Beyond the Wrench

Mentorship, Career Moves, & Trusting Your Gut as a Technician

Josh Arnold, Recon Lead Technician at Austin Subaru, is back on the podcast for another honest conversation about life in the trade. He opens up about mentoring apprentices from scratch, what it really took to turn around a struggling recon department, and how public speaking and MPI video have pushed him to grow in ways

2026-06-03T06:35:47-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

SkillsUSA’s Real Impact on the Next Generation

Christian Spell, a recent high school graduate and SkillsUSA National Officer, joins Jay to share how a serious injury redirected his path—straight into automotive class and SkillsUSA. He opens up about competing, leading, and developing the professional skills most techs never learn in a shop. Watch the Full Episode  Show Notes About the Episode

2026-05-27T06:41:14-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Building Technicians From the Ground Up

Todd Ainsworth, Shop Owner at Swedish Automotive, Inc. and President-Elect of the Northwest Auto Care Alliance (NWACA), joins us to talk about developing the next generation of technicians and why most shops are leaving that opportunity on the table. During the episode, Todd covers his journey from technician to shop owner, gives a closer look

2026-05-20T06:47:29-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

BMW’s STEP Program: Nurturing the Next Generation of Technicians

Antonio Maldonado and Jake Martin are recruiters for the Service Technician Education Program (STEP) at BMW North America—and they go way beyond just recruiting. In this episode they break down how STEP works for automotive and collision students, what hands-on training from day one actually looks like, and how BMW is nurturing the next generation

2026-05-13T07:12:46-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Build a Shop That Runs Without You

Dan Paulson, Author of “Escape the Owner’s Trap,” joins us to tackle one of the biggest challenges shop owners face—being stuck in the middle of everything. We break down how to build accountability without micromanaging, fix communication gaps, and create processes your team will actually use. If your shop depends on you to function, this

2026-04-29T06:25:09-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Growing the Auto Industry Funnel: Recruiting, Training, & Inspiring the Next Gen

Justin Allen has been in the automotive industry since 1998—and now, as a Regional Field Trainer for Hunter Engineering Company, his passion is training the next generation of technicians. In this episode, Justin breaks down how he got his start under the hood with his dad, tips for technicians that want to sharpen their skills

2026-04-22T06:47:51-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Technician Happiness Starts the Moment They Walk In

Marco Zwanenburg, Aftersales Consultant at New Drive Consulting, joins us to be a voice for technicians in this people-first industry. He shares how shops can create a strong first impression from day one, why appreciation has to go beyond pay, and how holding onto the wrong people can quietly damage shop culture. Watch the Full

2026-04-15T06:22:21-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Women Supporting Women in Auto

Tiffany Scherado, Owner of Lifetime Transmissions and Facilitator of Amazing Women in Automotive (AWiA), joins us to share how AWiA is building a powerful community for women in the industry. Tiffany talks about what’s new since her last appearance on the podcast, what makes the AWiA retreat so impactful, and how being part of the

2026-04-08T07:06:34-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

How Gear Her Up Is Opening Doors for Women in Auto

Jason Kerstetter, Co-Founder of the Gear Her Up Foundation, joins us to share how he’s creating opportunities for young women in automotive. Inspired by his daughter learning to work on her own car, Jason explains how the 12-week program teaches hands-on skills and helps break down barriers in the industry. Watch the Full Episode 

2026-04-01T06:59:24-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

5 Steps to Train and Retain New Technicians

Donald Favors, Auto Tech Instructor at Lowell High School, joins us to talk about the five steps he developed for technician retention in his “Pathway to Retention” program. In the episode, he walks through each step in detail—from connecting with local schools to providing technicians with financial education—and shares his journey from working in the

2026-03-25T07:15:39-06:00Beyond the Wrench|
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