Study: Interest in automotive retail work rates high with Generation Z

A recent study has concluded that people between the ages of 18 and 30 are interested in pursuing careers in the automotive retail industry.

Cox Automotive Inc.’s 2019 Dealership Staffing Study reported that members of Generation Z – those born between the mid-1990s to early-2000s – are more likely to seek employment at an auto dealership as opposed to other generations.

In a blog entry dated Aug. 2, the National Automobile Dealers Association stated that at least 30 percent of Generation Z workers and younger Millennials would apply for a dealership job. The amount of interest is higher than that expressed by older members of Generation Z and members of Generation X who are inching toward AARP eligibility.

According to the study, auto retailers could stand to benefit from the nearly 60 million members of Generation Z beginning to enter the U.S. workforce. Yahoo Finance said that Generation Z will comprise 20 percent of the workforce in 2020. 

The influx of Generation Z employees in dealerships nationwide could help stymie the recent turnover wave, Cox Automotive said in a July news release.

“A new generation is entering the workforce and bringing with them a renewed interest in working at a dealership,” Isabelle Helms, vice president of research and market intelligence for Cox Automotive, said in the release. “To attract and retain employees in this highly competitive job market, dealerships should understand which benefits and cultural attributes employees value most and take action to effect positive changes within their store.”

DARCARS Automotive Group CEO John Darvish told Mega Dealer News that his company boasts more than 300 Generation Z employees and “[continues] to receive job applications from people in that age bracket.

“We have found that they are extremely interested in learning about automotive technology, enjoy the experiences that come from working at a dealership, and thrive in the family first atmosphere at DARCARS,” Darvish said.