Hertz partners with Immokalee college to combat auto technician shortage

IMMOKALEE, Fla. - The U.S. automotive industry is currently facing one of the most significant workforce shortages in decades.

Companies like Hertz are tackling this issue by partnering with educational institutions such as Immokalee Technical College to train the next generation of skilled technicians.

Students at Immokalee Technical College are seizing the opportunity to turn their passion for cars into a career.

"I want to work for, hopefully, BMW," said Elloney McLaren, a student at Immokalee Technical College. "I want to work at either BMW, mostly any German dealership. I really like those type of cars."

Through a partnership with the Immokalee Foundation and Hertz, the college is providing students with hands-on training, certifications, and more, creating a direct pipeline into the industry.

"It's very encouraging," said McLaren. "That's one of the cool things about this. Is you're basically securing, like, it's a secure way of getting a job. That was one thing about college I kind of feared."

Page Motes, Chief Compliance and Sustainability Officer at Hertz, emphasized the enthusiasm and potential of these students.

"They're asking technical, detailed questions," said Motes. "Their eyes are lighting up. The dots connect very, very quickly. And you can tell that's because they have great instruction already, but it's the smiles on the kids' faces them knowing that they're in a setting where there's real opportunity."

The need for skilled technicians is pressing, as the U.S. faces a shortage in the automotive workforce.

"We live in South Florida. There are cars everywhere," said James Reuss, an instructor of the Automotive Service Technology Program at Immokalee Technical College. "They all need to be fixed. They all need to be maintained. And its programs like this that make that possible. If we are not, if we're not training the students like who's going to be doing those jobs?"

Students choose Immokalee Technical College for its Automotive Service Technology Program, recognizing the opportunities it provides.

"I decided to go with this program, and so far, it's been amazing. I have no regrets," said McLaren.

The collaboration between educational institutions and industry leaders like Hertz is paving the way for students to enter a field with a promising future.