About this episode
Dave Johnson, President and CEO of ASE, sits down with WrenchWay co-founders Jay Goninen and Mark Wilson to break down the news: WrenchWay is officially part of the ASE family. In this episode, they cover why the deal made sense for both sides, what's changing (and staying the same) with the brand and product, and answer some of the questions they've been getting recently—including whether Beyond the Wrench is sticking around.
About the Episode
- Host: Jay Goninen, WrenchWay, [email protected]
- Guests: Dave Johnson, ASE, [email protected]; Mark Wilson, WrenchWay, [email protected]
Links & Resources
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- Department of Labor & ASE Education Foundation Initiative: Apprenticeship Program
Join the ASE Connects Community
ASE Connects brings shops, dealerships, and schools together in one structured network to strengthen the technician pipeline. By making it easier to connect, collaborate, and support students through job shadows, internships, and classroom engagement, ASE Connects helps schools build stronger programs and helps shops develop a more consistent, local source of future technicians. Learn more:
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technician shortage
"Between the technician shortage, disconnected school relationships, and lack of trustworthy work forced data, it makes it difficult for shops to plan, hire, and grow."
A technician shortage means there aren’t enough trained mechanics available for the jobs shops need to fill. That makes it harder for shops to hire and expand.
A “technician shortage” is a labor-market problem where there aren’t enough trained automotive technicians to meet shop demand. The episode frames it as one of the reasons shops struggle to plan hiring and growth.
workforce data
"Between the technician shortage, disconnected school relationships, and lack of trustworthy work forced data, it makes it difficult for shops to plan, hire, and grow."
Workforce data is basically the numbers about your employees—things like pay, benefits, and how stable your staffing is. The point is that good data helps shops make better hiring decisions.
“Workforce data” refers to information about employees and staffing—like pay, benefits, availability, and retention—used to make hiring and training decisions. The episode contrasts “lack of trustworthy workforce data” with the verified data ASE Connects provides.
technician pipeline
"Created in partnership with WrenchWay, ASE Connects is a membership designed specifically for shops like yours to help you build a stronger technician pipeline by connecting with schools, empowering you with tools and data to improve your recruiting, retention, and performance."
A technician pipeline just means a system for getting new mechanics trained and hired over time. Instead of scrambling to find talent, you build a steady path from school to a job at a shop.
A “technician pipeline” is the planned pathway that brings new people into the trade—typically from schools into apprenticeships and then into shop jobs. The idea is to keep a steady flow of qualified technicians instead of relying on random hiring.
labor rate
"You can also access verified data on technician pay, benefits, and labor rate through the industry data exchange so you know how your shop compares locally and nationally."
A labor rate is what a shop charges per hour for labor—basically the hourly cost of doing the work. Comparing labor rates helps a shop understand whether they’re priced and staffed competitively.
“Labor rate” is the hourly price a shop charges for technician work (often separated from parts pricing). When the episode mentions verified data on technician pay, benefits, and labor rate, it’s pointing to benchmarking—knowing what your shop’s pricing and staffing costs look like versus others.
industry data exchange
"You can also access verified data on technician pay, benefits, and labor rate through the industry data exchange so you know how your shop compares locally and nationally."
An industry data exchange is a place where shops and related groups share business numbers so everyone can compare results. Here, it’s used to see how your shop stacks up for pay, benefits, and labor-related metrics.
An “industry data exchange” is a shared system where participating organizations contribute and access standardized business and workforce data. In this context, it’s used to benchmark shop performance and compensation metrics against local and national peers.
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