Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2023 64 A s a teenager, two of my favorite classes were shop and woodworking. I learned the basics of engines, power tools, lathes, and the importance of plans and blueprints. Where would we be as a society, if we weren't familiar with the tools and opportunities within our reach? Yet, sadly, there's been a steady decline in education in shop skills and the trades. As manufacturers, distributors, service companies, and trade organizations, we need to help stem the resulting erosion of our trades. For starters, we need a different model for our education system. In the 1980s and '90s the Department of Education pushed the narrative that young people needed a four-year college diploma to be considered successful and have a high perceived value in our culture. This pervasive theme continues to impact our schools today, with a corresponding decline in high school trade education, and funds being shifted to IT-related courses and sports programs. We've also started to see a decline in technical colleges. As manufacturing has moved overseas, many skilled trade jobs have seen a steep decline. Fast forward thirty or forty years, and we'll realize the enormous impact this trend will have had on our country's manufacturing capacity and our economic output as a whole. Having worked in the appliance service and parts industry for most of my career, I've noticed that the need for trained technicians across the country has steadily grown. Many companies in the appliance manufacturing, distribution, and service sectors have tried to address the education gap by offering training programs, classes, and after- training job paths. Industry organizations such as the Professional Servicers Association and United Appliance Servicers Association are helping service companies with continuing education and by assembling peer groups and maintaining libraries of technical data. Here at Reliable Parts – an authorized appliance parts distributor – we offer a variety of monthly classes on a range of brands and appliance types. While the classes are terrific for closing knowledge gaps and offering continuing education and new-product intros, they don't address the need to get the word out to our young adults about this line of economic opportunity. I feel this is where we, as an industry, could have the greatest impact for each minute and dollar invested. We need to start by addressing the root cause of the problem and work our way forward. Years ago, I was introduced to SkillsUSA, an organization that targets young high school grads. You may have heard the Dirty Jobs narrator, Mike Rowe, discuss this organization. SkillsUSA is a nonprofit that focuses on improving the quality of America's skilled work force through a structured program of leadership, employability, and technical and professional skills training. The SkillsUSA RCAT Program (Residential and Commercial Appli- ance Technology) is a comprehensive appliance service training program supported by a technical committee of manufacturers, parts distributors, training organizations, appliance marketing organizations, trade associations, national service organizations, and independent service companies. RCAT starts, manages, and maintains support for technician education and training programs in schools across America. As a 501c nonprofit, SkillsUSA and RCAT depend on donations to operate, and every dollar goes directly to the growth of young minds. While Reliable Parts has contributed to the industry by donating to various organizations and community projects, we haven't focused on who our business owners and technicians will be in five or 10 years. Reliable Parts has decided to set an example in a BIG way! For 2023 and moving forward, Reliable will focus on the appliance service technology gap, starting with a $10,000 donation that will allow SkillsUSA to expand the number of schools offering RCAT programs. The funds will be used for marketing, advertising, travel to schools, curriculum development, video creation, event sponsorships to promote RCAT, and to work with the Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics on changing the occupational outlook of the appliance service industry. At Reliable, we're eager to raise the stakes and challenge other manufacturers, distributors, service organizations, and service companies to join the cause. Your donations will be extremely helpful, and SkillsUSA RCAT Chairman Greg Doster and Co-chairman Mark Pollitz will be very grateful for your help. I would like to invite appliance service companies, manufacturers, distributors, appliance sales organizations, and technicians to commit to visit their local high school's annual job fair to demonstrate the skillsets needed and help young people understand the benefits of a service career. Please join me in advancing this challenge in every town across America! S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T Besor Fayas Vice President of Sales- Reliable Parts RO INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

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