The need for qualified service technicians is well documented in the construction and rental industries. Almost every equipment dealer has machinery that needs service or repair. The situation is so desperate that it has been reported that a multi-branch dealer in Texas currently has a need for more than 100 technicians. While the shortage of service technicians is readily identifiable, the solution to the problem isn't as easy as it may seem. That is, maybe, until now.

The creation of the Fabtech Education Center in Oshkosh, Wis., is a unique example of how cooperation between an equipment dealer and an educational institution can create a partnership that not only works toward solving an industry problem, but also helps young people discover a rewarding career path. The Center was established by FABCO Equipment and Fox Valley Technical College to train students on how to service construction equipment and to give them the opportunity for a good career upon completing the program.

FABCO is a Caterpillar equipment and engine dealer that also offers a wide variety of rental equipment including aerial work platforms manufactured by JLG Industries, an Oshkosh Corp. company. FABCO has 23 facilities in Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. The company employs nearly 600 people, 250 of which are skilled service technicians. With normal personnel turnover and company growth, FABCO needs to hire 20 to 25 qualified service technicians annually. Because conventional recruiting was not generating enough qualified candidates, FABCO and FVTC created Fabtech Education Center to develop entry-level technicians.

To acquaint potential applicants with the Fabtech program, representatives from FABCO's human resources department contact high school guidance counselors and speak to students at high schools with a technical orientation curriculum. They also participate in events such as the World Dairy Exposition in Madison, Wis., where young people with a “hands-on/get it done” aptitude are involved.

Enrollment in the Fabtech program entails an application form, transcripts and personal interview at Fabtech with the applicant and parents. This gives the school the opportunity to demonstrate how a service technician career is no longer a “grease monkey” kind of job but a highly sophisticated, well-paying occupation using the latest in technology. It also insures the school that there is a commitment from the family and helps avoid the potential of a dropout due to the lack of family support.