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What Does It Take to Become an A-Tech in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry? [THA 329]
Episode 329 • 25th May 2023 • Remarkable Results Radio Podcast • Carm Capriotto, AAP
00:00:00 00:53:37

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What does it take to become an A-Tech in the automotive aftermarket industry? Scot Manna, Matt Fanslow, and Ryan Kooiman share their perspectives, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, individual effort, and natural talent. They also discuss the role of shop owners in investing in their employees' training and development, as well as the challenges faced by the industry in assessing skill levels. The episode provides valuable insights into becoming an A-Tech and how the industry can support and cultivate talent.




Scot Manna, Trainer, ACDelco Technician of the Millennium. Scot’s previous episodes HERE.


Matt Fanslow, lead diagnostician and shop manager, Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN. Matt’s previous episodes HERE


Matt Fanslow Podcast: Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z


Ryan Kooiman, Director of Training, Standard Motor Products. Ryan’s previous episodes HERE.


Show Notes:





  • Watch Video Episode HERE


  • Importance of Individual Effort and Natural Talent (00:04:21)
  • Ryan Kooiman discusses the importance of individual effort and natural talent in becoming an A-tech.


  • Being a Perpetual Student (00:02:51)
  • The importance of being a forever perpetual student and committed to being at the top of your craft.


  • Opportunity and Drive (00:05:17
  • The importance of opportunity and drive in becoming an A-tech and how it can lead to personal growth and experience.


  • Investing in Training (00:07:18)
  • The importance of investing in training for technicians and how it benefits both the individual and the shop.


  • The Determination and Motivation of an A-tech (00:10:28)
  • Matt Fanslow describes the qualities of an A-tech, including determination and self-motivation, and how they seek out training opportunities.


  • The Importance of Training and Shop Culture (00:11:11)
  • Training and shop culture is important in developing A-techs, including the need for mentoring and a supportive work environment.


  • Different Gifts and Skill Sets of Technicians (00:13:06)
  • How can a shop assemble a team with a good blend of abilities and a supportive culture?


  • The importance of individual effort and natural talent (00:14:50)
  • The role of individual effort and natural talent in becoming an A-tech, and how it can be recognized and cultivated by management.


  • Networking and sharing knowledge (00:17:31)
  • The importance of networking and sharing knowledge with other technicians in the industry to become an A-tech.


  • Levels of Supervision (00:21:52)
  • The history of the A, B, C technician designations and how they relate to levels of supervision, as well as the potential use case for assigning work based on technician skill level.


  • Mentoring for Succession (00:24:11)
  • The importance of mentoring individuals to take over for lead technicians in the future and the possibility of a new way to assess skill levels in the industry.


  • The Importance of Experience (00:27:10)
  • The value of experience in the automotive aftermarket industry, using case studies and trial and error to learn from mistakes.


  • The Role of Individual Effort in Becoming an A-tech (00:28:03)
  • The importance of individual effort and experience in becoming an A-tech, using the example of Michael Jordan's dedication to practice.


  • Learning from Mistakes (00:24:37)
  • The challenges of answering complex diagnostic questions and the importance of learning from mistakes and experience in becoming an A-tech.


  • Creating an Environment for Success (00:31:12)
  • How to cultivate an environment that can help technicians achieve their top potential.


  • Importance of Mentoring (00:34:41)
  • The importance of having a mentor, networking, and finding a coach to help young technicians learn from their mistakes.


  • Reading Comprehension (00:37:17)
  • The importance of reading for leisure to develop reading comprehension skills, which are essential for understanding service information and diagrams.


  • Learning from Mistakes (00:36:05)


  • Investing in Tuition (00:38:56)
  • The importance of investing in training and education for employees and the productivity benefits for the shop.


  • Virtual vs. Live Training (00:41:11)
  • The panelists discuss the pros and cons of virtual and live training, with live training being the preferred method for complex topics and networking opportunities.


  • Networking (00:46:26)


  • Learning from Peers (00:47:19)


  • Building self-awareness and confidence (00:48:50)
  • The importance of building self-awareness, self-confidence, and career assurance to become a successful A-tech.


  • Documenting work in the bay (00:50:45)
  • The importance of documenting work in the bay, using tools like PowerPoint and phone cameras to capture information and data.


  • Commitment to learning (00:52:32)
  • The commitment to learning and investing in professional development, both for shop owners and technicians, to build a culture of learning and keep people in the industry.



Thanks to our Partners Shop-Ware and Delphi Technologies


Shop-Ware: More Time. More Profit. Shop-Ware Shop Management getshopware.com


Delphi Technologies: Keeping current on the latest vehicle systems and how to repair them is a must for today’s technicians. DelphiAftermarket.com


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