How did the idea of creating the Talents4AA association come about?
Whilst talking to other market players, we realized that we all had the same recruitment problem. The aftermarket sector has an unsexy image, reinforced by the idea of some people, especially the younger generation, that the automotive sector is on the decline because it is polluting the environment and is an ageing technology. So, we decided to join forces to prove that the sector is indeed evolving, and to attract new talent. The electrification of vehicles shows that it is adapting to new technologies and that it can be ecological and ready for a new start.
After 2 years of preliminary work and exchanges, the Talents4AA association was officially created in Paris in March 2022 with 11 founding members.
What is its scope of action?
We are looking to attract new talents in all areas of the aftermarket: in international trading groups, independent manufacturers, as well as small and medium-sized repairers or even OEMs. We want young graduates, as well as people with experience; factory workers and administrative staff or mechanics; and attract more women into the industry.
In fact, all professions within the sector are affected by this shortage of candidates.
“We are inviting all the industry players to join forces with us: we need to be all of us together in this noble deed, nobody should be missing out.”
How do we proceed?
We lobby politicians and institutions, such as in Brussels where we support FIGIEFA, the European federation of the independent wholesalers and retailers of automotive replacement parts and their associated repair chains.
We also give talks in universities and training schools, as well as at trade fairs such as Automechanika Frankfurt in September, where we will present the association. We opened a page on LinkedIn and are preparing to launch an online recruitment platform to put candidates and recruiters in touch.
We plan to deploy a very broad communication programme to reach out to the maximum number of people across as wide an area as possible.
Is the association open to new applications?
Absolutely! Talents4AA is ready to welcome new members and new visionaries, whether they are players whose core business is in the aftermarket or not, such as start-ups or to be found in other sectors… in fact, we are already in talks to bring new members into the association.
