Every service drive has one: the young tech everyone goes to when a problem has the rest of the shop stumped. They keep learning, find new ways to fix things, and quietly hold the department together. Yet most "30 Under 30" lists are reserved for office jobs and executive titles.
The people turning wrenches deserve the same spotlight as the people in the corner office.
GM 30 Under 30 Program: Nominations, Dates, and Prizes
The industry runs an annual shortfall of about 37,000 trained service technicians, according to NADA, even as service and parts revenue has grown 33% since 2018, per Cox Automotive. GM's new program aims to help close that gap.
Who qualifies: GM technicians under 30 who stand out for customer service, leadership, and ongoing training
Nomination deadline: Oct. 30
Honorees revealed: January 2027 in Detroit
What winners receive: tools, personal AI glasses, and a service jacket
Their role: serving as ambassadors for technician careers
The program joins GM's existing efforts, including its two-year Automotive Service Educational Program with paid dealership apprenticeships and its 12-week Shifting Gears program for transitioning military veterans.
"The technicians are the heartbeat of the vehicle. Without technicians, we cannot care for our customers properly." Andrew McKittrick, GM Director of Dealer Service and Warranty Operations
How Recognition Can Help Solve the Auto Technician Shortage
Technicians grind every single day, and many of them are deeply educated on increasingly complex vehicles. Recognition programs like this send a message to the next generation that these careers are worth pursuing, and that the industry sees the people doing the work.
If you're a GM dealer, nominate your standout tech before Oct. 30. If you're not the person who handles that, pass it to the one who is. And if you're not a GM dealer, borrow the idea. A simple local recognition for your best young techs costs little and tells your whole team what you value.
More of this, please.
We unpack GM's program on today's episode of the Automotive State of the Union.
