Article contributed by Rich Malachy, Malachy Parts & Service
It is a topic of discussion across the nation at every single service company and it is not something that can be ignored. Technicians are the life blood of service companies. They are the assets. They are the most important piece of the puzzle to success in any market and they are in high demand.
I may be stating the obvious to many but it’s important that I state these things so the urgency can be understood. In our company, Malachy Parts & Service in NJ, we have some amazing senior technicians that know cooking, refrigeration & dishwashing equipment inside and out. We have some techs that are 45 and older and we have some techs 30 and older. We also have 2 young men straight out of high school that we are training and putting through HVAC School with hopes to get them on a van soon. I was able to speak in front of a local high school and spark the interest of these kids. That is where it has to start!
High School students are unsure what they want to do and college is the number one thing shoved in front of them from early on. When I asked these students if they’ve ever heard of the food equipment service industry, not one hand went up! I’m not bashing college but there are other options and if the kids don’t know about it, they will be missing out on a rewarding, lucrative career! Business owners in the food equipment service industry have to get out to the local high schools and see if there is an opportunity to talk with juniors and seniors. It’s imperative that they know our industry and our companies exist! I was told these kids understand one thing: Money! That’s great, there is a lot of money to be made for the individuals that want to work hard, train and be part of a team. Another big selling point is we are debt free! It’s paid training to learn a skilled trade in high demand!
I believe the next decade is going to change a lot of things in our industry. As senior techs in their 60’s begin to retire and move on, service companies across our country are going to feel it in their performance, numbers and overall company morale. This is serious! When we can’t take care of the customer properly, what will we do? We live in a world of NOW. If our top techs are retiring, our call loads will not be diminishing and we will be struggling to keep up with the demand. Service companies rely greatly on their senior techs for knowledge, expertise and so do their customers.
To the young men and women that may read this, I’m talking directly to you. Our industry is big, strong and looking for new talent. It’s debt free, paid training, 401K + employer Match, Top medical Benefits plus you get a van, gas card, EZ Pass, which means it costs you ZERO DOLLARS to come to work. The technology is here too! More and more manufacturers are creating smart equipment and kitchens of the future. That means new training and companies like mine across North America are part of an association called CFESA. The world headquarters in Fort Mill, SC, is host to various manufacturer trainings throughout the year.
This is very important to the next generation of training. This is a career that involves helping people get back to business. What we do is important and the conversation has to start and continue to be talked about on bigger stages!
I’m creating one across my channels and welcome anyone that would like to be on my vlog or podcast to reach out and keep the talk going. You can find me on youtube.com/malachytv or on Linkedin, Instagram and facebook @RichMalachy.
