City of Tampa, Hillsborough College launch new program to address mechanic shortage

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — If your car needs work, it could end up taking longer because of a national shortage of mechanics.

To meet the growing need in Tampa, the city is launching a new workforce initiative called GEAR UP.

Michael Daniels is one of the students selected for the new program. He said he got his love for cars all thanks to his dad.

“We worked on them, but we really sold cars and transported them, so growing up, he always just had me right there with him, so I just grew a love for it,” Daniels said.

Through GEAR UP, these students be will job-ready to meet the growing demands.

“They have hands-on here, 15 hours per week, and the city of Tampa pays for their tuition up to almost $13,000 per student annually,” said Adriana Colina, Tampa’s director of Logistics and Asset Management.

To help combat this growing gap, the city of Tampa is partnering with Hillsborough College to help graduate with the certifications they need.

“The GEAR UP program exemplifies this mission by building a direct workforce pipeline to meet the growth in the automotive industry for skilled workers,” said Dr. Ken Atwater, President of Hillsborough College.

By 2030, the city of Tampa said it is projected that Florida will need to fill almost 54,000 auto mechanic job openings.

Dusty Cox at Olin Mott on Kennedy Boulevard is already feeling the shortage and said programs like GEAR UP provide more hands-on experience these mechanics will need.

“We need something that’s going to want them to get involved and that is incentive that they have, if they can take school and be debt free and come out making a lot of money,” he said.

Daniels said the program gives him a chance to make an impact on Tampa.

“I’m just glad for the opportunity,” he said. “I’m glad I was chosen. I’ve been praying for it, all thanks to God.”

Officials said through the program, these students will graduate debt free to get a head start in their careers.