During the pandemic there was a collapse of the service economy, retail, and restaurants. The only exception was the appliance repair technicians. As families adjust were home 24/7 they put more wear and tear on refrigerators and dishwashers. Technician experienced a huge demand for their services
A broken appliance can push a strained family over the edge. Repair technicians — when they can be booked — can take weeks to over a month to fix.
The 2021 repairman it’s still most often a man. The strain of key part shortages can take weeks to arrive if ordered from the manufacturer. Relentless domestication is showing up across the US. America’s stay-at-home workers have had to fix ovens used to store shoes to actually cook meals. Fridges are constantly mined for snacks, and work clothes have been replaced with pajamas pushing washers to the limits.
Repair companies are triaging calls, hiring new employees. There has always been a demand for appliance repair technicians but not enough takers. The pandemic has just magnified the situation.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pre pandemic, home appliance repair was projected to decline 6.9 percent from 2019 to 2029, from 38,400 to 35,800 workers. Repair technicians mostly work in industries projected to decline, namely electronics and appliance stores, and personal and household goods repair and maintenance, which are projected to decrease 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent by 2029, respectively, said Francisco Velez, an economist in the Division of Occupational Employment Projections at the BLS.
Still, unlike HVAC or other trades, appliance repair isn’t taught in most vocational curriculums although it could be about to change. There aren’t enough appliance service technicians because there are only two major schools in repair education: Dyer Appliance Repair Academy in the Fort Worth area and Fred’s Appliance Academy in Madison, Ohio.
Good news is Fred’s added a online learning model and also introduced a la carte options, for professionals and hobbyists. Appliance repair is a career that can offer good pay, job security and mobility.
