A “funnel” is just a picture of a process: you start with lots of people, then you narrow it down step by step. Here, it means recruiting and training in a way that helps the right people stick with the industry.
Wrenchway is mentioned as where J. Gannon is coming from. It’s part of the show’s background, and it helps set the context for why they’re talking about growing the auto industry.
Hunter Engineering Company makes tools that auto shops use to diagnose problems and set up things like wheel alignment. The episode mentions them because they also help support training so technicians can keep up with modern cars.
They’re talking about how mechanics are taught and how they keep learning as cars change. The big idea is that training has to evolve because today’s cars are more complex than older ones.
Spark plugs are what make the engine “light off” the fuel. When they’re worn out, the car can misfire or run rough, and replacing them is one of the first things people learn to do.
Some cars are easier to work on because the important parts are easier to reach. If parts are buried or hard to access, it takes more skill and time to fix things.
Ford is a major automaker with large dealer networks, including separate sales and service/parts departments. The speaker’s job at a Ford dealership highlights a common career pathway into automotive work through dealer-based training and hands-on experience.
They’re saying that the internet started changing how people find and buy cars. Instead of relying only on ads and lots, shoppers could research online and compare options more easily.
The parts department is where the dealership gets and sells replacement parts for repairs. Working there helps you learn what parts go with what cars and how to look them up.
This is about keeping the right parts in stock and getting them where they need to go. If parts aren’t managed well, repairs can take longer.
Term
service rider
A “service rider” is a dealership role that helps the service department run smoothly. Think of it as someone who supports the technicians and keeps the service process moving.
A quick lane service center is a part of a dealership built for faster service. It’s usually for routine maintenance or jobs that don’t take all day, so customers get in and out quicker.
They’re talking about the big economic crash in 2008. When money got tight, car dealerships had to cut costs, including laying people off, which sometimes forced people to change jobs.
ASC Connects is a program that helps auto repair shops find and keep good technicians. It connects shops with local schools and gives them information and resources to improve hiring and training.
A technician pipeline means how a shop consistently finds and trains new mechanics. It’s not just hiring—it’s building relationships with schools and supporting training so people stay.
Recruiting is hiring new people, retention is keeping them, and performance is how well they work. A shop that improves all three usually has a more stable team and better results.
Concept
side of the road
This is about car trouble happening unexpectedly while you’re driving. The idea is to keep some basic tools in your car so you can handle small problems or help someone else right away.
They’re saying the company doesn’t just sell the equipment—they also set it up for you. That’s important because the equipment has to be installed correctly to work right.
Alignment machines are the tools shops use to check whether your wheels are pointed the right way. If they’re set wrong, tires can wear unevenly and the car can feel off when you drive.
Alignment isn’t just turning knobs—it’s about angles. Geometry helps you understand what the measurements mean and how the wheels should be positioned.
Concept
turning the wrenches side of it
“Turning the wrenches” means doing the hands-on mechanical work in the shop. Here, they’re talking about learning from technicians even if you’re not the one wrenching every day.
The “Rust Belt” is an area where cars rust faster because of winter salt and wet weather. That salt helps melt ice, but it also attacks metal parts on your car.
A tie rod end is part of the steering linkage that connects the steering system to the steering knuckle. When it’s rusted or “stuck,” it can be difficult to separate during alignment-related work, which is why technicians often struggle with it in salty climates.
An F-150 is a Ford pickup truck. It’s a common vehicle that shops work on, so it makes a good example for training—especially when parts are rusty and harder to loosen.
An alignment is when a shop adjusts how your wheels sit so the car drives straight and the tires don’t wear out too fast. If bolts are rusty, it can be the hardest part of the job because they may not come loose easily.
“Rusted nuts and bolts” is a common real-world barrier in automotive repair, especially in regions that use road salt. It affects everything from suspension and brake service to alignment because seized hardware can force technicians to use penetrating oil, heat, or replacement parts, increasing time and cost.
It means they let people practice with the new tools or systems in person. That way you learn faster because you can see how it works instead of just reading about it.
They’re saying the training equipment isn’t available to everyone all the time. Because of that, training has to be scheduled and organized so people still get the practice they need.
Jasper is a company that rebuilds car parts like engines and transmissions. Instead of replacing your whole car, you can often install a rebuilt unit for less money.
Instead of getting a whole new car, the idea is to fix the main problem part—like the engine or transmission. If the rest of the car is still good, this can be cheaper and keep the vehicle you already know.
“Dealer side” means the dealership network. The host is saying dealerships often have more formal training resources than independent shops.
Company
Hunter website
They mention the Hunter website as a place with lots of training. The point is that there are helpful learning resources available online and in person.
They’re talking about how technicians can get better training instead of just learning informally from coworkers. The goal is to help people grow their skills in a more organized way.
Road force balancing is a more detailed way to balance tires. It checks whether a tire has a “wobble” or uneven force that can cause vibration, even if the wheel looks balanced by weight.
ADAS technology is the set of safety features that help the driver, like keeping in the lane or braking automatically. Service teams need to explain what was done and why it matters for safety.
People can learn car repair steps by watching videos online. It’s not an official school credential, but it can still help technicians learn how to do the job correctly.
They’re using the Pontiac Firebird as an example of a car you might work on. If you don’t know a step, you can often find a video that shows how to do it.
Bleeding the clutch is a process to get air out of the fluid lines. If there’s air in there, the clutch won’t work smoothly, so the car may feel weird when you shift.
Dealerships often have a structured training program for technicians. The goal is to teach everyone the same repair methods so cars are fixed correctly.
Concept
training vs repeated test-taking
They’re criticizing a situation where someone keeps taking a test over and over until they finally pass. The concern is that passing a test doesn’t always mean you can actually do the job well.
They’re saying the dealership training process isn’t always as organized or effective as people assume. Sometimes it’s more about passing tests than actually learning how to do the work.
A “service bay” is the garage area where cars are worked on. The point here is that when you’re out there alone, it can be hard to get help if you don’t know what you’re doing yet.
“Attrition” just means people quitting. “Early stage attrition” means they leave pretty soon after they start, often because they don’t feel confident or supported while learning the job.
Concept
critical thinking vs trial-and-error learning
Instead of only learning by mistakes, critical thinking is about figuring out what’s actually going on and choosing the best next step. Good guidance helps you avoid repeating the same frustrating problems.
A bolt can get rusty and basically “weld itself” to the part around it. When that happens, it’s easy to round off the bolt head or break the bolt, so the job takes longer and gets frustrating.
Concept
stuck fastener / "island" problem
The speaker describes a situation where a technician gets stuck on a single difficult issue (like a corroded bolt) and can’t move forward. This is a real workflow and training challenge in automotive work, because one failure point can block the whole job and affect confidence.
Concept
repair is good enough (shop-floor mindset)
Sometimes people focus on finishing the job quickly so the car can leave the shop. The risk is that if it’s not really done right, the problem can come back and everyone loses time.
Concept
not be made fun of (workplace culture / learning pressure)
If someone is worried about looking foolish, they might not ask questions when they need help. That can make problems worse, because the right fix often requires asking or getting guidance.
Different generations can see the same behavior differently. What one group calls “teasing,” another group might feel as disrespect, which can make people not want to stay.
They’re saying shops should treat mechanics with more respect. When people feel supported instead of mocked, it’s easier to keep them in the industry and get new people interested.
“Professionalism” here means how people communicate and behave in a workplace—especially toward trainees and coworkers. In automotive shops, professionalism can reduce conflict, improve learning, and create a safer, more effective training environment.
The segment contrasts constructive coaching with negative “teasing” when someone is struggling. In training contexts, ridicule can shut down learning and confidence, while structured help accelerates skill development and reduces mistakes.
The hosts reference technicians going through a “tough stretch,” which implies burnout, confidence issues, or performance challenges during stressful periods. Recognizing and supporting technicians during these times is important for retention and for maintaining quality work.
“Attrition” just means people quit. An “attrition problem” means more people than you want are leaving the industry, so you keep losing trained workers. The episode is basically saying the industry needs to keep people from burning out or wanting to leave.
“Next generation” means the newer, younger people coming into the auto industry. The point is that how current workers and leaders treat them can affect whether they stay or quit. Better treatment and support can help keep new people in the field.
Washer fluid is the liquid you put in the car so the windshield wipers can spray cleaner on the windshield. It’s a small routine thing that helps you drive safely. The speaker is using it as an example of how easy it can feel to handle everyday car needs.
They’re saying the job can be hard in two ways: it’s tough on your body and it can be stressful mentally too. That matters when preparing new people for what the work is really like.
They’re saying there are different ways to get started in auto work that don’t feel overwhelming right away. The goal is to start people somewhere manageable and then help them grow into the harder tasks.
The segment highlights robotics clubs in middle school/junior high as an early recruiting pipeline. It’s relevant because robotics builds hands-on problem solving and technical fundamentals that overlap with automotive technician and engineering pathways.
Programming means giving step-by-step instructions to a computer. In cars, it’s used in the tech that helps systems “think,” like sensors, control units, and some diagnostic tools.
“Electrical things” means learning how electricity and electronics work. Cars today use lots of sensors and computers, so basic electrical knowledge helps people understand and fix tech problems.
Mechanical engineering is about how physical parts work together—like how things move and handle forces. In the auto world, it’s the kind of knowledge behind designing parts such as engines, suspension, and other mechanical systems.
They’re saying schools and training programs don’t always give young people enough chances to try automotive stuff. And if kids don’t get early exposure, it’s harder to build interest later.
They mean learning by doing—working on real machines instead of just reading about them. They’re saying today’s vehicles are more complicated, so it can feel too hard or scary for new people to start.
They’re talking about the electronics inside machines that control how they run. If you mess with the wrong part, the computer may not work correctly afterward, so it won’t run as expected.
The hosts describe the learning barrier as “intimidating,” highlighting a common recruiting problem: if beginners feel they can’t safely or confidently work on machines, they may not pursue training. This is an important concept for workforce development—reducing fear through structured mentorship and accessible practice.
They’re comparing whether middle school or high school offers car classes. That matters because it affects when students get real experience and whether they end up interested in automotive work.
They’re talking about getting kids interested in the trade earlier, before they pick a different career. The idea is to introduce hands-on work and problem-solving while they’re still deciding what to do.
They’re acknowledging that robots and automation are becoming more common. The point is that even with new tech, the industry still needs people who can troubleshoot and understand how things work.
They’re using a real-world example: someone who studied and then landed a strong job right after college. It’s meant to show that there are good career routes for people who match the skills they like.
They’re pointing to youth groups that get kids involved in practical, hands-on activities. The idea is that these kinds of programs can be a natural recruiting ground for trades and technical careers.
Traxxas makes remote-control cars that lots of hobbyists race and customize. The point here is that kids can start with something fun and familiar, then learn how the parts work when they build and repair the cars. It’s like a stepping stone into real automotive skills.
RC cars are cars you control with a remote. Because they’re small and affordable, kids can learn by building them and fixing them when they crash. That makes it a practical way to introduce automotive-style skills early.
An RC car club is a structured hobby group where kids assemble, maintain, and race radio-controlled cars. In this segment, the hosts use it as a model for early exposure to hands-on problem-solving and mechanical learning. It also creates a feedback loop: kids break things, then learn to diagnose and repair.
Hand tools are tools you use by hand, like screwdrivers and small wrenches. The point is that kids learn how to actually work on things themselves, not just watch. That builds practical skills they can use later in real car repair.
A kit car is something you put together from parts instead of getting it already finished. The hosts are saying that kids learn more because they have to build it first, then they learn how to repair it when it breaks. It’s hands-on learning, not just driving.
Shop class is a school course where students learn practical skills with tools. The hosts are saying that kids who start with RC cars can carry that interest into more serious hands-on learning later. It’s a way to build real mechanical confidence over time.
Topic
ASC Educators Conference in Minneapolis
This sounds like a conference where teachers who run automotive training programs meet up. They share ideas so students can learn the right skills for working on cars.
They’re suggesting using remote-control cars as a fun entry point. It helps kids learn by doing—tinkering, fixing, and figuring things out—so they’re more likely to want real automotive careers later.
“Trades” means learning a skilled job through training and practice, not necessarily college. In this context, they’re talking about careers like working on cars and learning the skills directly.
They’re talking about dealerships paying to support youth clubs. The goal is to get kids wearing dealership-related gear and seeing the industry in a fun way, which can help attract future technicians.
This is a group representing car and truck dealerships in Wisconsin. They help run a program (NitroX) that introduces students to automotive careers and helps the industry find future workers.
NitroX is a program that gets kids interested in working on cars. Instead of just talking about it, they bring students into school for a week so they can experience what automotive careers are like.
They’re running a week-long camp for middle schoolers. It’s meant to spark interest in car jobs early, so students can start thinking about training and careers sooner.
“Collision side” just means the part of a shop that fixes cars after crashes. That includes repairing the damage and repainting so the car looks and drives right again.
Painting is the part where you make the car look good again after repairs. It’s not just “spray paint”—you usually have to prep the surface first so the paint sticks and looks right.
Job shadowing means you follow someone around at their job for a short time. It’s a way for students to see what working in an auto shop is actually like, so they can decide if it’s a good fit.
Schmidt AutoCare is a company name mentioned in the episode. It sounds like they’re an auto shop or service business in Ohio, brought up as part of the conversation.
Topic
tiny techs
“Tiny techs” sounds like a kids/teens program that brings students into a shop to see what mechanics do. The goal is to spark interest early so more people consider auto careers later.
They’re talking about bringing students into an actual auto shop. Seeing it in person can make the work feel real and exciting, instead of something they’ve never thought about.
They mention “Humble Mechanic” as an example of a person who really enjoys working on cars. The point is that there are lots of people who would love this kind of work, but they just don’t know it’s an option.
A 3D printer makes physical objects from a computer design. In the conversation, they’re saying that letting students use tools like this early can really influence their future path.
Grants are funding awards that can help organizations like robotics clubs or training programs cover equipment, materials, and event costs. In the automotive industry funnel, grants can reduce financial barriers for schools and youth programs.
STEM is a way of thinking about careers using four areas: science, technology, engineering, and math. Cars rely on all of those, from the electronics and software to the engineering behind how parts work together.
A Pinewood Derby is a kid-friendly race where you build a small car and then race it. It’s a fun way to get kids interested in how cars work and to build confidence with simple tools and engineering ideas.
Term
fancy tool
They’re talking about the kind of tools mechanics use that might look complicated at first. The idea is that if you teach people the basics, the tools don’t have to be scary—especially for kids who are already used to technology.
The International Scout 2 is an older, tough off-road-style truck/SUV from the 1970s. A 1975 model is from that era, and it’s the kind of vehicle people often keep running because the parts and systems are straightforward.
An automatic transmission means you don’t have to manually shift gears. You just drive, and the car changes gears for you, but it still needs regular maintenance like transmission fluid changes.
LIVE
What is our funnel?
What is the funnel that brings people into our industry
so that the people that, eh, maybe it's not a great fit,
they get separated,
but the people that are coming out the bottom of that funnel,
they love it, they're excited to be here.
What is that funnel?
Beyond the Wrench with J. Gannon from Wrenchway.
Welcome back to Beyond the Wrench.
My name is J. Gannon and I am your host.
Today I'm joined by Justin Allen
with Hunter Engineering Company,
a company that's played a huge role
in advancing technology and training across our industry.
We're going to talk about his journey,
what he's seeing out in the field
and dig into something that's top of mind
for all of us right now,
how we're training and developing technicians
in a rapidly changing environment.
Let's get into it.
Justin, how are you?
Doing great, Jay.
Good morning to you.
How are you, sir?
I'm doing great.
As we talked before we hopped on to this recording,
I followed you for a long time
and the content that you put out is so good.
You do such a good job at everything content related.
And so much so that I kind of,
even going into this had to prep myself
not to call you J. Allen Hunter
because of the handle.
So first off, kudos to everything that you're doing
and just really, really happy to have you on the show.
Thank you for that very much.
I feel like I consider myself very fortunate
to have landed in a chapter of life
where I'm able to apply my creative drive
with my technical understanding
and my love for humans and chicken wings.
It has worked out really, really nice.
Chicken wing thing is really funny to me.
What is your favorite chicken wing?
Oh, bring them on hot.
Just bring them hot.
I don't want them to dry.
I need them saucy and bring them hot with plenty of blue cheese.
Yeah, I mean, spicy hot, by the way,
not like just fresh out of the grease.
That's good, but I want spicy, yeah.
I like those as well, but something tells me
I'm probably not at your level
of being able to handle the spice.
So I'm guessing you're far more seasoned than I am.
I'm pretty intentional about it.
It is funny though, sometimes usually my go-to
when I go into a restaurant, as I ask the server,
you know, what's the hottest ones you've got?
What do you have?
And we usually go with that,
but every now and then they'll get a real scared
look on their face and that's when I know maybe
I should dial it back a little bit, you know?
So yeah, I do.
I do try to go pretty serious with it,
but I also know that I have limitations
and I will die eventually.
Yeah.
Any advice for somebody that has just recently
eaten too hot of a wing and all of a sudden,
maybe the breath is starting to increase
and you're really maybe getting panicked a little bit.
Yeah, I mean, I think capsaicin is a poison effectively,
right, and our bodies react to it appropriately.
Yeah, you're gonna wanna just slow down.
Some of the people are like, drink the milk.
And maybe I should watch more of the hot ones,
stuff on YouTube where the guys always
bring in the celebrities for it,
because they're drinking milk and water
and trying all the different things.
I don't really have a great plan for that.
I don't have a good plan.
For me, it's a cold beer, you know,
I'm gonna just taste it, I'm a cold beer
and I'm gonna be okay, you know?
That's actually fantastic advice.
I'm in the same boat.
The cold beer does go down faster once that happens,
but it does work.
Yeah, I think so.
I mean, you know, milk, like if I think about it,
I think it's an oil is kind of how capsaicin works, maybe.
I don't know, I'm thinking like poison ivy,
like these things that just spread and create chaos.
And maybe the alcohol in the beer helps to wash it down.
That's what I'm gonna tell myself.
Or just numbs you to the point
to where you can't actually feel that anymore.
Maybe, I, yeah.
And I hate to think we'd get there, right?
Like not about bad decision making at that point.
But yeah, I've definitely had the wings
where you pick them up and as you approach your face
with the wing, like the system is all saying no.
It's all saying no.
I've done that before, but I, yeah,
I don't try to play that game too much.
All right, well, great advice to start off with.
And we're going to have a lot of good advice
as we go through this, but I do want to start with,
maybe as you got into the industry, walk me through that.
What happened to bring you into this world?
Sure.
So I spent a lot of time as a youth under the car
with my dad in the backyard, which is something
I think we're missing out on a lot today.
I think the industry has done an interesting thing
by the beautiful engineering involved
in our modern cars and trucks
makes it very unapproachable for an average person.
And I think there's a lot of folks that who,
back 40 years ago, might have felt reasonably confident
popping a hood and maybe trying to change out
some spark plugs or something like that.
Now, simply the sheer physical accessibility
of getting to those parts has made it so challenging
that I don't think we can.
So anyway, for me, I digress.
For me, yeah, I grew up under the cars,
handing the wrenches, pointing the flashlight
at the wrong thing, all the kind of memes about it.
That was definitely me, but learning about
the ability to be a little bit self-sufficient.
Fast forward to, I think I'm 23 years old in 1998
and I get a job at a Ford dealership.
And because at the moment I decided I had to be an adult,
I had to figure out what on earth I was gonna do
and I had no real good plan,
but I knew I loved cars and I knew I loved people.
And so that seemed to be a reasonable way
to get to drive fun cars and get to interact with people
and maybe make a living in the process.
Sold cars for about three months,
hated the micromanagement aspect of it.
So that changed, of course that was pre 2001
where the internet really changed car marketing anyway,
but got a job in the parts department
and worked in parts for a couple of years.
And then wound up handling inventory and shipping
and all that kind of stuff in there and ordering and whatnot.
And then they took me to be a service rider
in the main service drive, did that for a few years.
And then ultimately they opened a quick lane service center
and I was able to manage that.
And so then 2008 happened and 2008, the finance,
you know, economy went kind of weird here in America.
People who may not know that.
And the dealership started laying people off
and that I did get laid off,
my whole department got laid off.
And that turned into an opportunity
to come on board with Hunter, engineering company.
And no looking back, that's 18 years ago now, 2008.
And so here I am having the time of life.
Yeah.
So what was a, probably at the time,
a pretty hard point in your life became probably
a blessing in disguise, right?
Because you end up in a position
where you can tell you enjoy it.
You can tell that you're passionate about it
and probably just fate, right?
Like it has a way of working out
and pushing you in the right direction.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, whether you believe in the universe or God
or whatever your thoughts are on fate,
like how this stuff just kind of falls into place,
it did, looking back, it all felt very orchestrated
in a beautiful way.
I would never have left my job on purpose.
You know, I was very acclimated to a Monday through Friday
kind of a role where you pick up that paycheck every week
and you go home and enjoy yourself
and the comfort zone, I guess you would say.
And I've now I've been effectively commissioned only
for 18 years and I never would have dreamt
that was a responsible way to go about living my life.
You know, and it may not be, it may still not be responsible,
but I have survived thus far anyway.
And yeah, I had, like I said before,
being able to apply the things about my personality
and my talents and skills that in a way
that I think may be beneficial for other human beings
and I certainly hope to be is a joy for me.
No question.
Yeah, and you can tell from the content standpoint,
the authenticity that kind of comes through
with everything that you do and a genuine care for people.
I, you know, I think when I watch a video of yours,
that just shines through so much
that it's not, it's not a sales spiel.
It's not a, you know, you're trying to push something.
It is a true care for people.
And that goes so far, especially in this industry
where I think people can see that and relate to you.
And you just, you have a really, really cool gift
of being able to just kind of deliver content
in a way that isn't intimidating
and is I think very inviting for people.
Thank you for that.
Thank you.
That is the hope.
Yeah.
Every shop, dealership and business in our industry
depends on great technicians.
Between the technician shortage,
disconnected school relationships
and lack of trustworthy workforce data,
it makes it difficult for shops to plan higher and grow.
That's where ASC Connects comes in.
Created in partnership with Wrenchway,
ASC Connects is a membership design
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.
With ASC Connects,
you can connect with local schools through school assist,
start building relationships
and support the programs that educate our future technicians.
You can also access verified data on technician pay,
benefits and labor rates
through the industry data exchange.
So you know how your shop compares locally and nationally.
Lastly, you can get proven strategies for leadership,
employee development and shop management
through members only guides, templates and events.
Join ASC Connects to strengthen your workforce
and build a stronger, smarter shop.
Learn more at wrenchway.com slash solutions slash shops
or follow the link in the show notes.
So, how did you switch over to Hunter?
How did you get a grasp on the technical side of things
because it seemed as you were going through your career,
maybe you were going more of that sales route.
You go to Hunter where, you know,
engineering's in the title, very, very complicated stuff.
How do you get that kind of technical background then?
Yeah, that's a great question.
And one that I try to humbly place forward in every class
that I teach pretty early on is that I've never been a paid technician.
I keep the tools in my vehicle all the time when I'm driving
because you never know when you or somebody else
might need a hand on the side of the road.
I in the sales role for Hunter,
I mean, outside from the part that I've always, you know,
I grew up that same path as far as the always taking stuff apart,
always putting stuff together, right?
Like that was always kind of what I was doing.
On the sales side, with the equipment that I sold,
Hunter installs the equipment for you.
That's part of the thing and that's not sales field, right?
Like that's just part of the program.
We that's part of the included in your price week.
We put it in and install it for you.
And I found in Western North Carolina
that I assembled a lot of equipment.
And I was the sales rep, but I enjoyed getting my customer
going as quickly as possible.
So I would install the equipment
and then that naturally will lead to training people
on how to operate the equipment with the alignment machines.
The Hunter training to become a sales professional business
consultant is pretty extensive at the time that I did it.
It was seven full weeks, three of which was on alignment only.
And so I was pretty comfortable with how it worked,
but it is funny to have landed in the training role
while you want to learn how to do something,
train other people how to do it, and you're going to learn a lot.
It's been very interesting, but I love it.
I love geometry, right?
And alignment is a lot about angles and geometry related stuff.
I like the mechanic side of how things do or don't work properly.
And I love, like I said, I point out to the technicians in class
usually that I've never been a paid technician.
And then it's neat because the exchange of data,
I'm really good with our equipment and they appreciate that.
And in turn, it's a usually neat,
it's a neat, respectful exchange where they're showing me
how to do better on some of the turning the wrenches side of it.
And it's such a cool trade for people to,
once you've had a couple of days of investing in each other
and understanding that we're all in this thing together
and I do value you as a human,
for them once we get that hands-on section
to be able to help me do things better
and explain certain things and how maybe you should try this or that.
It's beautiful. I have a great time with it.
I love that back and forth type of conversation
because going back to my time in a shop and actually working on cars.
And I always say, I preface that by saying I was not good at it.
I was not a good technician.
But it was a lot of oftentimes it was the,
I think what people that are really, really good mechanically find very easy.
I didn't.
Whereas some of the other stuff that I like,
it's just kind of about finding your fit and what you're good at.
Sure.
One of the things that I really struggled at
and you're talking about getting advice from from those boots
on the ground technicians was we live in the Rust Belt up here, right?
We live in Wisconsin, the place where you get a lot of a lot of salt
and it's really hard on cars.
It wasn't necessarily doing the alignment itself
as much as getting that tie rod end unstuck.
And like, yeah, yeah.
And those those were the things that always tripped me up.
I always got frustrated and I always have so much appreciation
for the people in the field that can actually do that stuff really well
because I am not one of them.
Right, right.
We were doing a class at Lucas's shop up in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
You know, this is three years ago, I think.
And we had an F-150 on the rack, one of the technicians there
just kind of donated their cartel of strain on it a little bit.
And a couple of guys got under there and they're like,
oh, no, we're not spoke.
This one's not for us.
Like this is to rusted and stuff.
And fortunately for me, a friend of mine, Dan Teacon, had come to class as well.
He's a shop owner in Ohio and he showed up with a couple of his technicians
and he said, wait a minute, let me take a look at this.
And I was like, yeah, bring in my Rust Belt guys.
Let's take a look.
And they looked under there and just kind of chuckled at everybody else.
I said, guys, this is every day.
Like we know exactly how to handle this, right?
So I get it.
And technicians in class sometimes they'll ask, what's the hardest part?
I had two fantastic young men from the Atlanta area in class just this week
that are opening their own shop in Marietta.
And they said, Justin, what's going to be the hardest part about this job?
About doing alignments specifically, right?
Because there's all kinds of things that can be heard about the job.
But doing alignments, I said, guys, it's rusted nuts and bolts.
Like that is the challenge, you know, trying to get those things to move
that don't want to move because otherwise they're designed to be adjustable.
The adjustment is all built into the machine.
It's not that complicated.
But yeah, the rusted nuts and bolts.
So you're exactly, you were right to feel that way.
And that's exactly the truth.
And I think they sell a lot more parts in the Rust Belt, right?
Like you're probably prone to sell a lot more tie rod ends and tie rods.
And, you know, all of that kind of linkage that just simply will not move.
I'm sure.
Yeah, yeah, definitely opportunities there.
Now, as you look at Hunter as a whole, obviously.
The evolution of Hunter and just in my time in industry, which is,
it's been my entire life, but, you know, you look at it and you just see.
Advancement after advancement and Hunter is constantly pushing the limits
and constantly.
Evolving.
How do you keep up with that?
Because there, it just feels like there's always something new.
There's always something really cool to learn.
And it just, I'm sure on your end, it's a lot to keep up with.
Yeah, you know, doing the sale.
I did the sales for about 13 years with Hunter and it was a lot all the time.
Because you're exactly right.
I mean, it's, it's a company that prides itself on trying to stay at
the top of the game and lead the industry.
And so every six months or so, there's oftentimes something revolutionary
popping out and hanging on and trying to keep up with that evolving technology.
Hunter does a really good job of trying to get that information out to us,
but it's just like everything else in the technical world.
Like until you get some hands on time with it, sometimes it is harder to understand it.
So that's part of going back to St. Louis this weekend is that they bring
everybody in from all over the country, all the sales and service representatives
come in and get some hands on time with that new equipment.
But it's always limited.
It's always a challenge.
So for me, I'm very blessed to get to work it.
I'll get to work for those nine or 10 days.
I'll get to play with the new equipment every day so that I'll be much more
familiar with it to be able to go back out and be able to do the training on it.
But yeah, you're right, and it's a moving target.
But it's the way they prepare us and or give us access
to the information to be very prepared is phenomenal.
Absolutely.
Thank you.
That yeah, thank goodness.
That's really cool.
That's a benefit to all shops out there in general to get that kind of
first hand training from people that know it really, really well.
Now, I do want to talk for a minute about the content side of what you do.
And for those of you that aren't familiar with Justin,
big on Tik Tok, I see you on Facebook all the time.
You really are great at it and intentional about it.
You're intentional about putting content out consistently.
What drove you to get involved with the content side and really want to take that seriously?
That I like that question.
For me, as a sales representative, is where it started.
It started in 2012, I want to say.
And I was trying to think of ways to be more efficient with my work,
which we're going to talk about training to, right?
But even even in the sales side, for me, I was trying to think of how could I
get myself in front of more customers faster, right?
And I think this also relates to shop owners as well.
Like, how can I expand my reputation as somebody who they could know and trust
as quickly as possible?
And Facebook was the answer for me at that time.
It allowed, I was living in, I was servicing Western North Carolina out of Asheville,
but I was sometimes having to go as far as Roanoke, Virginia,
and all the way down to like Spartanburg, South Carolina.
So it was a geographically a large piece of territory.
And I discovered that on a good business day, if I could get in front of eight to
12 shop owners and have two moments of conversation with them,
that was a pretty good business day.
And if I could shoot a video and get, you know, even 50 people to click on
that button or somehow engage in it or, or whatever, that was a lot more
opportunity to make new friends.
And it showed up pretty quickly.
Within six months to a year of starting that process, I found that I would
walk into a shop I'd never been in before and have people say, Hey, I
wondered when you would get here.
You know, like, and they had already decided that they liked what I brought
to the table as a sales guy, walking in a door and being greeted when it's
a total stranger.
Now that, that was an exciting moment, you know, because it is, we're all busy.
Nobody needs extra salespeople walking in their door.
We all know that.
Um, so it was neat.
It was a neat kind of a passive way to give people the opportunity to choose
whether or not they would be interested in engaging or not.
You know, um, but yeah, that's where it started.
So 2012, and it's funny to look back by the way, you know, for anybody who is
trying to think of how could I create content that would be relevant for my
community.
Um, my early stuff makes me very sad.
Uh, in terms of like my energy level is terrible and I don't seem very excited
about what I'm doing and, and it just kind of looks sad, but it was, uh, it
was just, uh, it was building a foundation, I guess, right?
Just, uh, the early stages of learning how to do something.
We were all terrible walkers when we first started, right?
But, uh, practice, practice, practice, practice.
Were you nervous to be on camera to start?
I'm just like every other human.
I don't like the way I look or sound.
You know what I mean?
Like most of us feel that way a little bit, right?
Like I just don't like the way I sound in a recording or whatever.
That's a very normal reaction for humans because the way we hear it inside
our head is different than outside our head.
I had to, um, get comfortable with the notion that everybody in your life
that loves you, here's you sound that exact same way and they're not running
from you.
So it's acceptable, you know?
Um, so yeah, I was nervous enough to do it.
Like anybody saying probably is, right?
Like maybe crazy people really love seeing themselves all the time.
Yeah, I just, you know, practice.
It was, it was just like anything else.
Just I was nervous the first time I ever went snowboarding too, right?
So we got over it.
You get over it.
If you want to do it, yeah.
And the funny part is, you know, I, so many of the same things for me, right?
Like the voice, my own voice kind of annoys me at times.
And the, what I think is one of the best parts about you is your voice, right?
When, when I'm listening to your content and you seem, you've got that just, I
don't know, like it doesn't seem like you're ever in a bad mood, right?
Like you're, you're always kind of cheery.
And, and I think when you're watching some type of educational content and you
have a really good mix of, of being able to have that enthusiasm while also
landing home, some really beneficial information.
I think it's one of the, the, I think it's really, really cool.
And the voice thing, it's so funny because I hear so many other content
creators, people that focus on it, that also struggle with the same things
that you're talking about, but it is so beneficial.
It is really, really helpful.
Well, thank you.
Yeah.
That's a, at the root of it is my love for humans.
That's really the root of it, right?
Like if, if I genuinely have information that I believe is going to be helpful
and I can deliver it in a loving and compassionate way, you know, that's,
and that's certainly what I'm trying to do, to be an encourager, right?
So I am glad.
Thank you.
The way, the things you're saying at least allow me to believe today that it
is communicating appropriately and it is landing the way it's supposed to.
That's good.
It's very well done, very informative, very helpful and I think just really cool.
So I love that side of it.
This week's episode of beyond the wrenches brought to us by Jasper
engines and transmissions.
Okay, your customer's engine or transmission has failed, but now is not
the time for them to trade their vehicle, not without a working engine or
transmission.
Besides, would they have kept their vehicle another three to five years if
their engine or transmission had not let them down?
If you answered yes, then Jasper engines and transmissions is your choice to
give your customers vehicle new life and many thousands of miles of
enjoyable driving performance.
When considering the high cost of a new or newer used vehicle, there's a pretty
good case to be made for replacing a drivetrain component that has failed or
is delivering poor performance rather than trading their car, truck, van or SUV.
Install a quality remanufactured Jasper product for less than your customer
would have to invest in a new vehicle or a newer used vehicle.
Check out their website at Jasper engines.com to learn more about the
money saving value of Jasper.
Now, shifting to the industry side of it, one of the things that you had
mentioned in terms of training and talking about training is especially, I
think the independent side maybe misses a little bit of what the dealer side
gets in terms of training.
It feels like the independent side's getting a little bit better in that regard,
but I was just going through the Hunter website and the amount of training
that you guys have out there both online and in person is really great and all
really helpful.
When you look at that and maybe that technician that's sitting out there and
they say, you know what, regardless if they're dealer, independent, fleet,
whatever they are, but they're trying, they have that desire to get better.
They have that desire to find training.
What's a good way for them to go about this and really find whatever training
might help them?
Yeah, so in two sides of that, the Hunter side and then the in general side is
how I would approach it, right?
So yeah, if you're a technician who's struggling or sees other people working
on equipment and you feel like there's got to be a better way, you know,
this surely, we don't have to do this the way that guy just did it.
The Hunter training is large scale, right?
Like you said, we've got the Hunter learning channel on YouTube that is all
kinds of videos about how to, yeah, and that's not really marketing.
You get a little bit of that, but it's really intended to just show you how
to use the stuff and then the Hunter University, which if you follow the
training links on the website, it takes you to Hunter University with even
more modules about everything from fundamentals of alignment and road
force balancing and things like that to maybe how to sell alignment, how to
communicate with your customers about ADAS technology.
So things that are both good for technicians and shop owners and
service advisors, all of those kinds of things.
In our industry, the kind of training that we have historically is you learn
from the guy beside you, right, or the shop foreman or somebody and that
shop foreman can help you and he's got 14 other things he needs to be doing
at that exact same time.
And so you can ask questions, but the trick is how many questions can you
ask on a day before they're just throwing up their hands and like, listen,
you got to go work at McDonald's.
Like, I can't carry you through every little thing you need to do here.
It's the same thing that happens to parents.
Now, I've got six children and they're all grown pretty much now, but there's
definitely been those stages of life of young children where they want to do
something and it's quicker and easier to just do it myself than it is to try
to slow down and show them how to do it.
That's probably not good parenting, but maybe it keeps the house running
for one more day, right?
Like in theory, helping them learn how to do that stuff would be amazing
and powering your children would be amazing.
But for goodness sakes, we've got stuff to do.
I've got places to be.
It's that feeling that a lot of parents have.
And so in the shop environment, when we have other technicians trying to show
this guy how to do that stuff and they're getting paid flat rate maybe or whatever
and they're trying to also get their objectives achieved for their family.
It's challenging.
I consistently, I asked the question in class, like, how are you,
how many questions can you ask the guys at work before they just tell you to
leave them alone?
And it's two or three.
You get two or three questions a day.
And so sooner or later, right.
And sooner or later, you're going to quit asking.
You're going to quit asking and you're just going to keep doing it at the bare
minimum of success.
Like I'm able to get it done.
I didn't have to ask any questions.
I'll keep doing it this way and they don't learn anymore.
You know, we joke about YouTube certification for technicians all over the
world, but that's a real thing.
There's a lot of people seeing how to take care of that job today by somebody
else on YouTube.
Thank goodness, people are willing to film themselves on YouTube and put it out
there.
Honestly, and I don't even mean that about me.
I don't do a lot of that.
I need to, I need to do more, but that idea of I'm working on the Firebird and
I'm trying to figure out what's the best way to bleed my clutch or whatever.
Like I, I love that I'm going to find a video on there about how to do it.
But the dealerships, yeah, the dealerships have training tracks kind of, right?
Like you're on this curriculum course and you're going to do these things because
I was at a four dealership.
I remember doing the training and I remembered one technician.
He was a, he was a good dude.
He did a little bit of everything.
He was at work early every day and I would walk in and he's on a computer taking
a test and then he would fail it and then he would take the test again and he
would fail it and he take that test 17 times in a row until he passed it.
I'm not sure that was great training.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
That doesn't really count as training really.
You know, you just keep guessing until you get it right.
So the dealership world isn't even, and it's not this perfect model.
It's tough.
It, the whole thing trying to try and figure out it's going to be tough.
Well, it is.
And I think going back to what you were saying about how many questions you can
ask in a day, I think for a lot of young technicians, it can really feel like
you're living on an island, right?
Because you get out in that bay and, and maybe you've got training on something.
Maybe you haven't, but the expectation is that you're going to repair that vehicle
properly and when you can't ask questions or you don't have access to the proper
training, it is a lonely place out in that bay trying to figure something out.
And especially, you know, we talk a lot about early stage attrition with
technicians in our industry.
And I think that is a, that's the biggest factor in that is that there's
that insecurity with a young person of being able to do a job and maybe not even
just insecurity, just not knowing how to do a certain job and having to kind of,
you know, feel your way through something.
And, and at some level, I think you do have to kind of get your butt kicked at
times is, you know, I hate the saying like, well, I grew up this way.
So you have to grow up this way and you have to learn the hard way.
And, but there is some element of where from a critical thinking aspect, you
kind of have to go through it a little bit.
It just would be nice if there was a little guidance to go along with that,
right?
And maybe some wisdom that somebody could help you with.
And, and so much of it is like, they're so close a lot of times.
They, they're really, really close to being able to do it right.
But then something gets screwed up.
I talked about that rusty bolt that kicks your butt and you can't get it out.
And that just throws the rest of your day off.
I just, I do feel for young people and not only young people, all age of
technician that gets stuck on that island, because that's not a fun place to be.
Yeah.
And, and there's, I think there's kind of two things about it for the technicians.
These young technicians, there's two things that they may be trying to achieve.
One is the repair is good enough.
I won't even say correct, but it's good enough to get it out of the shop.
Without asking anybody, right?
Like that's, that's great.
Another thing that the objective is, and I don't know,
I don't like how this reflects on us as an industry still,
but it's to not be made fun of, right?
There is this longstanding
culture in our industry that the balance of like it's like on the one hand,
if they're not picking on you, they don't like, right?
Like there's that kind of aspect of it, but there's also like being ridiculed.
And being told you're an idiot, and that is different.
It's one thing for them to just tease you and have fun or whatever, I guess, right?
But there's, there's very different generational expectations of what is
appropriate or logical for that.
But being told that you're an idiot doesn't feel good.
Nobody, most people don't really want that.
Sometimes you'll have cultural things because you've got shop people from
different parts of the country, and their cultural norm, maybe how they would talk
is a little bit harsher than what maybe you grew up around.
And that's really challenging.
And I think you couple that with the way that our society has
trended toward being more easily offended these days.
You talk about attrition, man.
Who's going to come to work and be told what a loser they are
and what an idiot they are and how terrible they are?
Even if someone thinks it's being delivered in jest, the recipient,
if they're not feeling it that way, I'll go work in an Amazon warehouse
where nobody talks to me at all.
You know, I'm not going to be just told how terrible I am all the time.
So that there's there's a lot of that, too.
It's it's given the job right and it's not being ridiculed.
You know, is that you are so spot on there.
And that is one of the things that I have really challenged our industry
on in terms of the need to get better, right?
And I often talk about how technicians want to be treated better.
They want more respect as a profession.
They want the outside world to see us in a different light.
And at some level, in order to get to that point, we've got to step up our game, too, right?
We've got to act more professionally.
I doubt you'd see doctors.
Maybe they do.
I've got friends that are doctors that maybe give each other a hard time.
But I don't think a lot of times they're questioning the intelligence
of the other the other person that they're working alongside, right?
And I think they carry themselves with a level of professionalism,
which is what I think we need to shift to in our industry a little bit more.
And I know in social media content that we'll put out some of the some of the
comments we get, you're just like, OK, like it.
What was the point of you having to go out of your way to make a comment like that?
Yeah, like, who are you trying to help?
And and you see that same thing happen in a shop setting where that young person
is struggling and not being able to to do something.
And instead of trying to help, we do poke fun at them and and give them a hard time.
And I think when that young person or any technician.
Say they've gone through a tough stretch, I was just talking with a technician
that was going through a really tough stretch.
You're already beating yourself up a bunch, right?
Because right, something hasn't gone right.
And then all of a sudden everybody else is piling on.
And you're like, again, no wonder we have an attrition problem.
Like it is one of those things that seems clear, clear and obvious.
But because we might have been raised in the industry a certain way,
that's how we're going to treat the next generation.
And you're like, people, this, we can put a stop to this.
We can help our industry out.
And if you want all of these things, you have some control over how you treat other people.
And that that goes a long way.
Right, because you if there's two ways, well, if there's one way to quit
being made fun of at work, maybe it's to be the best, right?
Maybe it's to be the absolute top dog in that field.
Then people won't ridicule you, they'll look up to you.
So that's one way.
But if if the other way to quit getting ridiculed is to leave that industry.
That's an easier way, right?
Like that's an easier way.
And when we are we have a generation of people who are we have multiple
generations of people, I'd say, almost who are.
Life has become so easy and I'm I I'm enjoying it.
I'm enjoying how easy it is to think to myself, I need some more
washer fluid for my car.
I guess I'll need to get in the car and drive to Walmart and buy the washer fluid.
Or beep, boop, it's going to be at my house in three hours.
I don't even have to lift.
I don't have to do anything.
I guess I did have to lift the finger.
But so with life getting easier and easier and easier.
The young people that that's all they know is easier.
Bringing them into an industry that involves a lot of busted knuckles
and a lot of emotional potential.
I would say emotional stress, even if people are being nice to me.
There's still the demands of the schedule, right?
There's the demands of the complications of the vehicles and all that stuff.
So bringing them into a stressful industry that is physically and emotionally stressful.
They think they can do something easier.
They're all going to have to do something, right?
But but there are definitely pathways that might feel easier.
Our trick as an industry is to get the people who enjoy the technical challenge,
who enjoy the problem solving, who enjoy fixing the puzzle.
That's the challenge for us and creating an environment that the culture is
positive in affirming in a way that's giving them what they want out of life, right?
Yeah, I have a whole funnel.
I have a whole funnel theory for us in the industry.
But and I've said it before, so I don't want to bore you with that.
But it's no, please do.
I want to hear this.
I want to hear this.
Okay.
Our the you think of any industry and you think about the funnel that gets people into that.
And what really got me on this path is that two of my children
got involved in the middle school junior high stage with robotics.
They joined a robotics club in school.
They learned all about programming and mechanical engineering and all kinds of
electrical things in this robotics course.
This was our club.
This was a funnel into the IT industry.
Absolutely.
Or engineering or anything else like that, right?
Kids that are really good at soccer, right?
Start playing soccer when they're four and five years old.
By the time they're seven, they're on travel teams.
They play in high school.
Maybe they play in college, maybe whatever.
But they've had a pathway funneled them into those sports.
Musicians, same idea.
Athletes, musicians, robotics engineers, STEM people like along those lines
have these beautiful funnels that at the bottom,
they spit out the people who are the best at it, right?
What is our funnel?
What do you think our funnel is, Jay?
What is the funnel that brings people into our industry
so that the people that, ah, maybe it's not a great fit, they kind of get separated.
But the people that are coming out the bottom of that funnel, they love it.
They're excited to be here.
What is that funnel?
A lot of times, in my opinion, it's the education system.
If there are programs available, I think that's a major miss for us is that
we, I think, have a lot of young people that are interested in what we do.
I don't think we've got a lot of opportunities for access for them.
And similar to what you were talking about with complications with cars
and getting your hands on stuff, it's gotten so complicated that
at times you really can't even tear into maybe your family's lawnmower
because they have computers on them and it might impact the ability
for that mower to run afterwards.
Right. Very intimidating.
It is.
For me, I don't know that we've got a great system
because even when I talk about the education system,
something that you're talking about is that
there was a club that got them interested in it in the first place
to even take that class.
And I think that that's maybe a component that we're missing there.
And at an early, early stage, mind you, you know,
I was in Maryland in elementary school in the beginning
and they had me in a band in second grade, like playing a saxophone, right?
So early, early on, people with a propensity for something
and who are gifted at something are given the opportunity to do it.
And you say, the school's okay, but at what age in the schools
are we starting to funnel kids into the automotive industry?
Ninth grade, maybe?
Yeah, at least.
And I'm in, I'm 51.
When I was in ninth grade, we didn't have an automotive program
at the junior high. The high school, I don't think my high school
even had an automotive program, but the one my older brother,
what she did and my older brother, he's, if he hears this,
he knows I'm joking around with him.
But my older brother was kind of a hoodlum, right?
Like he was a hoodlum and his friends were too.
And they were all in the automotive class
because they would not shut up and sit still in all the other classes.
And that's the teachers are like, listen, we got to get you through here somewhere.
We're going to graduate, but you're going to have to take a class
where you can enjoy yourself through something.
And they put them into automotive class.
And you know, and I know that a lot of that has happened
over the last 30, 40 years is that people were funneled into our industry
because they wouldn't sit still to do much else.
That doesn't mean all of them.
There were always still some people who wanted to be there,
but we got a lot of people who were didn't necessarily even want to be there, right?
That's been our funnel system for a long, long time.
And I think that's brutal.
It doesn't mean that people haven't turned it into beautiful careers.
I'm not saying anything bad about the people.
I'm just saying the funnel was rough.
So what we have to do is we have to find people earlier in life
that are interested in working with their hands,
that are interested in fixing things,
that love taking things apart and putting them back together,
and they still work.
We've got to find those people.
And the robotic stuff is great.
But it also, like my daughter, who's 25 now,
has a killer IT job at Lowes Corporate, which is doing great.
Went right out of college into that role.
The people, we've got a, and by the way, this does exist.
Okay. But I haven't seen it on a large enough scale.
You have to think about kids at a Christmas parade.
Have you ever been to a Christmas parade, Jay?
Absolutely.
What kind of clubs do you see roll by in the Christmas parade?
They're on their floats.
They built their floats.
Yeah. Well, we're in Wisconsin, right?
So a lot of them are agriculture focused and that type of thing.
So like 4-H or FFA or something.
Yep.
Yeah.
Okay. So, and you're comfortable with me.
I mean, we have marching band and we've got gymnastics and karate.
Absolutely.
You've got your FFA, FFH and all that stuff rolling through.
And they've got like little baby goats.
And some kid on the sidelines is like,
Mommy, mommy, mommy, I want to do that.
I want to have a baby goat.
Like how do I get involved in that?
And the next thing you know, the kid's in that, right?
So I want to see a Christmas parade
or a Fourth of July parade or whatever, right?
You're in Wisconsin.
I don't know if like Christmas parade is a good idea.
If they are, it's too cold maybe.
It's a little cold.
We have them.
It's cold.
Yeah.
It's chilly, right?
I want one with the RC car club rolling around.
And I think you can tie it in with a robotics club
because a robotics club can build motorized ramps
that are driving around.
You've seen these Traxxas cars at like SEMA or whatever
that are on those, doing the flips in the air and stuff, right?
So we can have something like that in the Christmas parade
for the younger like middle school kids doing that, right?
We need to bring in children early on.
Think about an RC car club because again, this does exist.
I was very excited to see it a couple of years ago.
An RC car club for elementary school kids
where maybe on whatever days after school or whatever,
they assemble their cars at the start of that season
and then they race them with the school on the weekends or whatever.
And guess what happens when little kids race RC cars?
They get smashed to bits.
Well, they get smashed up, right?
So then they get to fix them.
They get to figure out what parts are broken
and they get to use hand tools to fix that stuff, right?
Because it's a kit car.
They built it in the first place.
Then of course middle school, maybe those are gas-powered RC cars.
And then high school, now we're talking shop class.
Now those kids that had a natural propensity to it
that by the way, when they were six years old
and beside the parade and said, hey, I want to do that,
mom and dad were like, absolutely.
That sounds like a great idea
because it'll get you off the dog on glowing box
and you can go maybe make some friends.
Let's go do that.
But a 15-year-old that goes to mom and dad and says,
hey, I think I want to take the automotive shop class.
I want to work on cars.
What have the parents been telling that kid?
Right.
For a lot of years, they've been telling them,
no, you don't want to do that.
You're going to go to college.
We're going to get you a good job.
So people that had a propensity for that in high school,
we've been telling them, no,
and we've not been catching the younger generation.
Now, I don't have the name of this organization
on the top of my head,
but I posted video and pictures about them
at the ASC Educators Conference in Minneapolis
two summers ago.
Yes.
And it was so cool.
They had all the instructors driving them.
They do this around the country a little bit.
We need to have an RC car program starting up
in every elementary school in the country
as soon as possible
to start funneling people who like what we do
into our industry.
There's plenty of them out there,
but there's not plenty of them growing up
exposed to that stuff
in a way that makes it a natural progression.
Because everybody doesn't need to go to college.
We know that.
There's so much opportunity in the trades
for so many great things to be happening,
but we're only funneling people into the trades
at the very last second.
Like, you know, you don't seem to want to do anything else.
Let's throw you out here and see what happens.
That's not a good plan.
So we need those RC car programs.
And you know who's going to pay for those RC cars?
Because it's easy to be thinking to yourself,
well, that's going to be expensive.
I don't know how that's going to work out.
You know who's going to pay for those RC cars
in those clubs?
The dealerships.
The dealerships.
They're going to sponsor those clubs.
That car is going to cost $100 or something,
and they're going to pay for that
because they're going to start,
those kids are going to be wearing that t-shirt
of like Fairway Fords RC car club or whatever.
That's going to be in the parade.
They're going to pay for that stuff.
They need technicians.
It's funny that you say all of this, right?
Because it was the Minnesota State Department
of Transportation Excellence that were there.
And in Wisconsin here, the Wisconsin Auto Truck
Dealers Association does something similar.
And it's such a good, good program.
They call it NitroX.
That's what it was.
That's what it was.
Yes.
And they do a phenomenal job
because they bring them into the school.
And it's a middle school camp for a week here in Wisconsin.
And I've got to grab the shell to show everybody here
because I've got one sitting in my office.
But it is such a cool event.
And they go through the collision side
and they get to paint up their cars.
They get to do all of the repairs.
And on top of that, they get to see them race
and have fun with them.
And I completely agree.
You think about how natural of a transition
we could have throughout a kid's life
where maybe they are really interested in Legos
to start off with.
Maybe as a shop, we could sponsor some Legos
at the elementary school that are car focused.
And you just think there's a lot of logical steps.
After we were done, they were nice enough to send.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, look at that.
Yeah, yeah.
So those of you that are listening and not watching,
I'm showing the shell of the RC car
that we were able to have up there.
And it's just such a cool thing.
I couldn't agree more.
It's lighting that fire with a young person
that isn't necessarily just getting placed in our industry
just because they didn't have anywhere else to go.
Again, not saying everybody's that way,
but there are a fair number of them.
And I think when you look at this,
everything you're talking about,
when you take a step back and you look at this more
holistically, I think that helps get the right people
into the industry too, right?
Because I think some of our early stage attrition issues
are because of that, where maybe a kid didn't have another
option or they didn't know what they wanted to do.
So they thought cars are cool and they came into this.
And I think for our industry,
we could do such a better job with those young folks
in educating them.
I'm a huge advocate of job shadows
and getting kids into our shops to see what it's like
and really getting exposure.
It's just, in general, everything you're talking about,
I'm like, you are spot on.
This is amazing.
Yeah, yeah.
Schmidt AutoCare also in Ohio,
I think they've been doing something they call
tiny techs or something like bringing in
tours of young students to the shop
to see a little bit more about what's going on.
Because it's about intentionality.
If we're not intentionally trying to grow this,
trying to grow the pool of people
that are going to want to work in our role,
it's not going to just happen.
It's just not the cars getting more complicated
is not going to magically make more people
want to work on them, right?
We have to intentionally build a funnel,
find a way to grow the humans
that are going to be enjoying this.
Because your point is exactly right.
There's a lot of people out there.
We want to get the people who love doing this stuff
because you see them.
Have you seen Humble Mechanic, right?
Are you familiar with who that is?
Yeah, so he loves what he's doing.
He's having a great time.
There's so many humans that would love to do this
that never even know it.
They never even get that opportunity.
And if we can start out earlier to get that ball rolling
because the Nitro-X thing, is it only a summer camp?
Is that what, because I didn't realize that part.
Is that like a one or two week summer camp thing?
The one in Wisconsin is, but I think-
Which is amazing, wonderful.
Everything you're saying, it is,
but everything you're talking about
and creating those clubs where you do give exposure
in a way where the family doesn't have to come up
with $700 to buy an RC car.
Like they have access to it, they can play with it.
That is where, you know, I look at my cousin,
very, very intelligent guy now,
like now he's in the professional world,
different level smart, right?
And he had exposure to 3D printers in school
and really, you know, he's an engineer now
and it was so impactful for him to be able to have access to
a bunch of stuff, a normal family is probably
not just going to go out and buy, right?
And so being able to get them access,
and even I remember growing up,
if I had an RC car and I broke it,
I probably was getting my butt chewed that night.
So I'd like the ability to play
and really do it in a way that's not,
you know, hopefully going to get you in trouble.
So man, what a good idea.
Exposure, I mean, the robotics club
was nine months out of the year at least,
it might have been 10.
And it was, they would do fundraising things, right?
And they would have pizza nights and they'd go have fun.
And so it was a great thing for team building
and all that stuff for these young people as well.
And then they would go compete in the tournaments
and smash their robot up by accident
and have to figure out how to fix it and make it better.
It was everything we do.
And there's grants.
There's grants for this kind of stuff too.
Automotive industry is part of the STEM world, right?
The science, technology, engineering and math,
we're part of that.
And there are grants available
to help fund these types of organizations.
So I just leaning into this,
you think about all the opportunities
and maybe it's just a youth car club where
they can participate in Pinewood Derbies.
They can do like all of this stuff.
Yes.
Yes. Yeah.
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah. You've got my brain going a million
different directions now
because I do think there's such a big opportunity.
It does take people though, right?
And working with schools and trying to get
maybe some opportunities out there.
So I just absolutely love this.
Now, I also kind of tying it back to the hunter side too.
You look at maybe opportunities that the ability,
a lot of these young kids, and I've got a nine-year-old,
their exposure to computers right now
and their exposure to technology as a whole is exciting
because I think when they do come in
and you hand them a fancy tool
like you'd have at Hunter, right?
Like it's not like they're learning rocket science.
It's something that they're pretty comfortable with.
And so say what you will about the younger generations.
I think they're as prepared as anybody to come in
and have an impact with the technology moving forward.
Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
If we embrace it, it's exciting.
Yeah. If we could just learn how to be nice to them.
You know, it's so funny that you say that.
Well, I look back to growing up in a small town.
We had a municipal golf course.
And the owners of this golf course
were always just really rude to young people.
Like we'd go out and they just weren't very friendly.
They're kind of like, why are you here type of thing?
And it changed in recent years
where you had an owner of the golf course
that really embraced that, put together a youth program
and put some structure around it.
And what do you know, the course continues to grow
because you're growing that next generation of golfers.
Same principle in our industry, right?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So helpful when you're just nice to people.
Like that goes a long way.
Yeah. Well, this is great, great stuff.
And as we're kind of concluding the podcast,
which seems unreal, like it doesn't feel like we covered
maybe one little slice of everything
I wanted to talk about with you.
So we'll definitely have to have more of this at some point.
Love to.
Yeah.
We do have a fun portion of the show
where I've just got some quick kidding questions for you.
Normally, I would start off with what your favorite food is,
but I feel like we already covered that.
Yeah, I think that's it pretty well.
Yeah, that's safe bet.
Chicken wings is it.
Yeah, yeah.
Had them last night.
Chicken wings is fantastic.
Yeah.
All right.
What was your first car?
1975 International Scout 2 with the automatic transmission
and the 304 Comanche VA.
Whoa, that's a cool first vehicle.
Man, it was so cool.
My older brother had one before me.
And then I got it.
And the funniest thing about it nowadays to think back
is that it was also 16 years old.
Like I got a 16 year old car when I was,
well, it was 15 when I was 15 when I actually got it.
But yeah, that was my first car.
My now wife helped me put a convertible top on it back
in high school and stuff.
And yeah, a lot of good memories in that one.
How cool is that?
Yeah, that's one of the cooler ones I've heard.
Next question, are you a night owl or early morning person?
Oh, okay.
Early morning person.
Early morning.
Yeah, I guess I used to do some more late night stuff,
I suppose, but my wife, my precious Rachel,
that I married in 2012.
She likes to be in bed by nine o'clock.
And so I am willing to comply.
All the benefits she brings to my life at bedtime, let's go.
I love going to bed.
So I'm an early riser.
But yeah, I'm up at like 5, 10 every day.
That's not super early for some people.
For me, that's pretty early.
Yeah, yeah, that's a nice routine.
I like that.
As we go through and everybody that's listened to this,
if they haven't found you on social media yet,
how do they follow you?
How do they follow along your journey
and everything that you're putting out there?
Yeah.
Well, and thank you for that.
I love people to have the opportunity to come along for the ride
because we're trying to have a good time.
My name is, and I don't know if this is going to show it backwards or not.
So I'm Justin Allen, but you'll find me as the letter J,
and then Allen and then Hunter.
So J. Allen Hunter will be the way you find it on all TikTok
and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube, I guess.
On LinkedIn, it's just, I know Justin Allen on LinkedIn.
Very professional over there.
But yeah, that's how it works.
I talked about this earlier, but anybody in our world
would benefit by following you.
So if you're out there and are wanting to learn more
about the Hunter world and about what Justin is doing,
very, very much worth a follow on all of those different platforms.
Just commend you for everything that you're doing,
for the positivity you bring to the industry.
And we need more like you, right?
Like just more positivity and more of that message
of trying to get better and that growth mindset.
And just keep doing what you're doing
because it is really, really fun to follow.
Thank you for those kind words, J. I'm going to try.
That wraps up another episode of Beyond the Wrench.
If you liked this episode, please show your support
by rating and following the podcast.
You can also watch the video interviews
on Wrenchway's YouTube channel.
Speaking of Wrenchway, Beyond the Wrench
is managed and produced by the Wrenchway team.
Wrenchway is dedicated to promoting and improving
careers in the automotive, diesel, and collision industries.
In partnership with ASC, we run the ASC Connects community
which empowers shops and dealerships with reliable data,
school connections, and industry insights
while helping grow the future technician workforce.
You can learn more by visiting Wrenchway.com.
Thank you so much for listening.
We'll see you next week.
About this episode
Justin Allen of Hunter Engineering shares how he went from dealership sales/parts to training and content, and why technician development needs a better “funnel” into the industry. He explains how Hunter stays current with evolving alignment/ADAS tech, and points technicians to Hunter University and the Hunter Learning Channel. The bigger debate is culture: young techs get stuck “on an island” without guidance, and ridicule can drive attrition. Allen argues the real solution starts earlier—via robotics/RC programs, job shadows, and dealer-sponsored STEM access—so the right people choose the trade.
Justin Allen has been in the automotive industry since 1998—and now, as a Regional Field Trainer for Hunter Engineering Company, his passion is training the next generation of technicians. In this episode, Justin breaks down how he got his start under the hood with his dad, tips for technicians that want to sharpen their skills with training, and how the industry needs to change its attitude toward young people walking in the door.
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:
