College, Trades, or Something Else? How Gen Z Is Rethinking Work

Welcome And Meet The Guests

Welcome to AutoCare on Air, a candid podcast for Curious Industry. I'm Jackie Lutz, Content Director at the Auto Care Association, and this is Carpool Conversations, where we collaborate on today's most relevant power skills. We are all headed in the same direction. So let's get there together. Welcome everybody to another Carpul Conversations. I'm Jackie Lutz, and I am here with two very special guests. So I'm going to start with Zoe, our communications manager at the Auto Care Association. We work together with social media. You also do a lot of the email campaigns and things like that. Do you want to talk a little bit about you and your how long you've been in the industry? Things like that. Sure, yes.

So I've been with AutoCare for three years now. I like Jackie said, I do a lot of like email marketing and social media since Jackie has come on. Yeah, just all things like external and internal communications for our members and for our internal team members. And it's just been a really great experience being with Autocare. I love it. It's it's room to grow. I've just been having like a lot of fun with my job. Um I love the people. It's just it's been great.

Yeah. And you're such a good fit culturally with the group. It's been fun hanging out with you this week. And then I have my niece, Ayla Kaye, here. Um she's kind of been job shadowing me this week, and I think it's kind of an interesting perspective. So I have, you know, somebody on the show who's been in the industry now for two years, and somebody who is on 48 hours-ish. So um interested to get your guys' perspective. But first, why don't you tell us a little bit about you, Ayla?

Okay. My name is Ayla, and I am a high schooler. I'm a senior in high school. Um, and I'm kind of just like exploring everything right now. Like I have no idea what I want to do. And so coming here with you has been a super cool opportunity for me, and I really appreciate that. And like everyone is just so warm and welcoming and friendly. Like it's crazy. You'd be surprised how welcomed I feel. Like we're all family. Like, I feel like I know all these people, if that makes sense.

It has a way of doing that. This industry is like, if you ask anybody why they stick around, it's almost always the people, it's the culture. It's you know, this this industry is just so much fun. And you are at the perfect conference, too. Because, you know, women were really trying to get a lot a lot of the scholarships and like the auction you were at yesterday, all of that is to get more women into the industry. So when they see somebody young, yeah, come in through the street.

Yeah, everyone's like so excited to see me. It's so fun to see.

Yeah.

I just really wasn't expecting that coming on this trip with you.

Not Knowing Your Path Yet

Yeah. Well, good. It's been so much fun having you here. Um, I remember, I don't know if you remember, Zoe, I wonder what your experience was, but when you're 18 coming out of high school, did you know what you wanted to do?

No, I didn't. Um funny enough, I actually wasn't even that excited about going to college, but I was ready to just get away. Like, of course, every 18-year-old, I just wanted to do all of the adult things and live on my own. Sounds like someone else I know. And live on my own. Um, when I went to college, I think my first major was like business management. Um, too much math. Um, I hate math. Um, but then I moved to psychology. I love psychology, but it was just like a lot of writing. And then once I realized how much more schooling I would have to do to, you know, get the big bucks, I was like, okay, I need to pivot. Um and then I got into journalism, which I love because there were so many different avenues that I could go down. And just being a creative person, I loved, I've always loved to write. Um, so at first I I thought when I started journalism, I wanted to be an author. Um, I used to love to like write short stories when I was younger. So that's when I got into that. And then I love like going out and reporting on stories. That was like one of my favorite things to do in journalism. And then I found mass communications and I I fell in love with that because it's like a mix of all of that, like writing and storytelling and just being get getting creative and being creative with the things that you're doing. So um now I'm here.

I didn't know you had a journalism uh background noted. That's incredible, but it is kind of funny because I don't feel like a lot of people know what they want to do um coming out of high school. Like, but were you still in the generation that really was pushing four-year degrees?

Um, yeah. Um I also had like a really I mean not head, I still do, um, a pushy grandma. So like not going to college was not even an option. Like um, so yeah, I'm extremely grateful that I had went to college and just got the experience. It was like the best four years of my life. Um, but yeah, I I I didn't have an option. So yeah, I I think I was in that generation that, you know, college is everything, like you need to get your education to get the job and all of the things. And I'm just so extremely grateful to even be in the field that I'd studied because you know, a lot of people don't end up there. So yeah.

Yeah, I mean, I wasn't I was in the um, I'd say I was in the generation that pushed for your degrees, but I personally had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up, still don't. And I, you know, I went only only reason I went to college was because I ended up with a scholarship. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have either. Yeah. Why you sorry. Well, I mean, I went to kind of similar to you, so this is a good part, some good context for the audience too, is um, you know, went to a very small school and I don't know that I was really exposed to a lot of options. I I feel like um most of the other girls, the two other girls in my class, they weren't really looking to, you know, they were gonna be like, you know, you stay home. That's just kind of like was what happened. So um that was just kind of I didn't think about it very much. That was just kind of my plan. Yeah. Um, but then when you get like free college, I was like, yeah, I guess I should try it. It's free, right? And if I don't like it, I can always leave. Yeah, and do something else. Yeah, and I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I got, I can't sit here and say that that education um helped me be better at my job today. You know, like we do a lot of social media and things like that. That was not a thing when I was in college. So, like a lot of the the marketing that I'm actually doing, I didn't get education. It's more just experience and failing fast and moving forward. But yeah, I mean, well, what about you? So so tell us a little bit about your educational experience so far.

Okay. Um, I went to public school most of my life, and then kind of between sophomore junior year, I went to a smaller private school, which is really cool. Um, definitely way different. Like everyone it actually reminds me of here, like everyone's family. We feel comfortable around each other, whatever. Um, but again, a lot of kids there, like you were saying, not planning on going to college. Okay. And I think that is a difference between the smaller schools and the bigger schools, like the bigger schools, everyone's going to college, everyone's committing. Like, I'm saying on my feet, like, oh, so and so's committed. Like, you know what I mean? But at the smaller school, that is not something that was a topic. Yeah, no one was really talking about like going to college or anything. Like the plan was, I don't know, be a business owner or be a stay-at-home mom, kind of work with my dad, because a lot of the kids there like their families were business owners, so they're kind of like planning on going to that industry. But again, yeah, it's it's tough. And I don't know if this is a state thing, but I know Michigan has free schooling for community colleges. Like you can go to school for free for four years. So I was really on the fence for going to college, but now that I know, like, okay, I'm not like kinda I've heard like colleges are scams because I don't know.

You're I don't know, it's hard because in some ways, yes. But like also a lot of companies still kind of require that four-year degree. Yes.

So you kind of want to have it just in case you need it. Need to go to college to be successful. Exactly. Yeah. Yes. So that's yes.

Yeah.

And so, anyways, the money part, I was like, okay, I'm not gonna like spend all this money to go to college for something I don't know what I want to go into. But knowing that like it's free, might as well go for something. Jobs look to see if you've gone to college or not. Yeah.

So that's really what I think it gets in a lot of ways, it gets you in the door.

AI Anxiety And The Future

And I think that gen her A-list generation has that like really bad. Like they, you know, it's eat this college is like really up in the air because we're in like that area area, era of like social media and just entrepreneurship and just doing your own thing, influencer culture, the gig economy. And it's really like easy for them to like maneuver into that. Like even in high school. Um I don't I I don't really feel like my generation was like that. So I love to see that they are just really like independent. I feel like that generation is like super independent when it comes to you know what they want to do, and they're not shy about it. Like they're they're loud, they they do what they want to do. And I I I I admire that older.

Yeah, and especially with like all the new like AI, the social media, there's so many more opportunities for people like drop shipping, like I see a lot of that in like just the crazy opportunities people have.

Trades Shortage And Workforce Needs

Yeah. Um, yeah, the AI thing is kind of nuts because you know they're they're saying like in five years, every single position, if you're not thinking about AI or you're not skilled in AI, you're not keeping up with AI, you're not using AI. And if you mention Chat GPT in an interview, you're out. Like there's other AI. Yeah. Um, it just it's gonna be so huge in five years that like there should just be degrees in AI.

What The Automotive Aftermarket Really Is

But the thing is it'll be outdated in a year. It's crazy because like everyone's like always asking me, Oh, have you AI checked it? Like, are you gonna make sure your job isn't gonna be taken over by AI? Oh yeah. Like they're making these machines that can proceed surgeries on people.

Yeah.

Like scary. Yeah, that's why they're pushing trades, which is it's crazy.

Yeah, and because you know, like forever, you know, our generation's really pushed the four-year degree. Um, and right now our industry is really short on mechanics and technicians, um, because those trades weren't really pushed. So now there's this huge, you know, when we talk about workforce initiatives, just like on the last podcast that you helped produce, yeah, um, you know, that's what they they mean is like, how do we get more technicians? Because now like a lot of them are starting to retire and there's no one to take over these roles, you know, like what's gonna happen. So, you know, that's hopefully something that you you learn while you're here. Yeah. And I'm curious, so and kind of for both of you. Um, the automotive aftermarket, have other than knowing maybe that I've told you that I've worked for the automotive aftermarket, did you have any clue what you were getting into when you came here, what it was all about?

No idea. Okay. Automotive aftermarket, like I wouldn't even think it was this big of an association and how involved everyone is. Um, it's kind of like when I was going to school, it's like, oh, be hairdresser, be a doctor, be a veterinarian, like just the simple, you know, the breakdown of things. But yeah, this is super cool. And I had no idea this was even like existing.

I'm curious, like, had you um gone to high school uh when you were your senior year, if if because you know, a lot of companies are really trying to, you know, help get more people into trades because you can make a lot of money right out of the gate. You don't spend as much money on college, like all these things. Um, I'm just I'm curious if other people you think that your friends from like your school days, do you think that they would come here and and feel open-minded to an automotive aftermarket career?

Yeah, so it's so crazy. Um, you just in the in the school environment, you're done with your homework, and you look around and everyone just saying on their phone. You got your classmates around you, and everyone just like and no one interacts with each other anymore, no one's outgoing anymore, no one wants to be confident in themselves and like actually take initiative and doing something and putting themselves out there. And it's it's so sad, and it's crazy to me because of stupid phones. I swear they're killing our generation. Like, even like children like two years old that parents give them an iPad for their babysitter.

Yeah.

Like it's so sad to see.

So you think that maybe people that are, you know, are on their phones more or been raised on their phones more maybe wouldn't appreciate the, you know, the pull about you know being in an industry with such a nice culture and so many great people and that social part of it, it wouldn't be a draw?

No, because they're so like introverted. Yeah like, oh my phone, my like comfort zone, like I'm just sitting in my bedroom, sitting in my phone. It's like, what are you doing?

Like it's not important to them.

Like it's so sad. It's so sad. And the everyone just wants the easy path, the easygoing way, like, oh, I'm gonna go to college for two years because I can be a dental hygienist kind of thing. Like, I don't know.

So do you think um, and maybe Zoe, this is a good question for you too. Like, for you when you were kind of choosing your path, um you know, do you think that people are really looking for a passion and like somewhere where they I mean you spend a lot of your life working, doing something. So like I don't know, is it clear to you know, 18-year-olds to, you know, that you're choosing a life really? Yeah. When you choose I mean, not that you can't change it, yeah, but like you're choosing a path. So like if you wanna, I wanted to be a dental hygienist at one point before I, you know, yeah, it's I remember thinking about that because like to clean. Yeah, clean a mouth. Yeah, whatever. Yeah, you know, but then you're doing that for the rest of your life, you know.

So I think like growing up, I always thought that you just have to have like you a passion, but like just one steady career. And like even now at 30, like I'm realizing that you can do so many different things, and that's okay. Like you're supposed to change, you're supposed to evolve and grow. And I think that that is what's different, like in this day and age than like I said, when I was growing up. You go to school, you do something, and that's it. Because I feel like that's what I saw, like my parents do and my friend's parents do. So I think that now it's I I love the culture of just being able to just be whoever you want to be, do whatever you want to do, what makes you happy. And I think that that can also be a passion. You don't just have to just cling on to one thing, which is it is good because we do need the dental hygienists, we do need doctors and those things, but you know, it's I think that be being in the creative field, there's so many different ways to just navigate through that type of career path. And I love that. So I mean, I guess to answer your question, yeah, like uh a passion uh you can it can be whatever you want it to be, I guess. Yeah.

That's a good point. So do you um it can almost be more like what uh you know, I just did a podcast yesterday, um, that'll come out soon, but um talking about career transitions and um they both kind of said like you really need to think about what brings you joy.

Yeah.

So think about less about you know what position you want, you know, maybe like you want to be in sales or you want to be in marketing or you want to, you know, be in drop shipping or you know, whatever. Think more about like the skills and the activities that you enjoy versus a career path. Because maybe if you sharpen those skills and get good at it, you'll find a career where you get to exercise it, right?

Like I think everyone's just so lazy. I don't even think they're gonna like, oh, I don't want to go to school for two years to be or 12 years to be a surgeon. Like, that's too much. I think we're like cooked. I can like I'm terrified. I'm sorry, mom. I'm terrified. I can agree with so lazy.

I can agree with that too, though, because I I say that all the time. Like, even just going to like retail stores and fast food places and restaurants, like a lot of people I hate when I go somewhere and people are just like in terrible moods. Like, I didn't apply to this job for you. Like, but it's also like the era of social media. You're seeing everybody do things quickly, or you might not even see w the path that everyone went down, but you just see like just the glitz and glam of it all and the people in their careers, and you think like they could probably think because I don't know how they think, but that's so easy. Like, why am I doing this? Or, you know, just I think a lot of it is like a really like people think about get rich quick schemes and just wanting to just have that immediate immediate um gratification, gratification and just success. That's what I was looking for. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think that that I think a lot of people are lazy, and like I said, it's the internet technology, like Ayla said, it's making us really, really lazy. So I can definitely tension span is so short now. Mine is, I can test.

How To Attract Young Talent

Like, I think like the ADHD and the itity, like you know what I'm talking about, like all those stuff is going to be a problem. Like, because they're like, Oh, I can't do this because of my ADHD, or AD, because everyone just like scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. So your mind is constantly working, but not in a good way.

Well, I was doom scrolling the other day. Um, I saw one that said, We are training our children to come up into a world that we grew up in still. So, like, even like what we're talking about here, where it's like choosing a career, you know, and like what kind of company do you want to work for and things like that. That's all stuff that may or may not exist by the time our kids are done with high school. You may now no longer have like companies who employ people full time.

Yeah.

That could be something that goes out the window with AI and the way that it's just gonna take over everything. Yeah. So, you know, I feel like this is taking a negative turn, but I just, you know, yeah, yeah. I want to kind of get to a point where the point where, you know, are there any thoughts on how we can obviously you can't change the world, you can't fix it, but um how do we bring more young people into this industry? Is there a way that we can make it more attractive for the way that they are today? Do we mold ourselves to bring in more talent? Or do we provide a training or some kind of other incentive to get people to not be so lazy, to actually want to apply themselves and to enter a specific industry? I don't think that that's talked about very much, for example.

I don't think it's much of like what you guys do and what you guys like should be doing differently. I mean, yes, kind of, because I personally never even knew this existed. So if you guys put yourselves out there more and advertised it more, like what you're doing now, these podcasts, but like I said, there's like many, many, many, many people that don't even know this like exists. So I don't think it's like what you guys are doing, it's what you're not doing, if that makes sense.

Is awareness enough? Like what do you mean? Like oh, okay, so the automotive aftermarket is a thing. Is that enough to get someone to be like, oh, I want to be a part of the automotive aftermarket? You know, like how do you make it enticing? Like, how do you be like, oh, I wanna when I graduate, yeah, I wanna get into this industry because Yeah.

I think it should be because of the people 100% in what you guys do. Like it's not it's not all, you know, like oh you gotta do this, you gotta do that. It's there's there's room for leniency and you know, room to breathe. And we're I we're all having fun. Yeah. And it's not like you you know what I'm saying?

So showing more of like what happened last night.

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Just putting it out there, showing like what you could be getting yourself into.

I can imagine for this generation like thinking about like their parents, maybe or even their grandparents, and like the vision they might have in their head of a cubicle. And how terrible that must be for a generation that has so much moving around them all the time. Yeah, you know.

Curiosity Culture And Trying New Ideas

I was gonna say, like, I kind of agree with Ayla on in the sense of like a lot of young people probably just don't know, like, especially like with Auto Care Association. Like, before coming on, I did not know that there was an actual association that for our members that like helps people that fix cars, that advocates for people that fix cars. I didn't even think about that. Like when I I think that before coming to this job, I would think that the automotive aftermarket was just like a place where mechanics and technicians exist where you go get your car fixed. I mean, I'm not a car person, so I wouldn't have even thought this deep into it. Um, but like when I tell people where I work, they're always like so like you've you've helped fix cars or you work in the car shop. Yeah. And then when I tell them what I do, they're like, Oh, that's so that seems so fun. Like and people are curious and they get into it. Um, but I think it's just people have to be more curious. I I don't think that. Is something that we're not doing as far as like putting ourselves out there. I think it's just that maybe they're just not that curious to know like that there is an actual place like this, like that you can grow and you can do a lot of different things. Like you can be creative or you can be like a top executive and make the big decisions and those types of things. So I think it's just a curiosity thing.

Yeah, it's kind of like how do how do you spark that curiosity? Yeah, yeah. Like the flame. Yeah. Well, I think a little bit like what we were talking about earlier. Um, you know, that's something that I've loved about the association is that, you know, it's in our values to be curious, but it's not just in our values, like it's in the execution of our business. So like when somebody wants to try something new and crazy, they get to. And then if it doesn't work, they still get a high five.

You know, like it's no judgment.

It's a safe place to do that. And I think the industry is so hungry for for new ideas and like even things like this podcast, like it's so hungry for that that you get it's almost like a energy rush to do it again. Like if you if you're brave enough to try new things.

Why The Aftermarket Supports Everyone

So even coming onto this job, like before, like when I applied, I just thought like, and it is a very polished place. Like I never would have thought, like I told you earlier, that I would be doing the things like my boss is very open to all things creative, just my association period. The association period is open to new ideas and change. I feel like you don't find that everywhere. And like you said, you have to try new things and do do those things to know whether we can keep doing them or elevate on them or we need to pivot and move to another space. So yeah, I think that that that's a good point. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, anything else? Any other thoughts? I think it's really cool you guys travel a lot. I'm sorry, I love traveling, but I think it's really cool you guys get to see a bunch of new places.

Well, when I'm my old job, I traveled all the time before kids. Like, do that while you're before you're you're tied down. But like, um, it is a it's also a global industry and it's everywhere.

You know, you guys, like automotive association, like everywhere. Yeah, it's fun.

Subscribe And Where To Learn More

Yeah, it's a really fun and a very huge industry. And what I'm really, really proud of, and I've gotten more proud of since I've worked for the association is that people don't realize necessarily that there's an association that supports a lot of this, but everybody uses our energy or our industry. You know, every semi-truck bringing products to stores. It's true, you know, every, you know, per like every family that has multiple cars, you know, like all of that is supported by the companies that are here today. Um, and you don't necessarily think about that when you're just, you know, you're not engaged in it and you're not working in the industry, but we support the world. Yeah, really. It's awesome. It's so cool. It's pretty fun to be a part of.

Yeah.

Well, thank you guys for hopping on. Thanks for so much fun. First podcast. All right, thank you.

Yes.

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