This is a real sore subject with me. Almost every technician gripes about the lack of training in our industry. It is something I hear almost daily. I am often asked "When is the next training event?" I give information, hand out flyers, and even remind techs of upcoming training. Then why is it that I see the same familiar faces at every training event I attend? I will tell what I think.
It all comes down to sacrifice and commitment. If you want to become the best in whatever you do these two actions are paramount. When I ask the same people that were wondering about training why they weren't at a recent event. I get the usual excuses "I forgot", "It was on a Saturday and I couldn't swing it", "It was after work and I didn't feel like it", "It is too expensive". These aren't as bad as the people in this industry that think they don't need any training. They know it all, just ask them. I often say the minute you think you know everything in this industry you should walk over to your toolbox lock it up and look for another job. There is no one person in this industry that knows it all. You can always learn something. If you are not learning something everyday in this industry you are not paying attention.
Some training events are better than others. No doubt about that. However, I always pick something up no matter what. It is vital if you want to become a better tech you will need training. You will also need to do some self training. This can be looking at known good vehicles for scantool data, scopeshots, or maybe "bugging" a vehicle to see how it reacts. If you are not willing to do this you will not advance in this field.
The same people I see at training events all have some similar personality traits as well. Typically, we are perfectionists, inquisitive, some degree of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), headstrong, and willing to sacrifice to be the best.
Think about it. What separates an athlete from an elite athlete? An elite athlete identifies his weaknesses and wants to improve on them. Then he/she does the work and improves. Same thing applies to our field. If you want to become a more proficient tech you will need to identify your weaknesses and take steps to sure them up. Part of that is to get as much training as possible.
So the next time a training event is around. Attend and invest in your future.
