OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE ALTERNATIVE FUELS & ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES JULY 2014 BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS AND DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS INTRODUCTION A number of factors are driving growth in sectors related to alternative fuels and vehicles. These include legislative policies, such as air pollution regulations and state incentives to increase the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, as well as market factors, such as reducing the United States dependence on foreign oil. Other factors impacting the adoption of alternative fuels and vehicles is environmental awareness on the part of consumers, who may be trying to cut their impact on global warming along with saving money. Meanwhile, new technological innovations continue to drive expansion. Since this area is rapidly evolving, the California Energy Commission (Energy Commission) and the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence set out to conduct a statewide study to examine occupations related to alternative fuels and vehicles. Key findings include projected employment, the skills and education most in demand by employers, and an analysis of community colleges with programs relevant to this area. Quantitative and qualitative employment data were gathered, and focus groups along with a statewide workforce survey of employers were conducted. Research objectives included identifying key occupations, measuring current employment related to alternative fuels and vehicles, and projecting future job growth. The study also sought to identify hiring challenges and the skills most in demand, and analyze how community colleges prepare workers for these fields. 1
ABOUT THE OCCUPATION Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engine. This occupation includes mechanics [and specialists] working primarily with heavy duty vehicles that are gradually being replaced with more fuel-efficient vehicles. They are employed by fleets, auto shops and dealerships, and work with a range of vehicle types, such as those that run on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or propane. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists can be referred to by a variety of different job titles: bus mechanic, diesel mechanic, diesel technician, fleet mechanic, general repair mechanic, trailer mechanic, transit mechanic, and truck mechanic. A number of factors are driving growth for occupations that work with alternative fuels and vehicles. For example, the automotive industry as a whole is moving towards a larger share of alternative fuels vehicles in their fleets due to air quality mandates. In addition, because technologies are continuously evolving and the industries are still taking shape, there is demand for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists that have expertise related to multiple types of alternative fuel vehicles. There are a number of specialized certifications for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists for example, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) offers certification for master medium and heavy truck technicians, master school bus technicians, and master truck equipment technicians. Certification is also available for specific categories of truck repair, such as drivetrains, brakes, suspension, electrical and electronic systems, and preventive maintenance and inspection. Applicants must pass one or more exams and present proof of two years of relevant work experience in order qualify for one of these five-year renewable certifications. 2
EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES The study sought to measure employment for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists among two different groups of employers: dealerships and auto shops, and fleets. AUTO SHOPS & DEALERSHIPS EMPLOYMENT Of the estimated 2,700 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists statewide who currently work for dealerships and auto shops, about 48% of them (1,300) work on alternative fuel vehicles. TABLE 1 - EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS FOR AUTO SHOPS AND DEALERSHIPS IN CALIFORNIA OCCUPATION 2014 JOBS 2015 JOBS CHANGE % CHANGE BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/ DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS VACATED POSITIONS IN LAST 12 MOS. 2,700 3,000 300 9% 400 FLEET EMPLOYMENT Although their overall employment of the five occupational categories is lower, fleets employ the same number of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists as auto shops and dealerships. There are an estimated 2,000 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists employed by fleets, and 70% of them work on alternative fuel vehicles. The sector is not expected to add any new bus and truck mechanic and diesel engine specialist positions over the next year but will likely have a need to fill existing positions as they are vacated. TABLE 2 - EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS FOR FLEETS IN CALIFORNIA OCCUPATION 2014 JOBS 2015 JOBS CHANGE % CHANGE BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/ DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS VACATED POSITIONS IN LAST 12 MOS. 2,000 2,000 0 0% 300 WAGES Earnings vary widely by individual, FIGURE 1 - HOURLY AND ANNUAL WAGES IN CALIFORNIA $27.75 $57,726 employer and occupation. Reviewing a wage range is advisable as shown below, the 25th percentile wage may resemble more entry-level earnings while the median and 75th percentile wages might reflect those paid to a more experienced worker. $22.69 $47,189 $18.05 $37,544 HOURLY WAGES ANNUAL WAGES Source: Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI), 2014 25TH PERCENTILE MEDIAN (50TH PERCENTILE) 75TH PERCENTILE 3
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS Employers were asked about the level of education they are looking for when hiring bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. More than half of employers require a high school diploma while 18% prefer the completion of some college, and only 4% require an associate degree. TABLE 3 - MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS AND DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS OCCUPATION NONE H.S. SOME COLLEGE ASSOCIATE DEGREE BACHELOR S DEGREE OTHER* DON T KNOW BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/ DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS (N=96) 3% 52% 18% 4% - 20% 3% *In the other category, responses included automotive technical school (such as UTI or WyoTech), industry certifications (such as ASE and Chrysler), and labor union training. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING On-the-job training is common. For example, dealerships usually provide a specialized training program for new hires. Manufacturers may provide online or in-person courses at factory training centers. Some companies send their workers to community colleges to update their training and/or certifications. Other workers update their skills through vehicle manufacturers/original equipment manufacturers and courses offered through parts stores, part distributors and manufacturers. Attrition is low among mechanics, with many on staff for more than 10 years, indicating that the training invested in mechanics by employers may be well worth it. A two-year degree from an automotive program is preferred for entry-level workers if they have no previous work experience. Our new mechanics shadow the more experienced mechanics. This allows us to save money and have them learn all of our vehicles and equipment on the job. Fleet Manager 4
CERTIFICATIONS IN DEMAND The overall response from employers indicated that while certifications are of great significance to some occupations, particularly automotive service technicians and master mechanics, they are not as important for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. Of those employers surveyed, 35% require ASE certifications, and 26% require manufacturer certifications. Focus groups revealed that there are a number of additional certifications that are important if the mechanic/specialist will be performing certain services or working on specific vehicles. Specialized certifications include smog certification, diesel certification, and natural gas tank inspection certification. TABLE 4 - PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS INDICATING WHETHER CERTIFICATION IS NECESSARY FOR EMPLOYMENT (MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ALLOWED) OCCUPATION AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCEL- LENCE (ASE) CERTIFICATIONS MANUFACTURER CERTIFICATIONS OTHER BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/ DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS (N=96) 35% 26% 34% MINIMUM WORK EXPERIENCE There is very low attrition among bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists for fleets, dealerships and auto shops. However, the amount of work experience required for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists is significant. Of the employers surveyed, 41% require four or more years of related experience and almost half (48%) require at least one to three year of experience. If an applicant does not have work experience, then a degree or certificate from a community college or private educational institution (such as Universal Technical Institute (UTI) or WyoTech) is an asset. FIGURE 2 - MINIMUM WORK EXPERIENCE NECESSARY BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS 3% 7% 48% 41% NO WORK EXPERIENCE 1 TO 3 YEARS OF RELATED EXPERIENCE LESS THAN 12 MONTHS OF RELATED EXPERIENCE 4 OR MORE YEARS OF RELATED EXPERIENCE 5
HIRING PRACTICES LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY FINDING WORKERS Employers reported widespread difficulty in hiring bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists with 39% of employers reporting great difficulty and nearly half experiencing some difficulty. This may be because this occupation requires a higher degree of specialization and training than other occupations. FIGURE 3 - DIFFICULTY HIRING BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS/DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS 13% 49% 39% NO DIFFICULTY SOME DIFFICULTY GREAT DIFFICULTY When it comes to recruiting bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, 71% of employers promote from within, 65% advertise online, and 28% recruit from a competitor. Because of the highly specialized nature of this occupation and the low attrition rate it follows that the large majority of recruitment happens internally. FIGURE 4 - EMPLOYER HIRING PRACTICES FOR BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS AND DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS (MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ALLOWED) 71% 65% 28% 25% 18% PROMOTE FROM WITHIN ADVERTISE ONLINE RECRUIT FROM COMPETITOR RECRUIT FROM APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM RECRUIT FROM TRADE ASSOCIATION OTHER: 7% NONE: 5% 6
SKILLS IN DEMAND The study aimed to identify specific skills that bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists need for each type of alternative fuel vehicle: flex fuel, natural gas, hybrid electric and all electric. While safety was a major concern for employers of master mechanics and automotive service technicians, it was not ranked as highly for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists for some alternative fuel vehicles. Instead, knowledge of various systems used for alternative fuel vehicles ranked as very important by employers. For flex fuel vehicles, the ability to diagnose engine problems, knowledge of fuel injection systems, and knowledge of fuel storage and flex fuel properties were ranked as very important skills. For natural gas vehicles, knowledge of types of containers used for CNG, knowledge of inspection requirements, and the ability to diagnose engine management systems were ranked as very important skills. For hybrid electric vehicles, understanding of safety aspects was deemed the most important skill. Knowledge of repair protocol, knowledge of high voltage power supplies, and the ability to diagnose engine management systems were also considered very important by employers. For all electric vehicles, understanding of safety aspects was also deemed the most important skill. Knowledge of integration of high voltage power supplies and repair protocols were also ranked as very important skills for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. Most of our mechanics have been on the job for many years and do not have the skills to work on alternative fuels. Fleet Manager 7
TABLE 5 - SKILLS IN DEMAND FOR BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS AND DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS CLUSTER AND SKILL VERY SOMEWHAT NOT DON T KNOW FLEX FUELS (N=64) DIAGNOSE ENGINE PROBLEMS 64% 28% 8% 0% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF FUEL STORAGE AND DELIV- ERY COMPONENTS 55% 34% 11% 0% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF FLEX-FUEL PROPERTIES FOR OPTIMAL VEHICLE PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS, EMISSION REGULATIONS AND DIESEL EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS 53% 34% 11% 2% 1% 58% 34% 8% 0% 0% NATURAL GAS (N=62) DIAGNOSE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROBLEMS 63% 26% 11% 0% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF INSPECTION REQUIRE- MENTS, TESTS AND PROCEDURES 73% 26% 2% 0% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF TYPES OF CONTAINERS USED FOR CNG 87% 10% 3% 0% 0% UNDERSTANDING OF SAFETY ASPECTS 54% 31% 14% 1% 0% HYBRID ELECTRIC (N=80) DIAGNOSE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 59% 25% 14% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIALIZED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS 54% 31% 14% 1% 0% UNDERSTANDING OF SAFETY ASPECTS 76% 16% 6% 1% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF REPAIR PROTOCOL 61% 25% 10% 4% 0% ABILITY TO UTILIZE SPECIAL DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT 57% 30% 8% 5% 0% UNDERSTANDING OF REGENERATIVE BRAK- ING SYSTEMS 51% 28% 16% 5% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF INTEGRATION OF HIGH VOLTAGE POWER SUPPLIES 59% 26% 11% 3% 1% KNOWLEDGE OF PHEV BATTERIES 45% 29% 19% 4% 4% KNOWLEDGE OF AC ELECTRIC MOTORS 48% 33% 18% 3% 0% 8
TABLE 5 - SKILLS IN DEMAND FOR BUS AND TRUCK MECHANICS AND DIESEL ENGINE SPECIALISTS cont. CLUSTER AND SKILL VERY SOMEWHAT NOT DON T KNOW ALL ELECTRIC (N=42) DIAGNOSE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 57% 29% 12% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIALIZED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS 55% 33% 10% 2% 0% UNDERSTANDING OF SAFETY ASPECTS 76% 17% 5% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF REPAIR PROTOCOL 60% 29% 10% 2% 0% ABILITY TO UTILIZE SPECIAL DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT 57% 31% 10% 2% 0% UNDERSTANDING OF REGENERATIVE BRAK- ING SYSTEMS 55% 31% 12% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF INTEGRATION OF HIGH VOLTAGE POWER SUPPLIES 67% 24% 7% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES 57% 31% 10% 2% 0% KNOWLEDGE OF AC ELECTRIC MOTORS 57% 29% 12% 2% 0% OTHER SKILLS IDENTIFIED BY EMPLOYERS In addition to repair and maintenance, bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists are tasked with a number of other responsibilities. These include troubleshooting to determine problems and solutions for malfunctioning vehicles, proficiency with diagnostic equipment, and operation monitoring, which entails watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. According to O*Net Online, the most common tasks conducted by bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists are inspecting brake systems, steering mechanisms, and wheel bearings; using tools and precision instruments to perform routine maintenance and repair; adjusting and relining vehicle components; inspecting vehicles for safety; and test driving trucks and buses to diagnose malfunctions or to ensure that they are working properly. 9
TRAINING PROGRAMS There is strong evidence that the capacity for training workers for the alternative fuel vehicle and advanced transportation sector is expanding throughout California. Related training programs already exist at 68 California Community Colleges and two for-profit technical institutes. The pipeline from automotive programs in secondary schools (K-12) to community colleges appears strong, yet only a fraction of programs have formal articulation agreements with postsecondary institutions. Training program highlights include: Alternative fuels programs are still a small subset of offerings within general automotive programs at California Community Colleges (Colleges). Of the 68 Colleges with general automotive technology programs, eight include approved programs with an alternative fuels focus. Both general automotive technology and alternative fuels technology programs have been growing in number, even as overall statewide enrollment at community colleges has decreased. Between 2010-2011 and 2012-2013, general automotive technology program awards (degrees and certificates) nearly doubled, increasing from 1,420 to 2,558. In the same time period, alternative fuels awards increased from one to 70. In addition to the eight colleges that offer alternative fuels programs, another 25 colleges offer alternative fuels coursework even though they do not have an official approved Chancellor s Office alternative fuels programs. This finding indicates that a large number of colleges might be poised to expand their programs to offer specific alternative fuels degrees and certificates. There are 29 Colleges with automotive technology programs that have formal pathways and articulation agreements with 134 high schools, unified school districts, and Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCP) throughout the state. However, there is evidence that many more informal relationships exist. In California, for the school year 2012-2013, WyoTech and Universal Technical Institute (UTI) awarded 3,521 degrees and certificates in the general automotive field. 10
IN SUMMARY The occupation of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists has a more optimistic outlook among auto shops and dealerships. Within this sector, the occupation is expected to expand by 9%. However, within the fleets sector, the occupation is projected to remain stagnant. Fleet representatives who participated in focus groups reported that it was relatively easy to find qualified applicants for open positions and noted there was an abundance of applicants for entry-level positions. They attributed this to the recession as many companies eliminated or downsized their fleets and employment proportionately. Additionally, more stringent air quality mandates and restrictions on diesel may be affecting demand for this occupation. Employers with fleets reported that they are replacing diesel vehicles with compressed natural gas, propane, and diesel hybrid vehicles. The occupation of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists will likely rebound as businesses and government agencies begin to expand their fleets again. Fleets with medium and heavy duty vehicles are increasingly comprised of alternative fuel vehicles, such as those that run on compressed natural gas. Focus group participants said they particularly value certifications in diesel/verified diesel emission control, CNG/tank inspection, smog inspection, and any other certifications required by government agencies. As alternative fuel vehicles proliferate, there is expected to be an increased need for additional training and certification for mechanics. Safety ranks very highly among employer concerns for natural gas, hybrid electric, and all-electric vehicles. Likewise, computer diagnostic abilities and knowledge of specialized electronic equipment are highly valued by employers. It is recommended that community colleges tailor programs to meet employer demand for these skill sets. 11
SOURCES Data sources used for the study include the California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office Datamart, the COE Employer Survey 2014, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This occupational profile is one in a series of workforce reports on alternative fuels and advanced transportation in California; funding for the series was provided by the Alternative and Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Technology Program of the California Energy Commission. The series was produced by the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research. Read more at www. coeccc.net/transportation. 12