february2021 - 25

" At the time of graduation, they would either go
full-time in the dealership or go on to that dealer's
specific manufacturer training program at a local
community college, " Arrants notes.
The standards for the TMC apprenticeship
program are still under development but are
planned to be made available to TMC member
companies for free at the upcoming annual meeting later this year,
Jackson says. The standards
will be presented as a TMC
Recommended Practice (RP)
which will include an outline
for implementing an apprenticeship program into fleet
maintenance operations.
Included in the standards
will be parameters such as
a work process schedule,
instruction outlines, an application for the apprentice,
minimum qualifications, an
employer acceptance agreement, and more. There is also
a calendar which includes
a " check-off list, " Jackson
explains, which serves as a
monthly record to track an
apprentice's progress to help
ensure they are gaining valuable experience and not being
pigeonholed into select tasks.

important piece in establishing a successful
mentorship program. The decision should come
from more than a technician's proficiency in
maintenance tasks, but also their ability to
navigate the shop in more ways than turning
the wrench.
" They've got to like working with young people, "
Arrants states. " If they're already in scouting, or

they're in Little League, or they're in a church
group, those are the types of people who already
like working with youth. "
Working with younger employees, the mentor
has a critical role. " The mentor is to guide the
intern through the maze of minutia that goes on
in that shop, " Arrants adds. " At the same time,
when they're doing their hands-on [work], they

DEPENDABLE. SAFE.
LONG LASTING.

The mentor

Both Jackson and Arrants
agree that the lynchpin of a
successful apprenticeship
program is the mentor.
" The first thing you have
to realize as an employer
is whether your facility is
ready to take on an intern or
an apprentice, " Arrants says.
" If your shop is caustic and
the environment is caustic,
there's no reason to bring on a
young individual that is excited about this career, because
you're just going to eat them
alive and spit them out. "
You have to make sure that
your facility and your organization are ready and able to
take that individual, Arrants
adds. If it is, the most difficult
and important decision you
will have to make is who is
going to be that mentor.
" The most important part
is to have somebody who is
mentor material, " Jackson says.
She explains that the TMC
Technician Apprenticeship
Standards also include details
on what makes a good mentor.
Selecting who will be the
mentor is a crucial decision and arguably the most

At Gray Manufacturing, we don't just build jacks
and truck lifts; we build solutions. From the
exceptional quality of our products to our focus
on assisting customers after the sale, every part
of our business is designed to serve you.
Give us a call at 800-821-7320 today!

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February 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com

25
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february2021

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