A veteran motorbike mechanic has blamed young workers, particularly Generation Z, for forcing him to close down his longstanding business.
Dave Lawson, who opened The Bike Doctor in Perth back in December 1981, said he’s shutting up shop after 43 years. He points the finger squarely at younger workers and blames their attitude toward apprenticeships and work in general.
“They’ve been spoiled by my generation,” Lawson told The West Australian.
“We’ve tried to give our kids a better life than we had. We haven’t let them tough it out and make their own mistakes.”
Lawson claims Gen Z, people born from 1997 to 2012, are turning their noses up at apprenticeships because of low starting pay, yet manage to find money for what he considers lavish lifestyle choices.
“A lot of young people say they don’t have money but if you have a look at their bank statements, they’re paying $50 to get a hamburger delivered,” he said.
“That’s where your money’s going. You just can’t save money when you blow it like that.”
Over his decades in business, Lawson says he’s only had around a dozen apprentices. While some stayed for years, most didn’t last long, and none pursued a career in motorbike mechanics.
“Within three to six months, they’re dragging their lip around the workshop,” Lawson said. “Some people expect too much.”
Lawson believes the root of the issue lies in schools, where apprenticeships aren’t valued enough, with students encouraged to go to university instead. He argues this leaves young people with huge debt and no practical experience.
The problem, he says, is made worse in Western Australia due to the lucrative mining sector.
“Mining is a very attractive job for young people because they can go straight into the big bucks,” Lawson explained.
The Bike Doctor published a special note about the “current climate” of the trades industry on its website.
“Due to a chronic skill shortage in the motorcycle industry here in WA, we find ourselves having to restrict some of our normal services, including dyno work,” the notice read.
“Although unfortunate, it is best during these times to hibernate some aspects of what we are equipped for, but don’t have the available skills to perform, rather than to produce unsatisfactory results.”
Heavy diesel mechanic apprentice Connor Gale, 21, said many apprentices in the sector drop out before qualifying, often due to financial reasons.
“The customer service advisers make more than the mechanics on bonuses,” Gale said. “Why would you sacrifice four years on c**p pay when you could go straight into a service adviser role?”
It comes as training organisation Apprenticeships Are Us LTD has reported that 60 per cent of automotive apprentices are abandoning their apprenticeships.
That alarming dropout rate comes from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, which found that individual completion rates for apprentices and trainees had decreased to 54.8 per cent in 2023.
Phil Cooksey, general manager of Apprenticeships Are Us Ltd, said that low starting salaries are putting off young people.
“The current cost of living pressure, especially in the Sydney area, is probably the biggest culprit for people quitting their apprenticeships. The Government has been offering incentives to help ease the cost of living pressure, but even still, apprentices are finding themselves faced with difficult decisions,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate because completing an apprenticeship offers long-term benefits, including valuable qualifications, real-world experience, and highly competitive pay.”
Mr Cooksey said the best advice he could offer any young person studying a trade is to stick with it because it’ll eventually pay off.
“A qualified car mechanic can earn around $75,000 per annum, while those specialising in heavy vehicles, like trucks and buses, could see salaries reaching $100,000,” he said.
“With the strong demand for automotive skills, apprentices who complete their training are likely to find job opportunities in their preferred locations.”
