Three of Adams Auto Body’s four employees were working on a recent Friday afternoon. Pictured are (from left) Hector Becerra was hired a few months ago, Jose Rosado has been with Adams Auto Body about two years and Rodney Darby is the veteran in this group with more than five years’ experience with the company.
By Israel Webb
Adams Auto Body is in need of auto body technicians with dirty hands. Owned and operated by Cleotha Adams has owned the business for 58 years with the help of four expert technicians who are well-seasoned veterans. However he said the single biggest challenge he currently faces as a business owner is finding qualified people to fill open positions at his business.
There are now fewer vocational education programs outside of technical college courses to help people earn degrees and become qualified to work in the auto body industry. Cleo was able to get a job before he returned home from his interview because he had the knowledge, experience and his own set of tools.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Adams Auto Body employed seven technicians. After the pandemic was over, only four returned, leaving him potentially three short of the help he needs.
The hardest part of running a business is finding good help. “Quality help is hard to find because people have their faces stuck in their screens and are scared to get their hands dirty” Adams said. “Sometimes people come in with a little knowledge of what to do, but they have no real skill. They can make it through the first day but by the second I can tell.”
Typically, in a week, Adams Auto Body receives an average of five new car repair orders. The type of damage seems to vary by the season, according to Adams. Usually during the winter months, repairs tend to be a little more complicated and the car is often brought in undriveable. In the warmer weather months, people are more likely to bring in their vehicle for cosmetic touch ups, he said.
Cleotha Adams said he is a patient teacher and with more than 60 years of experience, he is a master of his craft. For those who wish to find a career and make a decent living this is an opportunity.
