Over the last two years Autobahn Fort Worth has doubled the size of its service department. Once the auto dealer moves to a bigger location at the end of 2026, they project the service department will double again. Company leaders foresee a need for trained auto technicians in an industry that’s always searching for them.
“You’ll hear most dealers whine about how they can’t hire technicians. They can’t find anybody,” said Brendan Harrington, president of Autobahn Fort Worth. As chair of the Automotive Task Force with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Harrington decided to do something about the problem.
The chamber analyzed the needs of the industry and how to train students to get the skills they need to succeed in the field. One step in that direction is a $50,000 donation from Autobahn Fort Worth to students in the automotive technology program at Tarrant County College’s South campus. Ten $5,000 scholarships will be awarded this year.
Students will also earn $20 an hour in paid internships at Autobahn Fort Worth. The hope is that once they graduate, they enter a growing industry that typically pays an entry-level technician an annual salary of about $50,000. At the luxury car dealer, where Autobahn Fort Worth services BMWs, Volvos, Volkswagens and other cars, most experienced technicians make around $100,000.
A few highly sought-after master technicians can make north of $200,000 annually, car dealer officials said. To gain the skills to make that kind of .