Valvoline is breaking down barriers for future auto technicians
Autoblog has interviewed the President and CEO of Valvoline Global Operations, Jamal Muashsher, about the automotive industry’s projected shortage of 4.3 million skilled workers worldwide by 2030, and the predicted 820,000 mechanic shortage in the U.S. by 2028.
Valvoline Global Operations is working to address this gap by pledging $1 million over the next five years to support an estimated 10,000 aspiring mechanics worldwide through training, scholarships, and local engagement programs. Last week, Valvoline Global’s Aspiring Mechanics Program gave students from La Escuela Mexicana de Electricidad (EME), who have received scholarships through the Aspiring Mechanics Program, access to the Formula 1 Aston Martin Aramco team during their Mexico City race week.
“We want to design a program that’s more than just about scholarships or toolboxes, and donations, and the tools that they [students] need to be successful, but the immersive experiences,” Muashsher said. Keep reading for the CEO’s insights on what’s contributing toward a growing shortage of skilled automotive workers, how industry barriers can vary across the world, and more.
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What’s causing the growing shortage of skilled automotive workers?
When asked what could possibly be contributing to the growing shortage of skilled automotive workers, Valvoline Global’s CEO responded: “Probably the most consistent and significant factor is what aspiring technicians face at the start of their careers. So how do you actually get into the field? Whether that’s scholarships and having the opportunity to actually attend and get that higher level of education that’s required, whether it’s the tools that you need to be successful, whether it’s the mentorships and actually understanding the different areas you could take into this field, that’s, I think, the major contributing factor. Understanding the field and the barriers, the real-world barriers that different people have in different parts of the world.”
Muashsher added, “Again, it’s not going to be the same no matter where you are in the world. So, we’ve designed the program as not a one-size-fits-all, but frankly, something that provides flexibility that we learn, continue to learn from, and provide the right resources to address those barriers and obstacles.”
How Valvoline Global’s Aspiring Mechanics Program varies around the world
When describing how Valvoline Global addresses its program’s challenges domestically and internationally, Muashsher explained: “The barrier to entry as far as scholarships, that’s somewhat universal, but I think more importantly, in some areas, it may be the tools. I mean, it’s very expensive when you consider the tools to be a high-end mechanic. In other areas, it may be, what are the different fields I can get into? Is it around automotive? Is it around heavy-duty and diesel? There are different areas people want to learn. Addressing the different range of issues and concerns or aspirations and ambitions people have, that’s what we want to design the program around.”
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How Valvoline Global’s Aspiring Mechanics Program is evolving
The Valvoline Global executive noted how the company’s Aspiring Mechanics Program isn’t static and solely defined by its upfront five-year investment: “It’s also about listening and learning along the way to say, ‘what other things are we hearing from them [participants] that they would like for us to include in these programs?’ And then, ‘how do we make sure we’re working with the right partners to provide those assets?’ Recently, we visited the Hub for Innovative Learning and Leadership here in Lexington, Kentucky, which is one of our partner schools. And in talking to some of the students and talking to some of the teachers there, they want to learn more about the racing side. So they’re building a car, but they would love to get more access to that space. We’re continuing to learn and providing our own resources and teams to be a part of it, but also the right resources to connect them [students] to industry experts.”
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The Aspiring Mechanics program aims to impact at least 10,000 aspiring professionals over the next five years. When asked how Valvoline Global will evaluate the success of its program, Muashsher noted: “Our first goal is we want to make sure we’re maximizing the impact that we have. We want to make sure that we’re continuously checking in with the schools, learning and listening to what their needs may be, learning and tracking the progress of the participants in the programs to see how they’re progressing going forward. That’s an important part of measuring success, [asking] ‘how well are they progressing through the programs? How well are they completing?’ Also [asking], ‘Are there things that we can do more to make sure these programs are successful as we go forward?’”
Final thoughts
Valvoline Global has recognized that changes in mobility, driven by advancements in internal combustion engines and electric vehicles, require technicians to demonstrate a deeper, broader level of expertise, and that the automotive industry is projected to grow by an average of 2.4% by 2030. In turn, the company’s Aspiring Mechanics Program is responding with a unique approach offering immersive experiences like the one with Valvoline’s Formula 1 partner, Aston Martin Aramco, flexibility in addressing worldwide industry barriers, and access to valuable resources and experts.
