- Patrick and Richard discussing repair plan.
BCC Students At Work
Future Collision Repair Technician Survey
Please take a minutes to answer the questions below to help us determine the expectations of the collision repair industry.
Thanks for your involvement to better train the technicians of tomorrow.
Collision Repair: Why Is This Important To Education?
Collision repair programs are important because the industry relies on our programs to provide qualified collision repair and paint technicians for them.
With vehicles required to meet the government regulation of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, more lightweight materials are being used to manufacture vehicles. Along with these major changes to vehicles design; new repair procedures must also be taught.
It is more important now than ever before for technicians to learn the basics while at school before entering an entry-level position at a collision repair center. Collision shops are swamped just staying up with the fast paced changes in the industry and training their own technicians the new repair procedures required to work on cars. The repair shops do not have the time to teach a new technician with no training the basics.
Collision repair programs are important to the communities we live in because modern day vehicles must be properly repaired after being involved in an accident. Due to new steels, aluminums, and composites being used to manufacture vehicles, if repaired incorrectly, this could lead to the structural integrity being jeopardized and not providing the passenger safety as it was designed to do. This could lead to unnecessary injuries and deaths.
Obviously technical programs cost more money to operate than academic programs. But every city and town in every state of America need qualified technician to repair the cars we drive. Therefore, please support and get involved with your local collision repair programs.
Let’s work together to keep the roadways safe. To find your local NATEF/ASE accredited program
No Response From I-CAR – Need Your Help About I-CAR Points
Several weeks ago I received a packet from I-CAR stating that they are changing their curriculum structure for schools. We’ve already bought the I-CAR curriculum for the school and purchase I-CAR cd’s for the students. However, according to a letter in this packet I-CAR is going to start charging an annual fee to use their curriculum. The packet also included an invoice that is due April 30, 2012. From what I understand after reading the packet, if we do not pay the annual fee this month, we are no longer eligible to use I-CAR curriculum or provide I-CAR points.
My question is about the students that have been using the I-CAR curriculum for the past two years. Since the invoice is due April 30 and the students graduate in May, are they eligible to claim the I-CAR points they have already tested for? I could not find where the packet addressed this. If it did, I missed it and need clarification.
As many schools I’m sure, we do not have an extra $900 this time of year. In fact, there was no way to budget for this as I did not know about the annual fee until I received the packet earlier this month. I am assuming the students that have already been using the curriculum can still get their points, but I cannot confirm this with I-CAR to make certain. I certainly do not want to provide false information to the students.
I wanted to post this and reach out to other collision repair instructors who read the CollisionBlast. I am hoping one of you may know the answer or have been able to contact I-CAR regarding this matter. I have sent several e-mails and left voicemails, but have not had any response from I-CAR.
So here is my question once again, the invoice is due April 30. We are not going to pay the annual fee this budget year. Are the students graduating next month going to be able to receive the I-CAR points? If you know the answer to this, please comment below are e-mail Donnie at asmith73@butlercc.edu
Collision Repair: That’s What We Do
We’ve been busy at the collision repair program at Butler trying to complete all of the projects be schools ends in May. However, we did manage to catch a few clips of what we do in the program.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUAT1gyhZ8[/youtube]
If you are interested in a career in collision repair now is the time to get enrolled. Many colleges are enrolling for Fall 2012. There are many community colleges and technical schools that have excellent collision repair programs to consider. However, these types of programs fill up fast.