PURVES PLUGS AUTOMAKER/DEALER COOPERATION

BMW's Tom Purves

February 11, 2006—“Careers at franchised automobile dealers are a growth industry,” said BMW (U.S.) chairman and CEO Tom Purves at the opening session Saturday. “These are noncyclical jobs that cannot be outsourced overseas.” There are now more than 104,000 jobs available at franchised dealerships, a recent survey by Automotive Retailing Today (ART) found. And automakers are helping dealers in this area. Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES)—an NADA/automaker partnership that develops high school-to-auto tech career training programs—recently got a $2.2 million grant to be used to provide online access to technical training. AYES also works to improve the image of technical careers.

Technology is another area where automakers and dealers can cooperate, said Purves. “Auto companies competing in the U.S. are projected to spend more than $14 billion on research and development this year.” The best results will come when the industry can pursue several technologies at the same time and not, for instance, have to meet different corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards from different states.

In a press conference afterward, Purves said he would encourage BMW dealers to follow up their investment in facilities with investment in people. “We need to get the word out that the auto industry is an attractive place for people to have a career, not just a job.” Having heard Volvo North America CEO Anne Belec say at the women’s networking breakfast that morning that less than 2 percent of service advisers are women, he added, “That’s an incredible opportunity. Why don’t we employ more women in positions like that?”

General Session (audio/video)
Q&A (audio/video)

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