Tasco Auto Color

Collision Pros Share Entry-Level Insights with UTI Students

Engaging the future generation of collision repairers is vital for the industry’s sustainability, but it requires investing time and energy into talking to students about the opportunities available after graduation.

That’s exactly why Adan Ibarra (Leading Edge Collision; Houston) and Robbie Saladino (I-CAR; South Central region) recently volunteered to address the collision repair and refinish technology students at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Houston. The pair offered insights into starting an entry-level career to over 160 students. They also conducted mock interviews, allowing students to practice how they should interact with a potential employer.

Ibarra, a 2002 UTI graduate, got involved after realizing that most of his classmates had left the industry.

“Only four of us have continued in the industry. That’s a big problem, partially caused by the fact that the expectations held by both students and shop management are not realistic – students must be willing to start at the bottom and work their way up, and shop owners should realize that students don’t know all the tricks of the trade as soon as they graduate. Shops typically toss students to the wolves, causing the new technician to get discouraged and leave the industry.”

Conducting mock interviews allowed Ibarra and Saladino to emphasize the importance of networking to the students.

“We wanted to help students understand what to expect when they go into an interview,” Saladino shares. “During a mock interview with Adan, he told me there were no job openings, so I asked him to consider me for future positions and also requested permission to visit his shop occasionally to discuss industry-related issues. I explained to the students that networking and making the connection would be considered a ‘win’ because getting to know industry leaders gives them a chance to remember the student.”

“Adan and Robbie’s great message was very well-received by our students and instructors,” UTI collision repair instructor Keith Schieffer says. “They provided our students with a better concept of what to expect at an interview and also on the first day of the job. We look forward to similar events in the future because interacting with the industry helps maintain students’ interest in the industry.”

Robbie Saladino (far right) and Adan Ibarra (second from right) pose with UTI students during the training event. (Photo by Meagan Cantrell; courtesy of UTI) TXA