Car Audio Is Second-Fastest-Declining Profession in U.S.

For those of you looking to hire your next technician, look no further than the 12V car audio installation industry. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, through the year 2024 “electronic equipment installers/repairers, motor vehicles” is the second-fastest-declining profession in America. Specifically, the 12V car audio installation profession is expected to decline by 50 percent, going from 11,500 jobs to just 5,800 jobs.

And the news is even worse for technicians (but better for CE pros). Automotive electronics technicians are expected to earn an annual median salary of $31,360 or $15.08 per hour. Meanwhile, in the custom installation industry the media entry level wage for a new technician is $16.43 per hour, or $34,174. So for custom integrators, 12V technicians would be earning a salary upgrade by moving into the home installation industry.

According to the recent joint CE Pro/CTA Workforce Development Study, 83 percent of integration companies are actively looking to hire new technicians during 2017. One in four integrators looking to hire three or more employees over the next 12 months. In terms of immediate needs, two thirds of custom integration companies say they need new technicians right now. 

But the news for car audio installers is not all bad… at least they are not “locomotive firers.” That job title is listed as the fastest-declining profession, falling from 1,700 positions to just 500 by 2024. 

Research: What Are Today's Employees Looking for in a Job?

Other disappearing professions reads like a list of jobs from an Industrial Revolution history book. They include:

• Telephone operators
• Postal Service employees (sorters, clerks and processors)
• Sewing machine repairers
• Switchboard operators
• Photographic processors
• Textile knitting and weaving machine setters
• Foundry mold and core makers
• Watch repairers
• Manufactured building and mobile home installers
• Parking enforcement officers
• Desktop publishers
• Pre-press machine operators

See the complete list here.