Managing Editor
Noel Wynn

AS I SEE IT
By Noel Wynn

Avoiding the fast track to the bottom

If I surveyed Undercar Review readers on their major concerns for the undercar industry’s future I’m fairly positive that product sales over the internet, the proliferation of cheap imported parts and the lack of skilled staff would be at the top of everyone’s list.

Okay, it’s a free market and those that are doing very well by selling automotive parts and accessories directly to the public via the internet are not breaking any laws, providing, the products they sell are of ‘merchantable’ quality as stipulated by the ACCC. But ultimately, it’s up to either the vehicle owner, who is usually not qualified to do so, or a professional automotive repairer, who has not made a razoo out of the sale, to install the product and ensure that it is working correctly.

Let’s assume you can make enough out of the installation alone to cover the lost profit on the part that was purchased by the vehicle owner off the internet as well as your normal labour hourly-rate profit. But, with the way things are now going, you’ll be struggling to find anyone reasonably qualified and experienced to do the work for you anyway!

The parts manufacturers that are left in Australia are now trying to cope with a shrinking market by producing low-volume items which the overseas manufacturers are not interested in and when this becomes unprofitable we’ll need a parking-lot the size of a football-field to hold the vehicles waiting on parts coming from overseas, that is if they are available at all!

The Government’s answer to the present skills shortage is to reduce the time necessary to train apprentices and trainees and to encourage migration of skilled tradesmen to Australia regardless of how or where their skills were obtained.

I believe the ‘fast-tracking’ of apprentices and trainees, as is currently being proposed, is a ‘fast-track’ to lowering vehicle repair standards and will do little to nothing in lifting the image of our tradespeople and enticing people to join our industry. It’s true, life was not meant to be easy and achievements that are honestly earned, not freely given, are the most rewarding!

Let’s face it, in the real world, what could happen if you allow employers to sign off on the competency of their apprentices and trainees on skills and, more importantly, vital practical experience obtained over a much shorter period of time than what was in the past regarded as the norm? It could lead to underperforming apprentices and trainees being signed off as qualified tradespeople simply to try and move them on to another employer.

I’m not against progress or change and I accept that we are heading for big trouble unless drastic measures are taken. Adopting a much brighter and appealing image for our industry with a focus on vehicle safety and performance should be our priority – the rest will follow as we become more attractive to both customers and the workforce.

As always, your comments on this or any other topic is most welcome using my contact details in the panel to the left.

NOEL WYNN Undercar Review
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