First, the good news: Among high school students in automotive, truck/diesel or collision repair/refinishing courses who completed the 2024 and 2025 ASE Education Foundation Student Surveys, most young people who take one career and technical education (CTE) course are open to taking another one next year.
Unfortunately, those same students aren’t nearly as bullish when it comes to turning that education into a career. Despite giving strong ratings to CTE courses, many high school students remain unconvinced a technical career is right for them.
Limited access and participation in workplace internships and apprentice programs appear main reasons for the uncertainty. The barriers that keep CTE students out of professional service shops also reduce the likelihood those students seek out those workplaces after their schooling concludes.
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“I can’t stress enough how important it is for automotive, truck and collision repair students to have access to real-world experience as part of the instructional program,” says George Arrants, vice president of the ASE Education Foundation. “There are still a lot of misperceptions about automotive careers out there, and being able to experience the culture, earning potential and diversity of career opportunities available in local industry is one of the best ways to attract new talent.
“The automotive industry doesn’t have a career ladder; we have a career lattice where movement upward in many different directions is possible.”
Arrants continues, “Providing careers with more choices speaks directly to what the next generation is seeking in employment. Providing that real-world working experience and awareness of growth paths in many directions can help change those misconceptions and spotlight involved employers willing to commit to their employee’s success. That’s a powerful advantage when trying to attract the best and the brightest into local businesses they’ve encountered as part of their work-based learning.”
ASE’s surveys indicate industry support for CTE programs isn’t non-existent but is lacking and, as such, there is a noticeable drop-off between high school students aware of outside learning opportunities and those taking advantage of them.
While one reason for that might prove difficult to overcome, ASE says the other reasons cited by students for not participating in internships and apprenticeships can all be reduced through educator and industry cooperation.
“Let me echo what George said and add that it takes a team to build the future,” says Dave Johnson, ASE president and CEO. “Both educators and employers need the resources each provides to the process of developing technical talent. CTE educators need the input and involvement of industry to ensure the appropriate skills are being developed in their students, and employers need that skilled workforce to grow and succeed in the business of automotive service and repair. Through Advisory Committees made up of industry professionals, the cycle continues as CTE programs continue to grow and improve along with student outcomes. It’s a symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone.”
Another good sign is the parties aren’t starting from scratch.
Among high school responders to ASE’s 2024 and 2025 surveys, 63% each year said their school offers a formal work-based learning internship or apprenticeship program. Another large group of students (29% in 2024; 28% in 2025) said they didn’t know, meaning fewer than 10% of high school students are conclusively unable to participate in professional workplace learning.
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But awareness does not equal participation. In 2024, only 41% of students aware of their school’s work-based learning opportunities were participating. In 2025, that number fell to 36%.
So, what is keeping so many students from service shops?
One large, somewhat intractable barrier is age. In ASE’s 2024 and 2025 surveys, more than 40% of high school students who were not in work-based learning programs cited “I’m under age 18” as the reason for their lack of engagement.
Hiring people under 18 is uncommon in the commercial vehicle sector, but it’s not wholly unlawful. ASE notes shops can hire 16- and 17-year-olds if they eliminate their exposure to a few hazardous work activities.
Additionally, teens represent nearly 4% of the workforce, per USAFacts, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in July 2024 that 54.5% of young people aged 16–24 were employed. Within ASE’s surveys, 17% of students in 2024 and 18% in 2025 reported they weren’t participating in work-based learning due to another job.
Each statistic shows students can and do work while in school.
Developing internship or apprenticeship roles that account for a student’s age could create a potential recruitment boom for service operations, ASE says.
“Many ASE accredited programs have internships and some apprenticeships are also available, but the two biggest challenges at the secondary level are students being under 18 and not having transportation or a driver’s license,” Johnson says. “Discussions on apprenticeships and internships have been going on for years and we’ve managed to develop some very good programs that would make a strong basis for an apprenticeship model discussion.
“This is a lot about improving our communication and cooperation between industry, education and the general public (students and their parents). The age issue is complicated by state and federal laws, liability concerns and the lack of a driver’s license (mobility), but maybe it’s time to start that discussion as well to expand the involvement to include a wider pool of partners, such as the insurance industry and state and local governments, for example.”
Another impediment to work-based learning is extracurricular activities. There are few high schools in the United States solely dedicated to career and technical education learning. Most schools offer limited CTE programs with a conventional educational structure, meaning a student could be in a diesel/truck class in the morning and be playing football or the trombone in the school band later that afternoon.
Finding creative ways to give these students workplace experience without forcing them to choose between an internship or sports team or other extracurricular could boost work-based participation and, hopefully career aspirations.
Getting to a shop is a challenge, too. More than 10% of students in 2024 and 2025 noted they lack a driver’s license to reach a work-based learning location.
Many of these limitations are much less prominent among post-secondary CTE students, where more than half in 2024 and 2025 stated they are already working in technical roles and 85% intend to continue their education or begin their full-time technical career next year.
“It’s true that some of the issues raised here don’t have an impact on college CTE programs,” says Mike Coley, president at the ASE Education Foundation. “But it’s important to understand the difference between a high school and college-level accredited program. The education system has the responsibility to provide CTE students with the appropriate skillset for their chosen career, and like many other industries, automotive, truck and collision technicians rely on continuous learning to keep up with changing technology. Having different levels of education between high school and college is nothing new and often necessary depending on the path an individual chooses to take to employment.”
Next up: Part V of our special report, ‘Trades on the rise among parents,’ is available for download above and will be published Wednesday.
