on-location
maintenance and gives technicians the option of a unique
alternative work environment; and announced a broad relationship
with Amazon.com to serve online customers through professional tire
installation.
“We’re passionate about showing tomorrow’s technicians just how
bright the future can be,” Kaner said. “From learning in attractive
classrooms and labs to working in today’s service bays – which are
sleeker than ever and filled with the latest diagnostic tools and
technology – these are not their grandfathers’ auto shops. Our hope
is that, by providing robust career opportunities, we will ensure
an expertly trained technician is ready to provide superior
customer service in every one of our bays, every day, and that in
turn we positively impact that technician’s life and the overall
industry.”
About Icahn Automotive
Icahn Automotive Group LLC (Icahn Automotive) was formed by its
parent, Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ: IEP), to invest in and
operate businesses involved in aftermarket parts distribution and
service. Our businesses have a singular focus: provide premium
automotive parts and services at a great value. Icahn Automotive
today consists of Pep Boys® automotive aftermarket retail and
service chain, Auto Plus® automotive aftermarket parts distributor,
Precision Tune Auto Care® owned and franchised automotive service
centers, and AAMCO Total Auto Care franchised service centers. The
Company also is the licensor of Cottman Transmission and operates
under several local brands. The businesses of Icahn Automotive
total over 22,000 employees, over 2,000 company-owned and franchise
locations, and 25 distribution centers throughout the US, Canada,
and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit
IcahnAutomotive.com.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, many of which are beyond our ability to control or
predict. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such
as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”,
“seeks”, “estimates”, “will” or words of similar meaning.
Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but
rather on current expectations and projections about future events,
and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could
cause actual results to differ materially from the future results
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such
statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks
and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. We undertake no
obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking
information, whether as a result of new information, future
developments or otherwise.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190219005932/en/
Media Contact:Arianna Stefanoni
Sherlock215-430-9142Arianna_sherlock@pepboys.com
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