Sam Memmolo
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Automotive Retailing Today (ART) Feb 7, 2006 Report... Study Estimates More Than 100,000 Positions Available in U.S. Auto Dealerships McLean, Va.— At a time when the auto industry is undergoing significant change, a new study shows there are more than 100,000 career jobs currently available at auto dealerships across the country. The study was released today by Automotive Retailing Today (ART), a coalition of major automobile manufacturers and dealer organizations. The report also found that auto dealers hired more than 15,000 military veterans since January 2004.
America’s franchised auto dealers are hanging out the help wanted sign all across the country,” said Alan Starling, chairman of Auto Retailing Today. “The careers available in the auto retailing industry are intellectually challenging with opportunity for advancement. Pay and demand for these positions are high and these are jobs that cannot be outsourced to other countries.” Regions of the U.S. with the greatest number of vacancies, as reported in the survey, include the South Atlantic, the Midwest and the Pacific states. Specific regional opportunities include: South Atlantic (Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, N Carolina, S Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., W Virginia) 24,647 Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin) 15,582 Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington) 15,472 West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas) 14,582 Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania) 9,695 North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota) 7,142 Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico Utah, Wyoming) 6,752 New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) 5,452 East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee) 5,064 “The shortage of employees is due to sales growth and retiree replacement. There also have been misperceptions about the dealership work environment,” said Starling. “Dealerships have become high-tech facilities requiring highly skilled staff and needing top-notch employees with computer and technical skills. Today’s new vehicles are very sophisticated and so are our customers. Internet savvy consumers do research before visiting the dealership and demand first-class service and attention.” ART began its research about misperceptions in auto retailing careers in 2001 when it engaged Wirthlin Worldwide to survey parents, teens and educators on their opinion of auto industry careers. The results showed that awareness of these jobs and related job benefits was low. However, disinterest appeared to be the result of a lack of information and indifference quickly reversed when parents, teens and educators learned more about dealership job shortages and the wages and benefits associated with these careers. Launch of Auto Career Websites The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) identified auto retailing as an industry experiencing significant growth in career opportunities. In conjunction with the Administration's High Growth Job Training Initiative, ART consolidated auto retailing career information, including career paths, necessary skills, job descriptions, average wages, requisite training and education and links to resources. The information is posted at www.AutoCareersToday.org , in both English and Spanish, and similar information will also be posted on www.CareerVoyages.gov , a Department of Labor website. People changing careers, military veterans, parents, educators and students can enter the site through customized portal pages that feature shortcuts to information tailored to their backgrounds and interests. In 2004, auto dealerships represented almost 13 percent of the nation's total retail trade payroll at a total of $50.5 billion. (NADA Data, 2005) Over the next ten years, there will be an estimated 31,900 new jobs available annually in the service technician sector of the automotive industry alone. Other automobile retailing jobs, not including service, are projected to increase 13% by 2012. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Auto retailers are highly competitive and customer driven and the changes dealers are making to meet customer demand are proving successful. A 2004 survey by Harris Interactive for ART reports that 91% of new car buyers are satisfied with the dealership where they most recently purchased/leased a new vehicle. Veteran Employment Details of the study are available at: www.AutoRetailing.org/ About ART About Harris Interactive®
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The
study, conducted by Harris Interactive®, January 5 – 14, 2006, surveyed 657
franchised new car dealers in the U.S. about the estimated number of vacant
positions in their dealerships. It found there are an estimated 104,803 vacant
positions available at new car dealerships in the U.S. ranging from
administrative and management to service and sales. The approximate vacancies by
job function include: