J & S Tire & Service: Building A Future

J & S Tire and Service is a small automotive repair shop in Owosso employing five people. The owner, Steve Gill, would like to employ more because the business is always booked with repairs. The problem is there are not enough available technicians to fill the need. Knowing this, Steve took a different approach by hiring young adults from outside the industry and training them from the ground up.  

We started with two individuals. One was enrolled in our On-The-Job Training (OJT) program, and the other started with the Paid Work Experience, funded by WIOA.  Both will have the opportunity to participate in the NAPA Automotive USDOL apprenticeship program which would lead to certifications and free tools. As they progress J & S Tires will be able to bring on more people to work in similar programs thus growing their workforce and business.

Due to the labor shortage, it is increasingly more difficult to find people who have the required skills to fill the employment needs of businesses. Employers are forced to start thinking outside the normal box, looking at the emerging young population as one of those avenues. J & S Tire and Service is both excited and surprised by the number of services available through GST Michigan Works! to help with their employment needs.