In the heavy-duty repair world, hiring a new technician is a big win - but what happens next can make or break that investment. Too often, shops follow a "sink or swim" approach: hand them a wrench, point to a bay, and hope for the best. It doesn’t work. According to recent surveys, 92% of technicians say their shop’s onboarding process is average or worse, and nearly half of new hires leave the job within two years. That’s a recipe for high turnover and lost productivity.
For independent and mid-sized heavy-duty shops across North America, onboarding is more than HR policy. It’s a strategy to improve retention, reduce rookie mistakes, and get new hires billing hours fast. Let’s break down how to onboard a technician the right way, with real-world, shop-tested steps.
Start with the basics. Every shop has its own way of doing things - work orders, parts tracking, how to request tools, how warranty jobs are handled. Don’t assume even an experienced tech knows your flow. On day one:
Create a simple onboarding checklist or "new hire manual." It doesn’t have to be fancy - just a one-pager with shop rules, basic procedures, and who’s who.
Set expectations clearly. Define what good work looks like: torque spec checks, clean bays, zero comebacks. Let them know how you measure performance (hours flagged, job completion times, quality metrics). You’ll avoid misunderstandings and give new hires confidence from the start.
Heavy-duty repair isn’t just hard work - it’s dangerous. That’s why safety training should be a core part of onboarding, not an afterthought. On day one, walk through:
Reinforce that shortcuts aren’t tolerated. If a new hire sees that safety is taken seriously, they’ll follow suit. Review any DOT or EPA compliance rules relevant to your shop, especially if they’ll be touching inspections or emissions systems.
Modern shops run on more than air tools and engine hoists. If you use a shop management system like ShopView, train your new techs on it early. Don’t just say, “You’ll figure it out.” Make it part of the process.
Show them how to:
Walk through these tools with them on a tablet or computer. If your software has training videos or a sandbox mode, let them play around with it.
Also explain how the software helps them: faster job flow, better parts access, more accurate time tracking. That gets buy-in.
A mentor makes all the difference. Choose a tech who’s solid on skills, patient, and a good communicator. Don’t assign your busiest or grumpiest person just because they’re senior.
The mentor should:
Check in regularly to make sure the mentorship is working. It builds trust and keeps your new tech engaged. The goal is to ramp them up fast - and get them billing confidently without constant oversight.
Onboarding isn’t a one-day event. It should continue over 30, 60, and 90 days. Schedule informal check-ins to ask how things are going. What’s clear? What’s confusing? What tools or training would help them work faster or more accurately?
Set realistic goals. Maybe by day 30 they’re handling PMs solo. By day 60, they’re confident on diagnostics. By day 90, they’re leading full jobs with minimal help. Tie those milestones to ongoing training.
Also, give positive feedback when they hit benchmarks. It keeps motivation high and reinforces the right habits.
Small gestures matter. Give them a company t-shirt or hoodie. Introduce them on your shop’s social media. Take them out for a team lunch after the first week.
Culture matters. If your new hire feels welcomed and supported, they’re much more likely to stick around. They’re not just joining a job - they’re joining a team.
Here’s the bottom line: a good onboarding process increases retention, reduces training time, improves job quality, and boosts productivity.
Techs who are trained properly don’t:
They do:
And when your whole crew follows the same processes - including the new guy - your shop looks more professional to customers. That wins trust and long-term business.
Invest in onboarding like you would a new lift or a new scan tool. It’s not fluff - it’s one of the best ways to protect and grow your business.
Want help setting up a digital onboarding and training process with ShopView? Reach out to our team for a demo and see how you can modernize your technician workflow from Day One.