The automotive aftermarket’s gravitas on this issue is commonly overlooked by publications outside the amazing aftermarket trade media

LAS VEGAS – May 19, 2026 – Bill Hanvey and Emily Poladian recently teamed up to respond to The Wall Street Journal’s coverage of the auto technician shortage. 

Unfortunately, the piece wasn’t considered. 

An editor responded to our submission with the following:

“We aren’t considering this letter for publication. The Journal doesn’t publish letters responding to podcasts, and the article itself was published in January, which is ancient history in newspaper terms.”

We respect their decision. The Journal’s editors are far better qualified than we are to decide what’s fit for print in their publication.

However, the issue itself is still quite timely and relevant. Further, the automotive aftermarket’s gravitas on this issue is commonly overlooked by publications outside the amazing aftermarket trade media. 

So, we are sharing what we submitted below.

The WSJ’s auto technician shortage story is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg

The Journal’s recent podcast on the mechanic shortage (Why People Aren’t Lining Up for This $120,000 Job, based on Christopher Ott’s earlier reporting (The $160,000 Mechanic Job That Ford Can’t Fill) is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. 

While we welcome the awareness such coverage brings, the sole focus on dealerships masks a bigger challenge. Seventy percent of the auto repair capacity in this country rests in the $435 billion U.S. aftermarket, which contributes roughly 2.5% of the GDP, and employs about 3% of the total workforce. 

The issue is also poised to directly impact consumers. Americans own 291 million vehicles and the average age is 12.8 years and climbing – amid record-high new car prices. Simply put, older vehicles need more work. 

This skilled labor shortage risks increasing the cost of repairs and lengthening the turnaround times. If left unaddressed, independent repair shops could be forced to shutter, which would reduce healthy competition and consumer choice.  

What can we do? 

We should start by modernizing what we call the job. Modern vehicles are highly engineered computers on wheels. Fixing them requires technical skills far beyond turning a wrench. They are not just mechanics – they are truly automotive technicians. 

Second, young adults should know that auto techs can earn a comfortable living. Research shows experienced technicians earned a median income of $90,159 in 2024. Still, the story was right that the flat rate pay model does favor efficiency, so we must address living wages for entry-level techs. Smart repair shops address this with an additional baseline hourly wage. 

Third, auto techs learn skills that open many doors to a variety of career paths. The sector includes material suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses, distributors, retailers, and yes, auto techs, who are the last stop along a complex supply chain.  

Anyone who walks the 550,000 square feet of show floor of the annual Automotive Aftermarket Product Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas will find booths staffed by former auto techs working in sales, marketing, operations, and product management, among other roles. 

We’ve told young Americans for decades that a stable career rests in attending a four-year college and learning to move electrons. Today, they are struggling to find jobs. Meanwhile, you could be qualified to move entire atoms in just two years, and there are open positions right now. 

Bill Hanvey is the president and CEO of the Auto Care Association and Emily Poladian is president of MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. The associations co-produce AAPEX.

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AAPEX 2026 will be held from Nov. 3–5, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at The Venetian Expo & AAPEX Forum. See the exhibitor prospectus for exhibiting details. Complimentary passes are available to the media; email: [email protected].

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