Vocational Students to Test Skills at AAPEX 2025 Student Competition
Teams of auto techs-in-training will race to assemble & disassemble a Chevy 350 engine in new student competition at AAPEX…
The Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) has unveiled the details behind the new student engine assembly competition at this year’s event. Teams of vocational students, who are training to be auto technicians, will race to disassemble and reassemble a Chevy 350 engine. Each competing team will be provided with complimentary access to AAPEX 2025, gratis lodging and $1,000 per team for travel expenses, according to company officials in a press release.
The timed event will take place in Joe’s Garage, a staple of the continuing education and technical training program at AAPEX, with 10 fully operational service bays. Each team will be provided with the same professional tools and evaluation standards. Prizes include a $1,000 Snap-On gift card and a Premium Milwaukee M112 Fuel Ratchet Combo Kit.
“Milwaukee Tool is proud to sponsor the Student Engine Assembly Competition at AAPEX,” said Milwaukee Tool senior national account manager Jody Grimsle. “As part of our commitment to empowering the professional trades and driving innovation across the automotive industry, we are excited to support an event that celebrates skill, collaboration, and the advancement of technicians in the aftermarket. This sponsorship reflects our ongoing dedication to investing in the next generation of industry leaders, fostering diversity and inclusion in the trades, and recognizing the remarkable talent shaping the future of auto care.”
The Labor Shortage of Auto Techs Is Projected To Grow
The student competition is among several new features at AAPEX 2025. The competition is an extension of a long-standing AAPEX student program, which is designed to engage and connect more young talent within the industry. It also comes as the shortage of auto technician talent grows more worrisome.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates the automotive aftermarket will fall short by an average of 68,000 auto technicians annually for the decade. Another analysis from TechForce Foundation has a more dire outlook. The non-profit’s data projects a cumulative shortage of more than 400,000 auto technicians by 2026.
“In a sense, this is good news for students aiming to lay the groundwork for their future careers,” said Bernard Tansey, who is a competition judge and the owner of Euro Clinic, an independent repair shop based in Santa Clara, California. “There are many employers with immediate openings, with great pay and benefits, and just entering the student competition demonstrates the initiative hiring managers most desire in job candidates. It demonstrates that a candidate is investing in themselves.”
Competition Registration & Sponsors
Teams will be composed of three people: two students and one instructor. Students must be high school graduates (or equivalent) and enrolled in a vocational school or technical training program for aspiring auto technicians. Teams interested in participating must make a short video to be selected for the competition. Up to eight teams will be chosen from among team applicants by a panel of judges who will also officiate the student competition.
AAPEX says the competition is made possible through the support of its partners, including AutoZone Inc.; Dorman Products; Euro Clinic; Milwaukee Tool; Motor Age Training, which offers ASE training and test preparations; and Ratchet & Wrench, a trade publication.
