2.28.22 – In just a few short weeks, the NORTHEAST® 2022 Automotive Services Show has so much to offer!

Collision repair professionals from all over the region and beyond are making their plans to attend the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey’s (AASP/NJ) flagship event March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, NJ. NORTHEAST 2022 offers an educational slate designed to tackle every challenge that repairers face in today’s turbulent climate.

The ongoing tech shortage has left shops struggling to keep up with repair volume – without proper manpower. A special panel, “The Continuing Tech Shortage: How Do We Fix It?” seeks to examine and confront the issues surrounding the lack of good help which is being felt by facilities all across the country.

Collision repair has changed tremendously over the years; therefore, the way of attracting and retaining qualified employees must also change. Panelists will discuss market trends contributing to the ongoing tech shortage and how the industry got here. They will also identify avenues to lure in new staff to the industry and encourage them to stick with it through support, education, communication and awareness.

Michael Bonsanto (Passaic County Technical Institute) will moderate this panel which features a variety of experts: Brandon Eckenrode (Collision Repair Education Foundation), Keith Egan (Betag Innovation), Paul Hill (I-CAR), Bart Mazurek (CCC Intelligent Solutions Automotive Services Group) and Greg Settle (TechForce Foundation). This panel will take place Friday, March 18 at 4:00pm.

“Although the lack of qualified help has been a huge issue for the past 30 years, it’s even more important now due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has worsened the situation,” Bonsanto explains. “We can’t keep waiting for someone else to fix this problem for us; we have to come together and find a way to fix it as an industry. Collision repairers cannot afford to keep putting their heads in the sand and continue being unaware of what’s going on because that won’t solve this crisis.”

“Shop owners are having fits trying to find techs,” shares AASP/NJ Executive Director Charlie Bryant. “We have the jobs available, but no techs to fill them. All resources such as the AASP/NJ Labor Pool have been tapped out. One of the biggest reasons for the tech shortage is the Labor Rate. Shops are not getting paid enough to be able to entice people to come into the field or even stay in the field.”

Don’t miss this vital discussion at NORTHEAST 2022! Seats for this panel and other educational classes pertaining to ADAS, the Appraisal Clause and so much more are filling up quickly! Register now at aaspnjnortheast.com/education.

NORTHEAST 2022 marks the 45th year AASP/NJ has presented what has become known throughout the industry as the largest regional event of its kind. The trade show floor promises once again to deliver the industry’s latest and greatest equipment offerings from more than 150 vendors anticipated to return to MEC.

To pre-register for FREE show badges and to keep up with the latest information and announcements about NORTHEAST 2022, visit aaspnjnortheast.com.