Technology & Skills Explored
By Mitch Becker
What makes the perfect ADAS Tech? It all starts with a desire to constantly learn regardless if it’s a forward-facing camera specialist, ADAS technician or diagnostics technician.
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I was recently asked, “What makes the perfect technician?” Before I could answer, I had to think about whether we were talking about a forward-facing camera specialist in the glass industry, an ADAS technician or a diagnostic technician for vehicle electronics.
Was the person who asked me that question seeking a wish list of skills or a description of what I would want in that person? It really is two trains of thought with a list of variables and bunny trails of conversation to go down no matter who you ask. My answer might be totally different than someone else based on the needs of that person.
I can describe the “unicorn” technician who knows everything, or I can describe the work ethic of someone who’ll be a diamond in the rough. The factor I personally look at is what’s ahead for the automotive repair industry, not where the industry is today.
The repair world is changing and will continue to do so in all aspects. I look at where laser welding will change how collision shops do repairs in the very near future, as well as how electronics are getting better and more advanced — plus, where artificial intelligence will take all automotive repairs in the future. The perfect technician in my mind will adapt to change as it happens.
As I started writing this article, I started thinking of the things a technician needs to be successful and how to “build” or develop that technician’s abilities — a key factor. Do you find an already-built model technician, or do you build your own and develop him or her to be the best technician? Then you must address whether or not you hire experience or if you have the time and commitment to develop that person into a technician or team and dedicate resources to keep training them and keep moving with new technology? It’s a dilemma that many shops and companies face in the repair industry today. If hiring experience is the course you take, then I hope you remember the one thing that will be a constant throughout all of the industry: change. Also, no one knows it all.
The Mindset
The first thing I observe when I see a technician who’s successful or a technician who wants to be successful is the ability or desire to constantly learn. As the changes continue in vehicle electronics, a technician will need to adapt to all the changes we’ve experienced, plus the change we’ll be dealing with in the future. This will require constant learning through reading, training and research. The minute you stop learning and adapting, you start falling behind. This goes hand-in-hand with the ability to solve problems through challenges. The learning constantly being gained gives a solid base of knowledge to draw from when challenges and “situations” arise that complicate repairs and/or calibrations.
The technician who’s constantly learning also follows all the processes correctly without taking shortcuts or cutting corners. Recognizing the importance of doing all the steps and processes every time not only provides consistent results but improves diagnostic capabilities and speed in parsing through the multiple causes of, say, a failed calibration to determine the root cause. Those technicians who are not following all the processes and steps will find themselves in quicksand very easily trying to find out why repairs or calibrations are failing to complete.
Understanding Your Customer
Being a good partner versus merely providing a service to a customer helps a technician actually build a career and grow opportunities within the company. A technician can have all the talent in the world, but if he or she does not understand the customers’ needs, that potential will be limited — and the customers’ business will be negatively affected.
This is also where work ethic comes into play. Being on time and keeping commitments means a great deal to a customer and builds trust that serves both the technician and customer well. This is the start of both the technician and the company establishing a good reputation. If you’re the best technician but not dependable, this creates a counterproductive situation for all. Having the right mindset and also understanding the customer provides a foundation for the technician that’s priceless in the repair industry; the rest is skills and experience needed to do the job.
The Complete Package
I already mentioned that following the OEM procedures is a key factor for all successful technicians. But there are other pieces of knowledge that all level of vehicle electronics technicians must have to do the tasks required. For example, an understanding of:
- Electrical theory
- Geometry
- Computers and software
- Vehicle terminology
- Metric system
- ADAS operation and terminology.
Add to this a variety of competencies needed depending on the level of technician needed. These competencies can be broken down into a multitude of skills for a technician:
- Navigating aftermarket and OE software
- Website navigation
- Establishing and measuring geometric angles
- Wire and connector repair
- Vehicle disassembly and reassembly.
Adding It All Up
When you add all this together, you get a technician who will perform at an optimum level and grow him- or herself and your business. This technician will be dependable and will be appreciated by employer and customer alike.
This is a hard business, given that you have to keep up with all the changes in every make and model of vehicle out there. The diagnostic technician position is not for everyone. We’ve all seen companies and individuals who talk a big game but fall short when called upon to perform.
What Level Do You Need?
Without the kind of foundation I mentioned that a technician needs, you end up with an interesting situation.
I see all the new equipment being produced that makes it easier and somewhat faster to perform operations such as calibrations with consistency and accuracy. I think that is great, to a point. But what happens when the vehicle fails to calibrate with this equipment? Who’ll be the one figuring out what’s wrong or doing the diagnostics on the situation? For the work being done, do you need a diagnostic technician or, if you’re in the glass industry, do you need a forward-facing camera specialist? The difference would be in the competencies and skills needed for the position. Collision-industry level of skills would be different than for the auto glass or mechanical industry. Mechanical-industry level would be different than the collision industry, depending on shop services provided.
These different levels of technician are interesting angles on what a technician needs in terms of competencies but also in the level of training and experience required to do the tasks and/or job required. I’ve seen where ASE is addressing this with different levels of certification for technicians, which I fully support. ASE is breaking down the levels to a certification for the glass industry for forward-facing cameras, ADAS calibration technicians and diagnostic technicians. This to me shows a career path for potential technicians in all aspects of the repair industry, be it collision or mechanical (either light-duty or heavy-duty).
I also see where the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) is offering a certification for forward-facing calibration technicians in the auto glass industry. This is exciting, as a new career path is definitely growing in the auto glass repair industry, bringing in new people and a whole new interest. I also want to give SkillsUSA a shout-out, as there is talk of creating a competition at its state-level and national events for diagnostic technicians.
Growing as a Technician
This diagnostic technician repair path, no matter what level, is a mentally and physically challenging career. Having the correct mindset and developing the knowledge foundation will certainly help a technician build his or her skills and develop all the competencies required for a solid career. This will also develop good problem-solving skills, which will be highly respected and coveted by all as experience is gained.
A technician can be taught a lot of the skills needed and will become what you teach; a technician who has the right mindset and desire to learn will be more than what you taught. As a shop manager or owner, it’s wise to listen to your technicians and encourage them to learn — and pay attention to what they tell you they want to learn. You know what they need for training and to grow their knowledge and skills, but be careful not to dismiss requests you may feel are not relevant to position. Keeping technicians interested in learning and encouraging technicians on what they want to learn helps create the mindset you want.
Article Credit to BodyShop Business.
What is your view on what makes the perfect ADAS Technician? Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you found our content informative, do like it and share it with your friends.
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