Shortage of Appliance Repair folks.

[mattl]

The WP posted an article about the sever shortage of repair personnel now that new appliances are in short or no supply. One of the guys interviewed quit his appliance sales job and took a 3 week repair course on major appliances.  My questions is "3 weeks"? How can you learn more than just the very basic stuff in three weeks. Not someone I want working on my stuff.

 

This is an ongoing problem, but odds are we as a society will go back to disposable appliances once appliances are readily available again.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/road-to-recovery/2020/10/22/appliance-repair-services-pandemic/

 

[warmsecondrinse]

I blame people who don't know much of anything about anything influencing state-wide secondary education.

When I started teaching in the mid 90's my HS had an auto shop program, a horticulture program, and one more I can't recall. Students who took and passed the full range of courses graduated with an industry recognized entry level credential.

Suddenly it became supposedly 'impossible' for anyone, anywhere to get a decent job without a four year college degree. Within a few years those had vanished and the whole school had a college-prep curriculum. The situation was pretty much the same all over New York state. I never did get a coherent explanation as to why this happened.

There seemed to be a vague bias against all of the technical professions. It was like a fog. You could see it from a distance and feel its effects, but when you tried to get a good look at it there was nothing there. For reasons I never learned, it was ok for a HS to have AP classes for college credit for history or biology but not for engineering.

Apparently the world's machinery designs, builds, and repairs itself.

 

[paulg]

Three weeks? What a joke.

When I used to be a trainer, we used to do a three-day seminar on just ONE model of appliance.
Anyone who goes into the field with three week’s worth of training is in for some nasty surprises.

 

[arbilab]

How much training does it take to say "It's not worth fixing, buy a new one"?

 

[DADoES]

 
"The part is no longer available."

 

[gizmo]

"There is nothing wrong with the machine. If you consistently wash 8 kg loads on the 15 minute quick cold cycle, of course it is going to stink."

 

[launderess]

Have been posting about shortage to nearly dire situation of appliance repair persons for some time now.

Miele North America (in particular USA) cannot find enough persons for love nor money apparently. Going by some reviews of appliance repairs the technicians either were out of their depth or otherwise couldn't cope.

Besides having necessary technical and educational aptitude there is a "people person" skill set as well. Either when booking call out and or upon arriving a repair person/service must know how to deal with all sorts of persons in all types of homes.

 

[blackstone]

People Person

Excellent point, about being a "people person." Perhaps this trait is more likely in someone who is self-employed, rather than in an employee. I used to go on calls with my father in our business (self-proprietorship); often the conversation with the customer was longer than the time for the repair. My father would take me on calls when I was as young as 4. I have saved all of the store receipts, going back to the 1950s. I am amazed at how many customers my father had.

Perhaps this is a lost art.

 

[DADoES]

 
This goes along with it.

 

[goatfarmer]

You could learn the basics in 3 weeks. Maybe the new grad goes out with a technician after that.

 

[vacerator]

An hvac tech

told me they have a shirtage as well. I had trouble getting an appointment for one back in August froma large local company. They scheduled me two weeks out. This young man from another came the day I called. he said as older techs are retiring, young people in the 90's didn't go to tech, school, as they want to do more accademic jobs, design video ganes like they were playing, and or the healthcare fields. They don't want heavy, dirty work in attics, etc.
However, I see plenty of independant small vans tooling around with appliance repair on them. When my dad went to electrical school after high school in Pa., he only recieved a ceretificate of completion. He was hired by Sears. The pay, and benefits were good. Better after he transfered up here, as the cost of living was a bit higher. I don't know how the pay and perks are nowwith conpanies like A&E, who contracted for Sears, etc. Perhaps the reason for the shortage of techs. is the incetives to enteer the field fall short from years ago. Seems par for the course for many jobs. However, if you are self employed, you may do better, but, you will still pay more than $700.00 dollars in income tax, unlike someone we've all heard about, even if you cheat a bit. Pigs cheat, hogs go to jail, or at least they should, like Leona Helmsley did.