Supply chain disruptions, trade disputes between nations, and manufacturing facilities repurposing their equipment to manufacture protective gear. These are just some of the issues that have been brought about by the global pandemic, one result of which being a shortage of new major appliances for purchase. Household appliances have also seen significant increases in frequency of use due to pandemic mitigation policies and shifts towards more people telecommuting. Combine these factors with a sputtering economy and the result is an increase in demand for the services of appliance repair providers as people opt to repair what they have over spending the extra money to purchase new.
While this has been a boon to the appliance repair industry, it has also served to exacerbate an industry problem that has existed for some time. Namely a lack of skilled appliance repair technicians. Many service providers are booking service calls two to three weeks out as they are lacking enough technicians to handle the volume. This leaves homeowners exasperated without the use of machines that have become integral parts of their daily lives.
There are a number of reasons why this shortage exists. One primary reason is a cultural shift in our education system over a period of years that saw significant reductions, if not outright eliminations, of high school curriculum that focused on teaching skills that could be useful in the trades. This was mainly done in favor of offering classes in the arts and humanities which were seen as more practical for students opting for college.
Another reason is a lack of post-secondary training facilities that offer programs in appliance repair. Yet another possible reason is that many people who are considering a career or career change aren’t aware of the opportunities in appliance repair. This problem is certainly not unique to appliance repair. Much has been written lately about the lack of laborers in the skilled trades as well as some of the resulting issues.
While true that there are plenty of opportunities across all the trades, very few of them have entry barriers as low as appliance repair. Persons wishing to become electricians, plumbers, welders, etc. are faced with high training costs, long apprenticeships, and restrictive governmental regulations.
source: bls.gov
For a comparatively minimal investment in time and money you can learn the skills that will jumpstart a career in the recession-proof field of appliance repair. Many service providers are offering up to $20/hr to start, with the potential to make $70000 or more per year for experienced technicians.
