The AED Foundation has released its 2026 Technician Shortage Research Report, providing the equipment industry with its most comprehensive assessment to date of the equipment technician workforce crisis.
Building on the Foundation's landmark 2016 study, the new report incorporates perspectives from equipment dealers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technical schools and equipment technicians. This is the first time these stakeholders have been studied together to provide a more complete picture of the industry's workforce challenges.
The report confirms the technician shortage remains one of the greatest obstacles facing equipment dealers across North America. Agriculture and construction equipment dealers continue to face a shortage of approximately 10,000 diesel technicians annually, costing the industry an estimated $7 billion each year in lost shop and parts revenue, according to AED.
"For more than a decade, the AED Foundation has made workforce development its highest priority because the future of our industry depends on it," said Ron Barlet, chairman of the AED Foundation and president of Bejac Corp. "This report confirms the technician shortage remains one of our greatest challenges, but it also provides a roadmap for how dealers, manufacturers, educators and industry partners can work together to build a stronger workforce across North America."
Compared with the Foundation's landmark 2016 workforce research, the technician shortage has grown significantly. A decade ago, the shortage was estimated to cost equipment dealers approximately $2.4 billion annually in lost shop and parts revenue.
Today, agriculture and construction equipment dealers face a shortage of approximately 10,000 diesel technicians each year, resulting in an estimated $7 billion in annual lost shop and parts revenue. The impact is evident across the industry, with 77 percent of dealers saying the shortage is hindering business growth, 72 percent reporting increased costs and operational inefficiencies, and 80 percent unable to meet customer demand because of a lack of qualified technicians, according to AED.
Beyond documenting the challenges, the report identifies common priorities shared by dealers, manufacturers, educators and technicians, including expanding career awareness, strengthening industry-education partnerships and increasing work-based learning opportunities. It concludes with six industry priorities designed to help stakeholders address the technician shortage through coordinated, long-term action.
"The AED Foundation has made it a priority to connect industry with education," said Sean Fitzgerrel, vice president of the AED Foundation. "Research helps us understand the challenge, but our mission is to help solve it. Through accredited college programs, recognized high school partnerships, instructor development, career awareness initiatives and relationships with dealers and manufacturers, we're building a stronger workforce pipeline that will support the equipment industry for years to come."
While the report highlights the growing workforce shortage facing the equipment industry, the AED Foundation continues to make measurable progress in strengthening the talent pipeline across North America. The Foundation has achieved significant milestones toward its 2027 goals, including:
• 106 Accredited Colleges across North America, with a goal of reaching 120 by 2027.
• 155 Recognized High School Programs, with a goal of expanding to 200 by 2027.
• More than 5,000 certified technicians, surpassing the Foundation's 2027 certification goal ahead of schedule.
• 8,590 workforce entries into the equipment industry, closing in on the goal of 10,000 by 2027.
• More than $10.2 million raised to support workforce development initiatives, exceeding the Foundation's $10 million fundraising goal ahead of schedule.
The AED Foundation continues to lead workforce development across North America through its College Accreditation Program, Recognized High School Program, instructor development initiatives, career promotion efforts and industry partnerships—helping educational institutions meet industry standards while connecting students with rewarding careers in the equipment industry.
The 2026 Technician Shortage Research Report is available on the AED Foundation website, www.aedfoundation.org.
