Mentors at Work is initiating its annual quest for the best of the best occupational mentors in the country and is seeking nominations from the collision repair industry for consideration for the "Mentor Of The Year" award. 

This "Mentor Of The Year" award will be presented to the journeyman tech, currently working in a shop, who has shown exceptional skill and prowess in teaching and training new technician talent for his or her employer. The award will be presented at this year's NACE, October 31 during the Collision Industry Night of Achievement at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. Nomination forms may be requested from Mentors At Work by calling 888-225-6968 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and are due by September 15.

"Our skilled tech shortage is approaching the critical level that has been predicted for several years now," said Mark Claypool, president and CEO of Mentors at Work. "The situation is becoming so severe the United States Department of Labor has identified the automotive industry as being one of its top 10 areas of focus. Journeymen techs, who mentor new hires in shops across this country, will play an increasingly crucial role in developing the workforce of tomorrow for shops that empower them to do so."

"This dedication and the above and beyond the normal call of duty ef- forts deserve everyone's appreciation. Technicians who effectively mentor others will have a direct, positive impact on our industry's long-term ability to fix cars right and in a timely manner," added Claypool. "By presenting this "Mentor Of The Year" Award, we are able to recognize those who are currently mentoring others and encourage shop owners and managers to consider building effective mentoring/apprenticeship systems within their own shops. This, in turn, will help our industry meet its long-term skilled labor needs. We simply have no other choice than to address this challenge head on."

Important criteria

What makes the nominee stand out as a trainer compared to other talented techs in the shop? What do apprentices who have been working with the nominee say about them? What communications skills and teaching skills does the nominee use to train others? What has the nominee done to teach new hires about the world of work beyond just the technical skills? and more.

"Contenders for the Mentor of the Year award must have demonstrated the ability to motivate others to learn, people who take every opportunity to help others learn, people who work in a way that makes others want to emulate them, and provide positive reinforcement when it is earned and constructive criticism when necessary," Claypool continued. "There are some fine techs in this industry who simply aren't equipped to teach others. It takes a special set of talents, beyond skill and speed, to be a mentor. We, as an industry, must pay homage to these special people within our shops."

Past recipients

The 2004 Mentor of the Year was J.C. Baccus, a 25-year veteran technician with Caliber Collision Centers in California. In 2005, the Mentor of the Year was Ron Ratzlaff, a journeyman tech with 36 years of experience who is employed by 911 Collision Centers in Tucson, Arizona.