Remarkable Results Radio Podcast Mar 17, 2026

Own the Technician Shortage: How One Shop Owner is Transforming Industry Recruitment [RR 1083]

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Concept

technician shortage

Technician shortage means there aren't enough skilled mechanics to fix cars. Many older mechanics are retiring, and not enough young people are becoming mechanics to take their place.

Term

specialist technicians

Specialist technicians are mechanics who know a lot about certain parts of cars or specific types of cars. They fix tricky problems that regular mechanics might not know how to handle.

Company

Napa Auto Care Center

Napa Auto Care Center is a group of trusted car repair shops that work with the NAPA brand to give you good service and fair prices.

Term

shop management system

A shop management system is a computer program that helps car repair shops keep track of appointments, bills, parts, and customers so they can work better and faster.

Company

NAPA Tracks

NAPA Tracks is a website where car mechanics can learn new skills and get training to help fix cars better.

Company

XGen Academy

XGen Academy is a school or program that helps teach new car mechanics so there are enough people to fix cars in the future.

Concept

A virtual reality lab is a place where people wear special goggles and use controllers to practice things in a pretend world that feels real. It helps them learn by doing without being in a real car or shop.

Concept

virtual reality simulation

Virtual reality simulation means using special computer programs to create fake but realistic situations where people can practice fixing cars without touching a real one. It's like a video game that helps you learn.

Concept

Bay training

Bay training means actually working on cars in a garage using real tools to learn how to fix them, not just watching or practicing on a computer.

Concept

modern vehicle technology

Today's cars are like computers on wheels, with lots of smart parts inside. Fixing them needs special skills and tools.

Term

carburetor

A carburetor is a part in old cars that mixes gas and air so the engine can run. Newer cars use different systems instead.

Concept

Napa AutoCare program

Napa AutoCare is a group of car repair shops that work with Napa Auto Parts. They help shops get customers by using advertising and special signs.

Term

digital vehicle inspection

Digital vehicle inspection means the mechanic takes pictures and videos of your car to show you what needs fixing, so you understand better.

Term

Napa service assistant

Napa service assistant is a computer program that helps mechanics explain to you what your car needs to get fixed.

Concept

Smart Sign

Smart Sign is a screen in the waiting room that shows helpful information and deals while you wait for your car.

Company

Napa Autotech

Napa Autotech is a school or program that helps car mechanics learn how to fix cars better.

Concept

Napa AutoCare nationwide peace of mind warranty

This warranty means if something goes wrong with a repair done at a Napa AutoCare shop, they will fix it for you no matter where you are in the country.

Term

Napa credit card

The Napa credit card lets you pay for car repairs little by little instead of all at once, so it's easier to afford fixing your car.

Concept

Napa CSI survey

The Napa CSI survey is a way for customers to say how happy they are with the repair shop's work, helping the shop do better next time.

Concept

reverse funnel

Normally, becoming a skilled technician is like climbing a pyramid step by step, which takes time. The reverse funnel idea flips this, starting with many people and guiding them through a path to become technicians more easily.

Term

hydraulic braking system

Hydraulic brakes use liquid to help stop the car when you press the brake pedal. The liquid pushes parts that make the car slow down or stop.

Concept

accreditation

Accreditation means a school or program is officially approved and trusted by the government or other groups.

Company

Napa Auto Parts

Napa Auto Parts is a big store that sells car parts and tools to mechanics and people fixing cars.

Company

GPC Genuine Parts Company

GPC Genuine Parts Company is a big company that owns stores like Napa Auto Parts, which sell car parts to mechanics and people fixing cars.

Term

apprentice programming

Apprentice programming is like a learning plan where someone works and studies at the same time to become really good at a job, like fixing cars.

Term

ASC certs

ASC certs are special certificates that show someone is trained and good at fixing cars.

Concept

service advisor

A service advisor talks to car owners to find out what's wrong with their car and then tells the mechanics what to fix. They also explain the repair costs to the customers.

Brand

GMC

GMC is a company that makes trucks and big cars that are good for work and off-road driving.

Concept

aftermarket shop

An aftermarket shop works on cars to add or fix parts that didn't come with the car when it was new, like making trucks taller or adding cool accessories.

Concept

lift trucks

Lifting a truck means making it sit higher so it can drive better on rough roads or have bigger tires.

Concept

four by four trucks

Four by four trucks have power going to all four wheels, so they can drive better on dirt, snow, or mud.

Concept

porter

A porter is someone who moves cars around in a dealership or shop to help keep things organized and make sure cars are in the right place.

Concept

Regional Occupational Center (ROC)

A ROC is a school where high school students can learn special job skills to help them get ready for work in certain careers.

Concept

C-TECH facility

C-TECH is a place where students learn special skills for jobs, like fixing cars, to help them get ready for work.

LIVE

This is the Automotive Repair Podcast Network.

Hey everybody, Karm Capriotto, remarkable results radio.

Good to have you here.

I got a great show for you.

I'm telling you, you're gonna love this

because we're gonna nail something

that we specifically know we have a problem

within our industry and that where are we gonna find

the new specialist technicians to come into the industry?

Now yeah, I get you, you may wanna hire somebody

who's been around a while,

but if we don't plant the seeds

and bring in some young people,

I think five or 10 years down the road,

we're gonna be hurting puppies

because of the entire senior tsunami that's coming on.

And this individual who's here,

Chris Machado, I'll introduce him.

You'll see him in a minute.

He has got something.

We've talked about it about six months ago

and he continues to drive this entire strategy home.

He's doing it, he's working hard

and you may be able to play in his sandbox

one day real soon.

Hey, look at, if you're on our YouTube channel

by any chance, please subscribe.

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We've actually done some upgrades to it,

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Automotive Repair Podcast Network.com.

It is a entire focus, all the shows on the network are there.

We thank so much to our great partners

that we've had for a long time to be on the show.

Hey, when customers choose a Napa Auto Care Center,

they get more than a repair.

They get trust, savings and peace of mind.

Once your shop to stand out,

connect with your local Napa representative

and get the conversation started

to become a Napa Auto Care Center.

Hey, let's face it,

your shop management system is the most critical tool

in your shop and Napa Tracks will move your shop

into the SMS Fastlane with on-site training,

six days a week support and local representation.

Find Napa Tracks on the web at NAPATRACS.com.

Hey, welcome back.

Chris Machado, he's the guy I've been talking about.

Hey, Chris.

Carm, how you doing?

Thank you so much for having me, man.

I'm excited.

Circle M Tyrone Auto and Circle M Truck Repair,

Bakersfield, California.

And then of course, XGen Academy.

Lift that shirt up so we can see it.

Look at that logo, the XGen Academy.

Yes, absolutely.

I gotta give you so much credit.

The passion that you have for this

is like the passion I have for my declaration

and this language shift in our industry.

And I so respect what you're doing and how you're doing it.

I keep thinking, it's not me if I'm wrong,

that this is so much for young people,

but part of it is to change the perception of our industry

and get young people dialed in.

And Chris has a program called XGen Academy.

Are you sitting down for this?

It's a 16 week course, everyone.

And he's getting ready to get his dorms up and running.

So it gives you a little goosebumps

to think about what he's doing.

And when he tells you about this,

we gotta talk about the upside down funnel.

We have to because I think when you told me

about the upside down funnel, it blew my mind.

It hit me that this is what I think is going to be so perfect.

So 16 week program that includes

the whole soft skills piece.

So I'm gonna sit back and we're gonna listen to you

tell your story.

Awesome, Carm, this is gonna be exciting

for everybody out in the industry

or anybody that's even got a few questions

about whether or not they want to enter the industry.

But we've got some amazing things at XGen Academy.

The way the Academy goes through the 16 weeks, Carm,

is of course we are delivering theoretical education

from three different vehicles, if you would.

The students start out in the morning in their desk

with a laptop and they are reviewing

what they had studied the night before for homework

and or assessing on any new material

that we're gonna be delivering that day.

We like to assess them pre-class, of course,

just to kind of see where they are.

And then it allows us to articulate appropriately,

meeting our objectives while they're in the seat.

So thereafter they are in the seat

and I'm telling you it's maybe 20 minutes

that I've got the students in the seat

or excuse me that Marcos has the students in the seat.

There after their time in the seat,

they head over to the VR lab

or what we call virtual reality lab.

And that's where they put on their headsets,

they've got hand controls

and they're simulating the theoretical education

in a real life simulation via virtual reality.

So thereafter, let's call it five to seven minutes,

sometimes 20 minutes depending on the module that they're in

or under the goggles under the VR.

They are what we call is filling the gap, Carm.

If you can imagine learning in the seat

for maybe a year or two,

receiving maybe one year of Bay training per week

and we're doing this for two years,

we don't necessarily become comfortable with these processes

or these tasks and repairs that we're performing.

So through this virtual reality simulation,

we're filling many gaps, we're crossing bridges,

we're also solidifying their nerves.

So these kids get nervous

and we've got a generation of youth that are coming through

and they just may not have the experiences

that you and I have had through life.

So what we've done is delicately,

we've understood what it's gonna take to educate,

to really create this resonating effect

through multiple ways of education.

And of course, one is the seat,

two is the virtual reality simulations.

Immediately thereafter, they head down into the Bay

and they receive approximately an hour

to an hour and a half of Bay training per the day.

So they learn it in the seat,

they virtually simulate it in the lab.

They head down to the Bay, grab the wrenches,

grab the tools that are needed for that task,

for that repair and they dive in.

We have eight students per class

so that we can have two students per corner of the car.

We've noticed is that's definitely not oversaturated

and it almost just was the perfect mark,

was eight students per Bay while teaching.

There after their Bay training,

which is an hour, hour and a half,

they're coming back up into class

to sit through what we call Reality Hub.

I love Reality Hub is names put together,

a place to go to learn about real things going on in life.

And there is so much truth to that car.

I'll tell you, man, it's fascinating

to really dive down with these kids.

And I'm gonna call them kids, they're youth.

It's really fascinating.

And the reason it's fascinating is because all of us,

even as adults, Karm, we have experiences in life

that we can share with these kids

that will really allow these kids a smoother path through life,

a smoother path through their career.

But more importantly, let's face it,

we're gonna mentally break down any barrier

that they are carrying prior to their entrance

to our industry with Reality Hub.

You're not teaching them how to write a check out maybe

and sign their name, are you?

Yeah, you know, I'll tell you,

the core values of Reality Hub, Karm,

our communication, ethics and financial literacy.

So we definitely teach them how to have a relationship

with money, writing a check,

understanding where the accounting number is,

where the routing number is.

Of course, we're spelling it out for them

from the basics on up into investing,

whether it be in the stock market

or possibly into their first home.

I love the words Reality Hub.

I mean, it really, you can't argue what that really means.

It's a place to go, like you say, your three core values.

But I've heard over the years

that some of the kids coming out of post-secondary

don't have any soft skills going.

I do believe that our people in the colleges

want to do more about that,

but I don't think they've written it in like you have.

And you know, for whatever reason, it is missing Karm

and let's not get stuck on the why it's missing.

Let's get moving on.

The do.

The do, making a difference,

figuring out really how this next generation,

what type of cloth are they cut from, Karm?

We can sit and make complaints

because listen, they can't communicate.

They're stuck on their phones.

They play video games too much.

They don't want to leave their bedroom.

You know, there's so many complaints.

And if you would, it's a concern from us parents.

And we've almost put ourselves into a state of confusion.

When what we have to do is understand

what we're complaining about and salute it.

We need to bring video games in, virtual reality.

We need to deliver education from three different platforms,

computer, virtual reality and hands-on Bay training.

We need to polish these kids for that next step.

Oh, I love that.

I love that word.

We need to polish them.

Your course is 16 weeks.

It is a incredibly short time, four months.

What's the expectation in those four months?

At XGen, we have an objective.

Our objective is to feed our industry with warm bodies.

We are here to open up the appeal, the attraction,

the benefits, the opportunities

that the automotive industry offers

so many people across this nation.

And I firmly believe if we just package it

and tie a different bow on it,

then we can have some great things as industry leaders.

And that's what we've done.

We want to bring this into all schools,

to all, you know, from 16 to 25 and Karm.

We want to bring this in

and we want to make automotive cool again.

Cool, I love that.

Make it cool again.

In fact, I think that was a talking point

that you and I, in our discovery call on this,

Chris has been on the show before.

We've chatted an awful lot.

And I love your passion.

And when you said to me that one day,

we're gonna make auto repair cool again, Karm.

I got goosebumps.

Because, oh my God, what was you talking about

the other day?

He says, oh my God, Dad had this, you know, 1965

and they're going back to, you know,

all the stuff that we had that was fun years ago.

Today, it's a computer on wheels.

In order to make it continue to run,

we can't take a carburetor off

and jack it up a little bit.

Like we used to in the old days.

And it was fun to be able to work on a vehicle

and then go out and head down to the, you know,

the local place wherever you hung out.

Vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom.

Today we don't have that.

So how do you make that fun again?

You make the educational piece of it

and you make it, in my mind,

the fun side is his high tech stuff.

This, we have a high tech industry.

And so you're here because you're people

who want to work on high tech equipment.

He says, Mae, you don't want to go to NVIDIA.

You want to work on cars.

You don't want to go to Elon Musk.

You want to work on cars.

You can't get any more high tech

than a current vehicle today.

That's right, Karm.

And you know, how do we continue to support

the need that our industry demands?

Hey, think about your customer's journey.

How do they find you, trust you, and continue to come back?

With the Napa AutoCare program,

you can deliver that positive experience

every step of the way.

It starts with visibility.

Customers can find your shop

through the Napa online locator at no cost to you.

And thanks to fully integrated national marketing campaigns,

Napa AutoCare shops are showcased

as part of America's largest network of parts and care.

Whether they're driving by

to see your co-branded Napa AutoCare sign

or they hear about you through national advertising,

the Napa name, trusted by over 95% of the motoring public,

builds instant confidence.

Inside your shop, that trust grows

using digital vehicle inspection

and Napa service assistant,

you can clearly show customers what's wrong

with their vehicle through pictures and videos.

Smart Sign creates an engaging waiting experience

while exclusive consumer offers help save them on services.

And when your shop becomes gold certified,

customers know they'll receive

a consistent top level experience every time.

Customers also gain peace of mind

knowing your technicians are ASC certified,

trained by Napa Autotech,

and backed by the Napa AutoCare nationwide

peace of mind warranty.

For an unexpected repair expense,

the Napa credit card helps them get back on the road.

And when the repair is complete,

their satisfaction is captured through the Napa CSI survey,

turning great service into long-term loyalty.

Hey, you wanna create this customer journey

only one way, connect with your local Napa representative

and get started.

Hey, when customers choose a Napa AutoCare center,

they get more than a repair,

they get trust, savings, and peace of mind.

Once your shop to stand out,

connect with your local Napa representative

and get the conversation started to become a Napa AutoCare center.

Hey, let's face it,

your shop management system is the single most important tool

in your shop, period.

Napa Tracks has made selecting the right shop management system

easy by offering the industry's best,

most comprehensive SMS.

Now it all starts when a local representative meets with you

to learn about your business and how you need to run it.

After all, it's your shop, so it's your choice.

And having local representation is a huge plus.

Customizing tracks to your business,

whether you're a one-person shop or a large multi-bay

or multi-location company,

a representative consults with you

to help optimize your shop's workflow,

efficiency, and profitability.

Tracks always has the flexibility to do business

how you need to do it,

which means it can also grow as your business grows.

And unlike the other guys,

we'll be there for you after installation

with the best training and support in the business.

Yes, a learning management system tailored

to each role in your company.

Simply put, tracks was designed and built

for shop owners just like you.

Visit us on the web at Napa Tracks.

That's N-A-P-A-T-R-A-C-S dot com.

Can you jump into that reverse funnel?

Is it the right time to ask that

because I think our audience is thinking,

okay, this is interesting, but how do we get it done?

And I love the reverse funnel.

When he said to me the reverse funnel,

you hit me upside the head.

It's genius to explain it to us.

Of course, Karm.

So if you think about a pyramid, all right,

at the top of the pyramid, we've got our master technicians.

If you think about the physics of a pyramid,

try to climb a pyramid.

It takes a moment or two to climb the pyramid, of course.

It takes time, but it's a step-by-step pyramid,

which is excellent.

We love the step process, if you would.

However, in today's world,

with the barriers that we have in front of us

as future technicians, it almost is a locked door.

So we're gonna flip this pyramid into a funnel.

And what this funnel is gonna do,

Karm, it's gonna capture the mass.

And at the top of this funnel,

we're gonna have XGen Academy's pathway.

It's a 16-week program that kids are learning

from shop safety, vehicle maintenance,

basic electrical, into hydraulic and power braking systems,

drums, as well, pad brake system.

We've got these kids leaving here with a little bit of extra.

But ideally what we're trying to do

is get them into this funnel.

Make it cool again, get them into this funnel

to where when they leave this first layer,

which is our pathway, they're certified ASC technicians.

Then we paint that picture for them, Karm.

ASC what class?

What course?

ASC what?

So the MLR.

Oh, okay, perfect.

Yes, maintenance and light repair are the tasks

and standards that XGen will be fulfilling

in the near future for this next generation.

When Chris told me about the reverse funnel,

I'll tell the listeners what really hit me hard

when he says, listen, the masters are up on top

of a terrible pyramid.

And if we turn it around and the masters at the bottom

and we fill the funnel on top,

it was almost like the effort that you're putting through,

the people who are supporting you pushes this top

of the funnel down through great disciplines,

good learning, keeping score,

and they keep going to the bottom of the funnel.

It became more valuable because it's kind of like

taking grapes and making wine out of it.

You're continuously refining, if you will,

down to the bottom point.

And the whole concept, if the industry gets behind this,

parents get behind this, the weight from on top

flushes it to the bottom, to the point

where the few exist, where the best are.

Yes, and that's all the information.

If we understand generations,

we understand baby boomer generations,

we understand Gen X, we understand millennials.

What we have to do is understand the threat we're against,

understand the severity of our challenge

and introduce our industry to the next generation

in a different form.

And that's really what we wanna do, Carm,

is get them into the industry.

Again, let that funnel suck them right down into really,

that's where the riches are, Carm.

That's the hybrid.

If you would structure that our industry

really has to offer right now is get the youth

in front of the knowledge,

which is down at the bottom in the master technician.

Let them feed off of that master technician

and continue to build the industry.

So somebody out in California,

which is where you are in Bakersfield,

they believe that one of their kids

or someone who's listening to this,

who knows someone, who knows someone else,

is listening to this.

How do they get on board?

Is there a website that we should know about?

How do we find out all this great stuff?

Of course, Carm.

So we've got xgened.com

and that's the letter X, G-E-N-E-D.com.

The application is there, fill out the application.

It's a unique application.

It requires a video, of course.

And you'll fill that application out with your heart.

Really take some time and think about the questions

that we're asking you to fulfill

before you just lay something out there.

Because we're looking for people

that are intently driven to become successful.

Chris, what's the tuition?

The tuition is $8,000 for the 16-week program.

In the future, Carm.

Hopefully, xgened will be accredited

via state as well, federal accreditation.

Hopefully, by 2027.

So we're looking to offer some stuff in the future.

As I say, there's so many more things to be announced

that xgen's gonna be offering the next generation.

You're working your butt off on this.

I know that you've got some great accreditation coming up,

but I'm like you, I wouldn't want to wait for anything.

Let's just keep putting people through

and seeing what's coming out as the funnel keeps getting low.

You've got an awful lot of support coming from Napa.

I know that.

Tell us about it.

Yes, and so fortunate to have the support

of a GPC Genuine Part Company, Napa Auto Parts.

The whole crew, of course,

has been such a pillar in CircleM's success.

And of course, xgen's vision.

Fortunately, we've been blessed

with Jason Rainey and Matt Crumpton

who have taken their time to come visit xgen Academy

and spent the day with us.

And really what they received was something

that really just resonated with them.

And looks like we will be on the front cover

of Napa's Insight Magazine, quarter two of 2026,

representing the new age of education.

Damn you.

How lucky you can be.

You know, I write articles inside that magazine,

but I've never been on the cover.

Hmm.

I know I'll never be.

Oh my God.

So look, who designed the curriculum?

Who's teaching this stuff?

You got people inside the shop

that are doing this with you?

Of course.

The curriculum was designed by Marcos Santora and myself

as far as the theoretical education.

That was all carved out

of the fundamentals of automotive technology.

They were aligned with ASC's 150 tasks as well,

the 10 standards that they require

in any of their schools.

So delivered by, and Marcos and I again,

we carved out Carm what we thought was necessary

to get this next generation into the driver's seat.

Get them into the funnel.

You know, in reality hub,

that was something near and dear to my heart, Carm.

So that's a totally different.

I love reality hub and I'm not stuck on it

as a key component of it, but I gotta tell you,

it was brilliant for you to add that

because we need to produce competent people

that can assimilate into life.

That's what we need.

We need people that wanna work with us, Carm.

We need willingness.

We need attitude.

We need reliance.

Reliability, if you would.

We need those small things

that really don't take talent, Carm.

So we're an industry that's searching for talent.

That's not what we need, Carm.

So you're working your butt off, not only in the shop.

How are you doing it?

I mean, are you sleeping?

You know, Carm, I've got the rest of my other life to sleep.

I sleep a few hours a night, of course,

but you know what Carm is?

As anybody knows out there in the entrepreneurial world,

if you surround yourself with great people,

then you become the sum of those great people.

And without those people, I really just couldn't do it.

That's a great answer.

And I think of some personal reflection

that people in our industry have by saying,

I don't know how he does it.

I'm struggling around in my own place.

He just gave you the secret to it.

Do a people assessment that are around you

and then do stuff like, Chris, really drove.

What day did you wake up

and says I'm gonna do XGen Academy?

Where'd it come from?

It was a passion that I've had for years, Carm.

And you know, it kind of faded away.

And for some reason, something brought me back into it.

I had woke up February 23rd, 2025.

And I said, I'm gonna build a school, sweetheart.

I told my wife and she looked at me like

I was just a little bit crazier than she'd already thought.

But believe it or not, Carm,

with the tools that we have today at our fingertips,

I was able to build this in a short period of time,

you know, provide just an amazing product

to the first class that we graduated.

Dan, it's just been amazing to watch these kids transform.

You had mentioned to me, oh my God, can you imagine?

I understand apprentice programming, I really do.

I just love and understand where we are with colleges today.

And they do play a critical role,

but this could be a very strong part.

You get your ASC certs in there.

I believe that a program like this,

the 16-week program,

could almost be duplicated around the country.

Oh, absolutely, Carm, that's the main goal

is we need to get this out.

I mean, if it continues to work as it's worked,

we need to get this out to everyone.

And they all deserve it.

Every community out across our nation deserves this, Carm.

This is unique.

And I am dead set that it will serve

each and every community the same.

Chris, this almost sounds like it's an educational franchise.

Mm, absolutely.

I am not gonna hold it tight to just Kern County.

We wanna take this across the nation.

Again, with the support that we've got

and the visions that we've had, I think we can do it.

Yeah, you got some great support.

So some of the grads, have you had a class go through it?

And if you have, what are they doing?

Absolutely, Carm.

We've had one class come through, first cohort.

We've got students, we had four eligible students.

So we had a class of eight, four were eligible.

Couple different reasons.

However, the four that are eligible,

we've got one that started at CircleM

as a customer service representative.

Then he moved into a apprentice technical specialist

position here at CircleM.

And that's where he currently sits.

We've also got a student that was an alumni.

He is in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

He's a service advisor.

He just was promoted, believe it or not,

to full-time service advisor.

He's running Sunnyside Automotive.

We've also got a gentleman by the name of Christian Zemer.

Christian Zemer has been employed at a local level.

It is Motor City GMC's aftermarket shop.

So they lift trucks, four by four trucks.

And it's called California Truck and Accessories.

And Christian is working there

at California Truck and Accessories, absolutely.

I can't help but think that the customer service side,

three of your people are doing that.

And it is not a bad job to get after the 16 week program.

And if they continue to show signs of mechanical competency,

would they be asked to go into the bays?

Because this is interesting.

You're teaching people how to fix cars

at a certain particular level,

but three of them went into be in the service advising side.

Well, so what we had, one went into CSR,

one went into part-time technician,

moved into full-time advising.

The third one will be going into a hybrid,

let's call it a Swiss Army Knife.

So he will be working in the shop, in the bay.

He'll also be packaging parts for part returns.

He'll be a porter because it's a massive dealership.

And then the kid, Noah here, he's in the bay now.

He's, we call it an apprentice program,

but I'll tell you right now that Mr. Noah Padilla

is working on his own down there in Circle M's bay.

Good for him.

Now, how often are you running the 16 week cycle, Chris?

So we run the four month cycle.

We take a two week break and we're back in the saddle

two weeks thereafter, running another four month cycle.

And in the future, Karm, we of course,

want to support an AM as well, a PM class.

Where are you finding the students, Chris?

The students are coming from all over Kern County.

We have also partnered with some foster programs

that one of my nonprofit agencies work,

my nonprofit group works with.

We have partnered with them.

We've got some local sponsors that help us out

with that side of our program.

And as far as the other kids, we work with the ROC,

Regional Occupational Center of Kern High School District,

as well as the C-TECH facility.

We are partners with them.

I've partnered with many Kern County school systems,

if you would.

And so getting the voice across the community

via social media, yeah, we're picking them up.

Okay, so I love what I just heard

is you're reaching out in a wide swatch

to gain people's appreciation of what you're doing.

How hard is it to talk to superintendents,

guidance counselors, and parents about our industry?

Today, it's not as difficult as one may think, Karm.

It really is accepted.

Today, this wave, title wave, this blue collar title wave,

I really firmly believe it's starting to be,

get talked about much more.

You know, I don't wanna turn anybody away from that, Karm.

I want everybody to know that we need to go talk

to these people and we need to partner with these people

so that we can really reach these communities.

But the one ticket that we've had here

at Xgen Academy, Karm, is we partnered

with the largest social media page in Kern County.

We've partnered with the largest radio station

who hosts a landing page for Xgen Academy.

And that landing page is a KUZZ radio station,

Xgen Academy scholarship sponsored by KUZZ.

It's an information page that they host on their KUZZ.com.

We've partnered with our local television station, KGET.

And KGET has us on their community special segment.

They come out and visit with us.

So, you know, we've really just tried to stretch our wings

in all areas of the community.

I think you bring up some great points

that maybe some of us haven't even realized

that we should be involved with.

Everyone who's in the industry that owns a shop

should be as much of an advocate as you are,

even though they don't have an Xgen educational program,

but just to involve the motoring public

and the professionalism and the need that we have.

It's big.

You know, we've, the industry's set quiet

and it's time we get out.

We're dealing with the second largest investment,

if not the first largest investment

that most people have acquired through their lives.

So, we need to understand the importance of this.

Well, look at, you just said, we've been quiet.

And I think that's a huge takeaway from this episode.

First of all, you woke up one day and said to the wife,

hey, I'm gonna build a school.

And then you started to realize the mountain you had to climb

and then you reversed the funnel, I love it.

But we've been quiet.

Then the reason you're on this show is I just wanna yell

from the top of the mountain that you're doing this,

that it's important and maybe someday

there's an Xgen Academy coming to your town somewhere.

And, or if not, just start to reach out

and stop being quiet.

Let's make some noise.

What else do you wanna tell our listeners

that maybe we haven't covered?

To anybody out there that's listening,

I just, I think it's our duty as shop owners

to recognize from a humble lens what we've been faced with.

I think we need to own it and not just complain,

but more importantly, let's do something about it.

And let's all be a part of this

because I think each and every one of you out there

has the potential to make a difference in our industry.

Very powerful words.

We've gotta own it all over again.

And I think we used to, but we let it go

because who knows why?

I can't even put a button on it, but it doesn't matter.

It's in the past.

We gotta make more noise.

We've gotta own it now.

So look, you gotta keep me apprised of Xgen

and what's going on.

And I know that you've got so much support from Napa.

We're very, very close with the people from Napa.

So I'm gonna probably keep my ear to the ground

on what you're doing.

And maybe someday we're gonna interview some of your students

because I'd love to get their angle on this.

Now you're talking calm.

It's the students.

It's not Chris, the most important component.

Yeah, I know.

I know, exactly.

And I've done this before by interviewed students.

And frankly, it ends up becoming such a hoot episode.

They're great because they're so naive, you know?

And they, yeah, I wanted to do this,

but I didn't know how much fun it would be.

And what are your plans?

What are your goals?

Do you love to work with your hands?

What did you learn that you never knew?

Those are great questions to ask people

because it opens our eyes even bigger

than this episode is opening our eyes.

So find me some students, X-Gen's grads,

and we need to do something again, okay, man?

I look forward to it, Karm.

I'm gonna bookmark that, of course, as you all know,

and I'll be prepared for ya.

I know, I know.

Nevertheless, let me forget, my friend.

All right, thanks.

Chris Mikado, Circle M Tyron Auto, Circle M Truck Repair,

Bakersfield, California,

and the master behind X-Gen Academy.

Thanks for being here, man.

Karm, thanks so much for having me.

Thanks for being on board to listen and learn

from the Premier Automotive Repair Business Podcast,

Remarkable Results Radio.

Get your episodic education on the ARPN listening app

at automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com.

Also enjoy the podcast

on our Karm Capriato YouTube channel.

Karm is all for advancing

the professional automotive service industry.

Until next time.

0:00

34:04

Own the Technician Shortage: How One Shop Owner is Transforming Industry Recruitment [RR 1083]

technician shortage

specialist technicians

Napa Auto Care Center

shop management system

NAPA Tracks

XGen Academy

virtual reality lab

virtual reality simulation

Bay training

modern vehicle technology

carburetor

Napa AutoCare program

digital vehicle inspection

Napa service assistant

Smart Sign

Napa Autotech

Napa AutoCare nationwide peace of mind warranty

Napa credit card

Napa CSI survey

reverse funnel

hydraulic braking system

accreditation

Napa Auto Parts

GPC Genuine Parts Company

apprentice programming

ASC certs

service advisor

GMC

aftermarket shop

lift trucks

four by four trucks

porter

Regional Occupational Center (ROC)

C-TECH facility

About this episode

Original notes