California Conference Targets Automotive Technician Shortage

Automotive educators, technical school administrators and employers vested in the quest to strengthen California’s automotive education are encouraged to attend the California Automotive Technical Education Alliance Conference in October to discuss strategies for creating a strong pipeline of well-prepared future workers, event organizers said in a press release.

The conference, Oct. 9-10, is hosted by the California Automotive Foundation. It follows a larger-than-expected inaugural conference in 2025 attended by more than 200 people, noted the release. The primary portion of the 2026 conference will be on Friday, Oct. 9, at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside. Saturday, Oct. 10, will be dedicated to supplemental training at Palomar College in nearby San Marcos.

The 2026 conference theme is “Shifting Gears: Preparing for the Next Era of Automotive.” It occurs as California dealerships face a shortage of about 5,000 automotive technicians, event officials said.

“The high turnout last year, and the feedback following that event, made clear that there is a strong need among stakeholders to meet regularly,” said Kim McPhaul, president of the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) Foundation. “This conference brings together virtually anyone who has a stake in teaching and developing automotive workers in California.”

McPhaul said attendees will include automotive educators from the state’s high schools and colleges, administrators for career technical education, fixed ops leadership, independent repair shop owners, and representatives of automotive regulatory agencies.

The conference is in partnership with the CNCDA Foundation, the Automotive Service Councils Educational Foundation, SDTechs, and Mobilize Summit.

What to Expect

Professional Development – For those in the classroom or managing technicians, insights will be shared on improving employee retention, strengthening shop culture, staying ahead with hands-on training, emerging technology, and strategies to strengthen instruction and administration.

Support – For those who are new or working with limited resources, solutions and fresh ideas will be shared through a strong network of experts.

Service and Compliance – Industry experts will offer advice on staying compliant without sacrificing the customer experience.

Industry-Educator Collaboration – Leaders in automotive education, industry and government will work with attendees to tackle workforce challenges.

Student Support – School administrators and instructors will have opportunities to unlock resources for their students through information on scholarships, internships and apprenticeships.

To register and for sponsorship opportunities, visit caautotechalliance.org.