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Vol. 10 / Issue 8 / October 2019
Solving the Tech Shortage: Steps to Finding Qualified Employees
Collision Repair Students in NC Find Jobs at FTCC Draft Days
by Stacey Phillips
by Gary Ledoux
From coast to coast, collision repairers are talking about the talent pool shortage facing the industry and what can be done to address what some are calling an impending crisis. As vehicles are becoming more difficult to repair due to the increasing amount of technology being used, shop owners and leaders are recognizing the risks associated with not having qualified technicians on staff. During a recent Elite Body Shop Academy webinar, host Dave Luehr explored the issue in-depth with Erick
Finding a job after graduation is a concern for students; but, graduating students from Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) ColllisionU in Fayetteville, NC, have the opposite situation. Employers come looking for them. Twice each year, in March and October, the school holds “Draft Days” and invites executives from over 25 companies to visit the school for a two-day event. At the event, executives watch students perform various collision repairs and refinishing operations, interact with them and interview them. Upon the completion of the interview, company representatives may offer students a job right on the spot, or at a later date. Industry giants visiting the school include:
(l to r) Justin Stokes, the first graduate of the protype program, pictured with his trainer, Zach Serhal. Credit: Collision Career Institute
Bickett, co-founder of Fix Auto USA, founder of the Collision Industry See Tech Shortage, Page 12
Gerber Collision & Glass Acquires Two Collision Shops Located in AL The Boyd Group Inc. (the “Boyd Group”) announced on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the acquisition of two collision repair centers in Alabama. These locations previously operated as Auto Collision Experts, originating with the Moody, AL, location in 2013. The Anniston, AL, location was added in 2018. Moody is one of the fastestgrowing cities in Alabama and is located 22 miles east of Birmingham and 9 miles east of Gerber’s recently opened Trussville (Alabama) location. Anniston is located approximately 65 miles east
of Birmingham and is home to the Anniston Army Depot, a major United States military facility that produces and repairs ground combat vehicles. “We look forward to providing the same high-quality service that these customers and insurance partners have come to expect in this region,” said Tim O’Day, president and COO of the Boyd Group. “These acquisitions reinforce our brand in this area and the Annison location helps fill a gap between our repair centers in Birmingham and Atlanta.”
Service King Collision Centers, Caliber Collision, Sonic Automotive, various insurance carriers and others. Since 2014, FTCC CollisionU has been training students on the finer points of collision repair. The Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology associate degree program is structured to provide students with not only technical training in collision repair and refinishing, but also industry-recognized, specialized certifications including nine professional certifications from the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and PPG Certified refinishers. The degree program is also recognized as a Honda PACT Program provider.
Students can achieve the following ISee NC Draft Days, Page 10
ADAS Calibrations Latest Challenge Facing Collision Repairers by John Yoswick
A presentation at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), held in Indianapolis, highlighted some of the complexities the collision repair industry is facing in both “static”
Jack Rozint of Mitchell International said the test drive requirements for some system calibrations has led shops in some urban areas to do them at dawn when there’s less traffic congestion. Credit: John Yoswick
and “dynamic” calibrations of some advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Jack Rozint of Mitchell International and chairman of CIC’s “Emerging Technologies Committee,” said dynamic calibrations can require test driving the vehicle while connected to either an OEM scan tool or a specialized aftermarket scan tool. “Basically, only [an OEM tool or] the very best of the aftermarket scan tools are capable of doing these routines,” Rozint said. The calibrations may require that the vehicle maintains a certain speed for a set period. Road requirements can include a clear sideline and center line on a straight road in the daylight. To meet these requirements, Rozint said, some shops in urban areas are conducting dynamic See ADAS Calibrations, Page 22
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