2026 Voice of Technician Report: What the Industry Needs to Know
The 2026 Voice of Technician Report, produced by WrenchWay in partnership with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), is now available! Each year, this survey captures the real experiences, perspectives, and priorities of professionals working across the automotive, diesel, and collision industries. The goal is simple: understand what
Training & Developing Young Technicians
Cindy Barlow, Director of Industry Relations at WyoTech, joins us to talk about how, as an industry, we’ve neglected training young and entry-level technicians. In this episode, she discusses how shops can better support and develop young talent, why early exposure helps students decide if the industry is the right
Building Better Collision Technicians in the Classroom
Jessica Weaver, Auto Body Collision Technology Instructor at Dakota County Technical College, shares how adapting to different learning styles, using visuals, and hands-on play can make a real impact in the collision repair classroom. She explains what it means to truly meet students where they’re at, how she keeps up
Bonus Episode: Inside Alliant Power’s Capital Reman Acquisition
Jeff DeCarlis, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Alliant Power, joins us live from HDAW in Texas to share a major announcement: Alliant Power has acquired Capital Reman. In this episode, Jeff walks through the strategy behind the move, how the team is being integrated, and how the new
From Heartbreak to Hands-On Apprenticeships
Renee Crisler, Owner and Founder of the Reilly Crisler Jumpstart Memorial Fund, joins us to share how she turned the loss of her son into a mission to help other “Reillys” explore careers in the skilled trades. She shares Reilly’s story, the purpose behind the fund, what Draft Day looks
Why Retention in Automotive Starts With People
Eric Wagner, automotive professional, joins the podcast to talk about why the auto industry must shift from a numbers-driven mindset to a true people business in order to attract and retain our talent. Throughout the episode, Eric discusses the role leadership plays in attracting and retaining technicians, why managers need
From Technician to Filmmaker Spreading Positivity
Keith Smith, writer and visual storyteller of Straight Up Living, shares how he turned his ability to speak “technician” into spreading positivity in the automotive industry through his short film “From Bay Floors to Backroads.” In this episode, Keith walks us through his career as a technician, how he dove
What’s Ahead for WrenchWay in 2026
Mark Wilson, Co-Founder & CEO of WrenchWay, joins us to recap 2025 and share what’s ahead for WrenchWay in 2026. They discuss the growing partnership with ASE and the launch of ASE Connects, efforts to collect better technician data, and key wins and losses from the past year. Watch the
Top 5 Articles on the WrenchWay Blog in 2025
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to look back at the WrenchWay blog posts that resonated most with our readers this year. From in-depth technician stats and recruiting insights to career growth, job satisfaction, and the aging technician workforce, these articles sparked conversations, informed decisions, and
How School Assist Is Connecting Schools to Grow the Next Generation of Auto Body Professionals
In Minnesota, a high school automotive instructor and a post-secondary collision instructor— just 30-minutes apart—had never crossed paths. That changed when School Assist by WrenchWay & ASE brought them together. What began as a simple online connection quickly turned into an engaging, hands-on classroom visit that energized students exploring collision