ASE, CREF, I-CAR, WrenchWay partner on technician shortage

With the new partnership, the four organizations are aiming to highlight commercial vehicle repair as a trade, and provide educational solutions, tools, and resources for shops and entry-level techs.

Sept. 11, 2025

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ASE, CREF, I-CAR, WrenchWay Partnership on tech shortage

The technician shortage is continuing to put pressure on the commercial vehicle repair segment, with ATRI recently finding that 65% of shops are understaffed and TechForce Foundation anticipating 971,000 auto, diesel, collision, and aviation technicians will be needed from 2024-2028. To address this, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), and WrenchWay are partnering on several initiatives to address the current technician shortage.

“At WrenchWay, we’re focused on building stronger connections between schools, students and employers,” said Jay Goninen, president and co-founder of WrenchWay. “Collaborating with ASE, I-CAR and CREF allows us to expand those connections and help more students see the incredible opportunities available in today’s modern, technology-driven shops.”

The partnership aims to offer resources and support for technicians and shops. The partnership will focus on:

A PR campaign supporting commercial vehicle repair as a trade
Providing education solutions for students and entry-level techs
Providing tools and resources for continuing education

The partnership’s first part of the plan will focus on addressing common misconceptions around the industry and showcasing career paths in maintenance through web, social, and print media advertising. ASE, CREF, I-CAR, and WrenchWay will also syndicate all media content targeting future technicians.

The partnership will also work to provide accessible and affordable entry-level education solutions that focus on skill development and mentor/mentee relationships, as well as provide support to technical schools with scholarships, donations, and certifications.

Finally, the organization will also work to get new technicians tools and mentorship, while also helping shops provide continuing education and skill development for career advancement.

The partnership members stated that they’ve already begun on several of these initiatives due to their individual work, such as I-CAR’s I-CAR Academy, WrenchWay’s School Assist, and CREF’s Donation Exchange platform.