Fleet Technician Recruitment and Retention Webinar Series: Part 2-Fleet Technician Recruitment and Retention Webinar Series: Part 2

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This session, led by Andy Campbell and Craig Krohner of the City of Glendale, Arizona, continued a three-part series on technician recruitment and retention. Craig shared practical strategies his fleet shop used to attract and keep technicians after inheriting a department facing grief, vacancies, and low morale.<br /><br />Key topics included an ASE incentive program, tool allowances, partnerships with technical schools, succession planning, and the early stages of a job study/reclassification process. Glendale’s ASE program pays for study materials, testing, and test time, then offers escalating annual stipends based on certification levels, with a maximum of $3,500 per technician. The city also pays for recertification, but technicians must pay if they fail and retest. Craig emphasized that tying certifications to pay helps boost retention and creates a path for advancement.<br /><br />He also explained how Glendale justified increasing the tool allowance by surveying peer cities and using that data in a memo to executive leadership and mayor/council. The result was a larger-than-requested allowance, which helped build trust with technicians.<br /><br />Another major focus was using trade school partnerships to recruit entry-level talent. Glendale hired students as contract employees, gave them real shop experience and benefits, and then transitioned them into full-time roles. Craig stressed that this creates a pipeline for succession planning.<br /><br />The session closed with an overview of Glendale’s recruitment video, designed to showcase shop culture and make applicants want to join the team, and a preview of session three, which will cover job descriptions, reclassification, and how the ASE program ties into career progression.

Keywords

technician retention

recruitment

fleet management

Glendale Arizona

COVID-19 staffing shortage

tool allowances

ASE certification

EVT EBT certification

data-driven pay study

technician recruitment

ASE incentive program

tool allowance

trade school partnerships

succession planning

job reclassification

career progression

fleet shop