Training is the top action aftermarket businesses are taking to attract and retain talent, according to a recent survey; AAPEX offers a range of free and premium training

LAS VEGAS – June 16, 2026 – Talent shortages hit businesses in two ways – recruiting and retention – and both issues rank among the top challenges facing the aftermarket, according to a recent survey published by AAPEX.

Respondents to the State of the Automotive Aftermarket Survey, which polled U.S. and Canadian-based aftermarket businesses, ranked “attracting skilled talent” (36%) second on the list of the industry’s top challenges. Similarly, “retaining talent” ranked fourth (26%) on the same list. 

While auto technicians are a big part of the shortage for repair shops, the survey included respondents from all aspects of the industry: suppliers, manufacturers, remanufacturers, distributors, retailers, and more. That goes to show that, in the aftermarket, the labor shortage stretches into other skilled trade crafts.  

Training is a key solution to the talent crunch

The industry knows it’s a problem, so the next logical step is to figure out how to solve it. To that end, the survey also posed this question to respondents:

• Which of the following actions has your business taken to alleviate the strain caused by the shortage of skilled labor?

Respondents were presented with a list of 13 answer options, including “other,” and asked to select all answers that were applicable in their organization. As the graphic nearby suggests, training is at the top of the list of solutions. 

It’s not an isolated finding either. The 2026 Voice of the Technician Report by WrenchWay and ASE revealed that 66% of the 5,500 auto techs they surveyed said they look for employers that offer paid training. 

AAPEX has the training your team needs

If training is part of your organization’s talent strategy, then be sure to check out the wide range of free and premium training sessions offered by AAPEX. World-class instructors will provide hands-on training at the show this November.

The event currently has dozens of sessions on the training schedule with more to be added soon. Examples of the technical sessions on the schedule include the following:

• Vehicle Game Plans – Mastering Your Diagnostic Skills with Jerry “G” Truglia
  
• Engine Mechanical Diagnosis with Electronic Equipment with Eric Ziegler
  
• ADAS Made Easy for Counter Professionals with Richard Falco
  
• Charging Pains and Battery Drains for EVs and I.C.E. with David Hobbs

Premium sessions like these are priced at $150 each – or buy two sessions and get one free.

Joe’s Garage Online Free Education Series

Separately, AAPEX is also proud to sponsor Joe’s Garage Online Free Education Series produced by Babcox Media. It’s a 12-part webinar series you can watch live – or catch the recording and learn at your own pace.

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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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