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Subaru Service and Technical Support Line Newsletter

SPECIAL EDITION

Updates on Subaru-U (TECHTIPS March 2021)
By Mike Campbell
In the most recent 2021 April 2nd edition of his “Executive Retailer Letter”, Tom Doll made a reference to Subaru-U as follows:
“Finding Techs
Many expressed concerns about the need to find techs to work on our products. This is where
Subaru University comes into play. Currently, we have 362 tech schools and community colleges
helping us provide technicians for our retailers. We are currently involved with 205 post-secondary tech schools and 165 secondary tech programs at high schools throughout the country.
We likely need to do a better job of advising our retailers of the opportunity Subaru-U provides.
Moreover, Subaru-U does require retailer engagement with Subaru-U schools, instructors, and
students. It’s a little bit like recruiting in college athletics you have a few, talented athletes who
have many choices. In this case, not just Subaru retailers but other brands, so make sure your
Subaru store IS the choice. Mike Campbell will be providing a more detailed review of Subaru-U
and how you can get involved in the next edition of “Tech Tips” to be issued the first 10 days of
April.”

Subaru-U has 401 available students ready for a retailer apprenticeship opportunity.
At Subaru, we understand your need for qualified technicians. Industry experts predict 35% of
the technician workforce will retire in the next 10 years, with another 28% retiring within 5 years
after that.
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CAUTION: VEHICLE SERVICING PERFORMED BY UNTRAINED PERSONS COULD
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THOSE PERSONS OR TO OTHERS.

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The Subaru TechTIPS newsletter is intended for use by professional Technicians ONLY. Articles are
written to inform those Technicians of conditions that may occur in some vehicles, or to provide
information that could assist in the proper servicing of the vehicle. Properly trained Technicians
have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do the job correctly and safely. If
a condition is described, DO NOT assume that your vehicle has or will have that condition. Impreza,
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The Subaru-U program is designed to integrate with secondary and post-secondary schools’ general
automotive training programs. Students going through the Subaru-U program will gain knowledge
from both the program itself and the mentoring internship they acquire at a Subaru retailer.
Young technicians will come out of our Subaru-U program with many of the basics well established
and can start working on many warranty and customer pay repairs with confidence.
With that said, Subaru retailers have a great opportunity to be involved with a local Subaru-U partnered
school today. This is more than merely creating a sign-on for the Subaru-U portal. This is engaging
your local Subaru-U affiliate programs like hosting a student open house at your retailer, offering up a
shadow day or week for students with your techs or, actually participating on the automotive education board at your Subaru-U school.
We are currently working in all our regions to encourage retailer partnerships with these schools, so
this becomes a WIN-WIN program for future technicians and retailers. Why?

BECAUSE IT WORKS!!!
Here are a few examples of successful partnership:
Carlsen Subaru - Redwood City, CA
Maher Nijem, Service Manager, attends all the hiring days at Skyline College in San Bruno, CA. Maher
said he never leaves a hiring day “without having tons of applicants.” To date he has hired: 7 students.
If it wasn’t for Covid, Maher said he would have likely hired 5 more Subaru Techs as he has enough lifts
to support them. Maher continues to be an active participant in the schools Advisory Board meetings
and all other school activities involving the students.
Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru - Orangeburg NY
Has hired 10 SU students from Rockland Community College. 2 have been promoted into
management roles. One as Express Service Writer and the other one, after 5 years, was promoted
Service Manager.
Gresham Subaru – Gresham OR
Service Manager Steve Jewel: This dealer has sponsored 3-6 Subaru U students per year.
Currently they have 4 students sponsored, and multiple graduates working in their Parts and Service
department.
Subaru of Portland – Portland, OR
Service Manager Terik Winterbottom: This dealer has sponsored 2-4 students per year. Currently they
have 3 students sponsored and multiple graduates working in their service department.
Colonial Subaru - Kingston, NY
Hired 4 Apprentice Tech’s and is heavily involved with Columbia-Greene Community College.

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Gateway Subaru - Salisbury, MD
They immediately jumped at the opportunity Subaru-U has provided both the dealership and the
school with many benefits over the years.
The dealership has provided the school with opportunities for students as well as technical assistance
and donations to our program. The Service Manager, 2 of the service advisors and of the technicians
currently are active members of our Advisory committee. The school in turn provides Gateway with a
steady supply of well-trained ready to work interns/employees. Gateway and Parkside High School
are the perfect examples of how education and business can work together to create a well-trained
workforce.
The list of current employees that are graduates of Parkside High School continues to grow as well as
the positions they hold, currently 6 graduates.
West Herr Subaru - Hamburg, NY
Has hired 7 SU Apprentices and sponsors a Subaru University Co-Op at Erie Community College in
Orchard Park NY.
Schomp Subaru – Aurora, CO
They have a minimum of 8 tecs at Subaru that came from Pickens Tech. Schomp as an automotive
group, also hires 20 plus interns every year from Pickens.
Northtown Subaru - Amherst, NY
Has hired 6 SU Apprentices from Erie Community College in Orchard Park NY.
Frederick Subaru – Frederick, MD
The retailer and Frederick CTC in MD have a long-standing relationship. They have 3 students current
and former working at Frederick Subaru.
Van Bortel Subaru - Henrietta and Victor, NY
Has hired 10 SU Apprentices from Monroe Community College in Henrietta NY.
Mid-Hudson Subaru - Wappingers Falls, NY
Mid-Hudson has hired 4 SU apprentices with very good success.
Bill Rapp Subaru - Syracuse NY, Norwich, NY
Bill Rapp has hired 3 SU students, with one currently employed as a Service Advisor at the Syracuse
location.
Subaru City of Milwaukee - Milwaukee, WI
Service Manager has a long term pay plan (training plan) for students and typically hires 1 student per
year from Milwaukee Area Technical College South.

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Wilde Subaru - Milwaukee, WI
The service manager has done two virtual presentations with the students in the past year and has
hired some student since starting to work with them.
Subaru Superstore of Chandler - Chandler, AZ
The Superstore fully supports the Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools in their area. They
have hired numerous students the past several years form both EVIT, Secondary and Mesa
Community College and have transitioned a number of these tech to become line technicians at the
Subaru Superstore.
Tucson Subaru - Tucson, AZ
Tucson Subaru supports the local Post-Secondary school PIMA. They have a number of Techs currently employed that graduated from PIMA.
Carr Subaru and Tonkin Subaru - Portland OR
Both retailers are currently sponsoring Subaru U students and looking for more students from Portland
Community College.
Shoreline Community College in Seattle has a great relationship with both Carter Retailers and both
Retailers hire students and fully support Shorelines program. Both Carter stores have multiple hires
from Shoreline both as line techs and lube techs. Shoreline is the only Subaru U program Nationally
that offers an associate degree in Subaru Technology.
Mt Hood has several students each year that are sponsored by Subaru Retailers while they go to
school. They work full time every other semester, 4 semesters per year, and transition to line techs
upon graduation.
Stuart Mitcheison at Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, VA has forged strong relationships with their local retailers RK Subaru, First Team Subaru and Casey Subaru. They have several
recent hires from these retailers. They’ve also had a good deal of success during the pandemic with
their virtual career fair approach. All three retailers made excellent presentations to the upcoming
graduates during the recent online event. We can expect additional placements as a product of that
event and the relationship that has developed between the school and retailer. The market team has
been involved, has encouraged those relationships and the retailers have demonstrated their cooperation and support.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS!
Here are a couple things that you can do:
•

Get involved at the school, ask the instructor if you or one of your techs could have some time
with the students. You could talk about what you have to offer them, career paths and your
needs and also the chance to interview the students; they are comfortable when they believe
the interview is training for the real thing, but don’t realize they are interviewing for their future
position. Your FSE and DPSM are available to help you.

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•

Open your shop for them to tour, you just showed them how great your business is as you have
a nice clean work environment for them.

•

Understand what your competition is doing to attract talent, this is your benchmark for what
you’ll have to do at minimum to entice students to your service department.

•

Take part in the school’s Automotive program’s events and employment fairs.

THE SCHOOLS LOVE THE PROGRAM!
Here is example of a school communication to students:
College of Western Idaho
Students,
What a fantastic opportunity to obtain industry level training. Subaru is an amazing company that
cares about its employees, customers, families, communities, and the environment in which we
live. Their online web-based training is top-notch and is the same as their technicians use.
We are now working on completing the Subaru-U training. Please have level 1 completed by
no later than Tuesday, February 16th by 7:00 AM. Then we will be completing the remainder of
the list in the following two weeks. This equates to about 2.5 web-based training per night or 2
each day Monday through Friday and 4 on Saturday and 4 more on Sunday each week. Do not
procrastinate on getting started or completing the assignment. This list is subject to change per
Subaru (sometimes minor changes occur per Subaru updates).
Thanks
Eric

SUBARU is HERE to HELP YOU!
We are here for you. If you need help or advise on the Subaru-U program, please contact your regional
Subaru-U Education Manager.

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