The Need For Instrument Repair Apprenticeships
I received a hand written letter that asked, “When would you like me to show up for work?” This is how I was introduced to Glen, a technician who had 30 years of experience, so I grabbed a pen, a fresh piece of paper and wrote back, “How about Tuesday?”
Does his letter seem audacious? It’s not. Glen knew that as a repair technician, he could show up to any music store anywhere in the world and get a job.
Technicians are in such short supply. When I finished my own apprenticeship, I sent out 27 resumes and received 31 job offers from different companies! How, you rightfully ask? As store owners we chat a bit and I image the conversation went something like, ‘Did you hear about the tech looking for a job?’ ‘What!? No… give me his info; at lest one of us should hire him!’
There is a worldwide shortage of instrument repair technicians. In fact, at the NAMM show one year, I attended an industry group meeting with 41 businesses represented, the 41st being new to the group and was given the opportunity to introduce themselves. During this introduction, they asked if anyone knew of a repair tech looking for a job; we all laughed... and they thought we were being rude. The president of this organization, to help educate this new store owner, asked for a show of hands for anyone NOT currently paying for a job ad looking for a technician. Only 1 hand went up, and he said he’s actively looking but not paying. Every store needs a tech right now.
Why is there such a shortage of technicians? I propose there are two reasons:
As an industry, we’re doing a terrible job promoting instrument repair as a viable career path, and
Because there is a shortage of learning opportunities.
Promoting Your Technician Need
When, as a store owner myself, I had too much of any inventory item sitting on my shelf, I made efforts to advertise this product. I would film a social media post, I’d send out an email to my list, I’d print signs and post them in my store and front window, I’d send my road reps out with a flyer to schools, and if necessary, I’d even start discounting the price. I made sure that item would move.
Why don’t we promote our need for repair technicians in the same way? We need to collectively stand on our soap box and preach the need for technicians. We need to wave the flag calling this type of person to the cause. We need to actively promote instrument repair as a viable career path!
Film a short video showing the day and life of your repair techs using their skilled hands to bang away on instruments with the music turned up in the shop. Show them lighting a torch, melting glue onto pads, running a lathe, buffing a key to a shine, and be sure to include the smiling face of a happy customer who just got their broken instrument back in one piece again (something I still need to add). You don’t even have to allow the technician to speak a word (if you’re scared of that) just show the work being done and add some words over the top asking if you’d like to make this your mission in life.
We’ve all heard the complaints about how kids “these days” have less drive to work and only want to save the world when they do. Parents are pulling their hair out trying to motivate their kids to move out of their house and get a job! I say, send an email to these parents and give their young adults a path! Tell them how every store is looking for repair technicians. Tell them how they can save the day one repair at a time and then make this into a flyer for your reps to hand out at every school! When you show enough people the path to success through instrument repair, you’ll attract who you’re looking for.
Create Learning Opportunities
Signs go up when we need a sales person, but have you ever seen a sign reading, “Repair Tech Needed” hanging in the front window?
There is a lack of confidence in store owners to train technicians with needed repair skills… but somehow we claim to have the ability to train sales staff how to engage with customers, how they can deal with buying objections, to upsell, maintain profitability, merchandise, ask for the close, and get referrals. There is a training barrier in store owners and this leads to a lack of self confidence to train technicians. This lacking confidence has significantly added to our industry’s technician shortage.
Every store with a technician has the ability to set up their own apprenticeship program. Sending someone off to an existing program is a viable option. Doing so is costly, perhaps a bit risky and is yet another hurdle for a potential technician to overcome, but if you could offer training to someone who’s already local to you, who has family and friends in your area, who has a relationship with area musicians already, then you’re off to a much better start! Instead of recruiting someone to your area, someone with no bonds and who will be a potential flight risk, recruit your own techs from locals, train them well and keep them for life.
Setting up your own apprenticeship will take some effort. Yes, you will have to spend time with your technician to build this, but you can do it. The first thing you’ll need is a plan that covers not only the training of this new tech, but how to compensate your current tech for doing so.
Be sure to read my article on lost productivity to understand how much training someone new will affect your current tech’s output. If you don’t have a grasp on much training will affect your current staff, no one will be happy with any compensation plan you come up with. Once you understand how to pay your tech for their training time, you’ll need a game plan for the training itself.
Spend some time discussing a training plan with your current tech. This is going to take some time so be willing to invest significant time in this project. You need to help them discover, in their own mind, what the foundational skills are. How do you determine if someone has the mechanical skills necessary for instrument repair? What safety things do they need to learn on day one? What projects can they do right away that are a benefit to the shop and their learning? How do you teach principles or concepts rather than simply step by step instructions? Sorting out a game plan is essential to the success of your apprenticeship.
One option you have is to partner with Repair Masterclass for these training materials. Our online training courses cover a very wide range of skill development and start with a proven groundwork of skills that build upon themselves. Brass, woodwind and string instrument repairs are all covered in the Repair Tech Level 3 course and this course is used alongside your current technician. Our materials offer a guide and foundational knowledge for your apprentice to learn from. They take this knowledge to your inventory and, under the guidance of your current tech, they put this new knowledge to work. Several live, online training sessions are available so your staff, your new tech and I can discuss their progress and establish a better game plan or answer any questions they may have. It’s like consulting, but with a more practical focus.
To fix the global shortage of repair technicians, every store needs to advertise their need for repair technicians and recruit local talent. Providing the option of a local apprenticeship is not only necessary, but it can be cost effective and quickly rolled out.
If you’re not interested in providing your own apprenticeship but need a place to train your local talent, consider one of the following options. Study these well, make phone calls and learn what each of these options offers so you can wisely put each future tech in a situation that best fits them. If you have further questions, be sure to reach out to me so I can be of service.
