When I opened the hood to my first car, a used 1972 Dodge Dart, I remember thinking, “I can handle this.” The car engine was about as complicated as a lawn mower engine – not very complicated at all – and it was nice and big, with plenty of room to access the parts inside. The car over-heated from time to time, so I had to remember to check the levels in the radiator before I went on a trip. If I didn’t, I could almost be certain that I’d end up on the side of the road with the bottle of water I kept in my back seat for just such emergencies, waiting for things to cool down a bit, so I could open the radiator cap and add more water. As soon as I did that, I’d be happily driving down the road again.
That was then. When I open the hood to my car now, I can barely check the oil or find the spark plugs, much less trust myself to fix even the slightest problem. Cars are loaded with electronics and computers, and the skills needed to fix and repair them require not only technical expertise but problem-solving skills as well. We often focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees as a 4-year college degree, but that’s just not the case anymore.
Through the years, many young people have been attracted to the field of auto mechanics because of a love of cars. They grew up tinkering with engines and motors, took auto shop in high school, and eventually made a career of it. Now, fewer younger people are rushing out to get their drivers’ licenses as soon as they can, a phenomenon some attribute to social networking on the internet. For those not in the millennial generation, cars were the way we got out to socialize. Millennials can simply sit in their room at home and socialize on a network.
Even for those who are interested in cars, shop class is not always an option. High schools are cutting budgets, and shop class is one of the first electives to go because the technology needed to support today’s cars is expensive. And, while transitioning computer skills students have been learning since elementary school may be easy for some, others lack the critical problem-solving and STEM knowledge needed to be successful.
Graduates from technical schools in auto mechanics are seeing a nearly 100% job placement rate, and the Bureau or Labor Statistics expects the field to grow 17% over the next 8 year. Millennials may overlook this field because it might seem menial, but it is not. Even in this current economic situation, becoming an auto mechanic can provide a steady income with real job security. It can be a good alternative for students who do not want to pursue a 4-year STEM degree, but who are still looking for a challenge and a way to put their technical skills and knowledge to work.
The days of do-it-yourself car repair are fading fast. The next generation of auto mechanics requires more than just a jug of water in the back seat. We need to start treating auto mechanics, and perhaps other fields, as valid STEM careers.
The Inclusion Solution is for us to recognize that we need people in a variety of technical careers and all of them do not require advanced degrees. We need to eliminate the negative stigma associated with “blue collar” jobs. The beauty of diversity is just that…an appreciation for diverse skills…diverse choices…diverse career paths. We need them all. Let’s start to value them all.
Very interesting! I never thought of auto mechanic as a STEM career because STEM is normally categorized as higher level careers such as nurses, doctors, scientists, etc. Thanks for the insight.