OPERATIVE TALENT: CALLING ALL STUDENTS TO GET THEIR HANDS ON A 1969 CAMARO!

NATIONAL NEWS

OPERATIVE TALENT: CALLING ALL STUDENTS TO GET THEIR HANDS ON A 1969 CAMARO!

Attention students! If you’re between the ages of 16-23 and are curious about what goes into a vehicle rebuild (or maybe you just want to try something new!), Operative Talent wants YOU!

“Cars are cool, and working on them is a lot of fun,” shares Crystal Lawrance of KTL Restorations (Danville, VA), a founding partner of Operative Talent. “Unfortunately, today’s students don’t often have the chance to get hands-on exposure to this type of work because so many schools have closed their trade programs. We want to showcase the awesome opportunities this industry offers – whether you’re interested in pursuing an automotive career or just want to learn something new, Operative Talent offers a unique experience you’re not able to get anywhere else.”

So, what is Operative Talent? Announced at the end of 2021, this collaborative effort between KTL, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) and BASF has grown to include over three dozen partners as automotive professionals seek to provide students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with a 1969 Camaro (named “Talent”) by participating in rebuilding the classic car…and hopefully, they’ll learn a little more about the different career paths available in this diverse industry during the process.

“Our industry has a bad reputation as this greasy, dirty place, but those days are long gone,” Lawrance insists. “It takes many different people with various talents to make up today’s automotive industry. Sure, body work and painting still happens in the back of the shop, but up front, we have estimators, accountants and a whole production team. Suppliers have many roles to fill; just look at BASF! They need chemists to create the beautiful colors we spray on these cars. And we even have positions for social media managers, industry journalists and more!

“We don’t do a great job of educating students of the general public about all the options that are out there,” she continues. “Just because you don’t want to work in a shop, that doesn’t mean there’s not a place for you if you love cars. Automotive professionals don’t all fit in the same box these days…and that’s just the way we like it! So, we’re hoping to introduce students to some of the different ways they might fit in, whether they’re already planning to enter this field or maybe they just want to give it a shot.”

Interested students can complete the application at OperativeTalent.com/studentapplication. Simply provide the required information, including a 30-second video about why you want to participate, and select your top three choices for which field you want to gain experience in: sheet metal, fabrication, body work, body fitment, paint, electrical/ wiring, mechanical assembly, detailing or marketing/videography.

Lawrance believes that today’s youth

would be just as fascinated by automotive work as they’ve been in the past, if only they were exposed to it. “Few people from the next generation show enthusiasm for automotive careers because they know nothing about it. No one tells them what’s available or what an amazing life it can provide. Instead, these kids are being pushed toward four-year degrees, but college isn’t for everyone. This is a chance to explore a rewarding career path, and if just 10 percent of the students who participate in the rebuild go on to see this as a potential career, we win. It’s about educating the future generation about these opportunities and helping the industry find quality talent. If we don’t bridge that gap, there will be no one to repair vehicles or create custom cars in the future, and that would be a tragedy.”

The automotive and collision industries have spent years griping about the lack of qualified help entering the workforce, and it’s time to DO something about it!

“We continually discuss the need for more technicians, estimators and other industry professionals, but instead of just thinking about it and talking about it, we’re going to put some actions behind it which will involve everybody in this industry,” urges Brandon Eckenrode, managing director of CREF. “We need everyone’s support…from donated parts to raffle ticket sales, we need the entire industry to get behind this effort – to get behind these students, our industry’s future – and help make Operative Talent a success.” Raffle tickets are on sale now for those interested in educating the public about the multitude of opportunities available within the automotive industry. And in addition to supporting trade school education, you’ll even get a chance to win the custom-built Camaro these kids will be working on at KTL!

The initiatives funded by the Operative Talent fundraiser will help showcase the industry and its career opportunities to the general public, which will benefit the entire industry. The success of the project relies

Operative Talent seeks to engage students in a vehicle’s restoration to give them hands-on experience & hopefully inspire a passion for automotive work.

on the entire industry getting involved and championing the endeavor. “Operative Talent is amazing,” BASF’s Tina Nelles praises the project. “Attracting new talent is important to our company and the entire collision repair industry. We’ve dedicated efforts to helping by offering internships, increasing scholarships and supporting schools, but the key piece that’s always neglected is outside perception of our industry…We need people talking about this industry in the right ways! By promoting collision repair careers through the website and the PSA campaign, we can ensure that students, as well as their parents, teachers and guidance counselors, understand the variety of opportunities that exist within this industry.”

“This is a full industry effort,” Eckenrode stresses. “And each of you can help determine the success of this operative by getting involved to make Operative Talent the best it can be – by raising funds and donating your time and efforts, we can showcase this industry and ensure it has a bright future!”

And Lawrance hopes that Operative Talent can highlight the industry going forward on a broader scale. “We’re talking to different shops around the country, and so many people believe in this project…I hope to see it grow and expand to offer students opportunities in different markets. How many kids can we attract if we just welcome them into this industry in a fun way? How many share the same passion that we do but need help discovering it? This is just the beginning,” she promises.

To support the industry’s future by purchasing raffle tickets, participating in the rebuild as a student or by donating parts, visit OperativeTalent.com. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts

A national fundraiser and awareness campaign - employing the efforts of excited talent in our industry - is not only amazing, but also hits home here in Virginia. Kick off this new year by getting a raffle ticket and finding out how else you can support this effort, and the efforts of a program close to you. Students who want to be in the industry are our next generation, and they need us to pay it forward by supporting them any way we

continued from pg. 8 collision repairers are currently facing. Special consideration will be given for unique or even hands-on opportunities. “In its former iterations, the Collision P.R.E.P. blew all expectations out of the water by having a full slate of nationally recognized speakers which led to the fantastic turnout by repairers,”

Hendler boasts. “Hoping to continue to grow and bring leading edge topics that are relevant to repair industry advancements, we are requesting submissions by leaders in the industry.” Educators interested in submitting a proposal should email the following information to jordanhendler@wmaba.com: • Presentation title, • List of all involved presenters (including name, title, company and email address), • Description of presentation, and • List of three takeaways attendees can anticipate.

Please note: There is no speaker compensation for participation as a presenter in Collision P.R.E.P.

WMABA and CCA also invite companies to support the Conference through participation as a vendor sponsor. “You do not have to have a booth to support, be present and visible to the industry,” Hendler encourages.

Sponsorship information and additional updates about the 2023 SCC can be found at southeastcollisionconference.com as they become available. H&D

Why Join WIN?

WIN offers education, mentoring and leadership development opportunities to build critical skills for success in the collision repair market. • Local/Regional Networking Events • Annual Education Conference • Educational Webinars • Mentoring Opportunities • Scholarship Program • School Outreach Program • Most Influential Women (MIW) Award