What is the Skills Canada Collision Repair Program?
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program promotes careers in the Collision Repair Industry to students, parents and teachers by increasing visibility and awareness of career opportunities at Skills Canada competitions and career events across Canada.
Every day thousands of vehicles are involved in accidents on Canada’s busy roads, and consumers rely on Collision Repair Facilities to provide the essential high-tech service that is needed to repair their damaged vehicles. Today, new vehicles continue to become more advanced, with a wide range of safety features, sensors, blue tooth connectivity, highly advanced materials, and infotainment systems. This means that the complexity of collision repairs continues to increase, along with the technical skills required to properly repair a vehicle. Today’s technicians receive a high level of ongoing training, and work with the latest in tools and equipment to stay up to date. The good news is that these skills are in high demand. With the ongoing shortage of young people entering the collision repair industry, the career and financial opportunities for those who choose a career in collision repair are abundant.
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program was created to address this skills shortage by raising awareness of career opportunities at Skills Canada Competitions across the country, by showcasing the exciting opportunities that are available for young people. The program also provides students who compete in the competitions from across Canada with hands-on training opportunities and the chance to enhance their skills and knowledge during their experience as a competitor.
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program is completely funded by donations from industry leaders who believe in investing in the future of Collision Repair.
Program Mission
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program helps to bring together industry stakeholders to make it possible to host skills competitions across Canada. This includes coordination of a vast amount of parts, paint, equipment, vehicles, and supplies that are required to host each skills competition. In addition, hundreds of volunteers are recruited each year to help out, and ensure that the competitors enjoy a professional event.
In additional, working with dedicated industry partners, the Skills Canada Collision Repair Program provides competitors with hands-on training and educational opportunities at many competitions that they would not otherwise have access to. This provides a valuable opportunity for industry to be connected with students and educational professionals. These training opportunities help young people leave the competition with enhanced skills and knowledge to help them excel on the job.
The competitions provide an invaluable opportunity to promote careers in collision repair to students, when they see their peers demonstrating their skills using our high-tech, modern equipment.
Our events are interactive, through the use of the Skills Canada Collision Repair Program Virtual Painting Booth, which is onsite at Skills Competitions to provide an exciting hands-on activity. Tens of thousands of young people have a chance to hear about the collision repair industry, possibly for the first time, and explore if this could be the career opportunity they are seeking. Industry volunteers operate the virtual paint booth and share their expertise, provide career information and brochures, and answer questions about the industry.
By working together as an industry we are attracting new talent and helping to retain the young competitors who have already found their passion in collision repair.
There are many different opportunities for industry stakeholders to participate:
Become a financial Skills Canada Collision Repair Program Sponsor
Donate parts, paint, equipment, tools and supplies
Volunteer on a technical committee to assist with planning, setup and running an event
Volunteer on competition day as a judge, or to help run the virtual paint booth
Careers
There are many fun and exciting career opportunities in the Collision Repair Industry. We are looking for energetic, talented young people that have a passion for cars, are interested in technology, and want a career that offers opportunities for advancement and continuous learning.
What types of opportunities are available within Collision Repair Facilities ?
- Damage Appraiser – assess damage caused by collisions, determine correct repair procedures, create computerized estimate, communication
- Licensed Autobody Technician – assess damage, measure and repair structural damage, review computerized vehicle specifications, repair or replace dented and damaged vehicle parts
- Automotive Prepper – prepare automotive surfaces for painting
- Automotive Painter – colour matching, mixing paint, applying waterborne basecoat and clearcoat, operation of paint booth
- Automotive Detailer – prepares vehicles for delivery to customer, final inspection for quality, polishing, pinstriping, decal application
- Customer Service Representative – manage customer and insurance company relations, invoicing
- Manager – many positions such as parts manager, production manager, office manager, general manager
Once you are working in the Collision Repair Industry you may progress from one position to another. Often managers or business owners started out as technicians and learned new skills on the job. The salary range of someone working in the Collision Repair Industry can range from $40,000 for entry-level employees to over $100,000 for skilled, experienced employees.
Related Career Paths
There are many opportunities in related fields that look to the collision repair industry for talented people. The skills and knowledge acquired from working within a collision repair facility are essential for these related positions:
- Insurance Companies – appraisers, managers
- Paint Manufacturers – technical representatives, sales, training, managers, marketing, communications
- Equipment Manufacturers – sales, installation, service, manager
- Computer Software – sales and service, manager
- Parts suppliers – customer service, sales, technical support, manager
- Distribution – sales, purchasing, customer service, accounting, manager
- Not-for-profit organizations – training, public relations, government, health and safety
- Automotive Repair – mechanical technicians, glass installers, managers, customer service
What kind of skills would I need ?
Careers in collision repair are exciting and challenging. Vehicle technology is constantly changing and becoming more advanced. Your career in collision repair will offer the opportunity for continuous learning and skill development.
Positions within a collision repair facility require the following skills:
- Pride of workmanship and creativity
- Reading and document use
- Numeracy and Measurement
- Written and Oral Communication
- Working with Others
- Problem Solving and Analytical Skills
- Computer Use
- Continuous Learning
Where can I develop the skills I need to succeed?
There are many opportunities for education in the Collision Repair Industry at different levels. Starting in high school, students can start to learn basic skills and get some hands-on experience. Students will learn the advanced skills needed for success as they progress to higher levels of education such as college, apprenticeship and on-the-job advanced training.
- High School – Many schools offer beginner-level training in Autobody repair and painting
- College – Autobody repair and automotive painting
- Apprenticeship – On-the-job training by experienced licensed technicians. Students register in an apprenticeship program to achieve provincial certification.
- Industry Specific – There are training courses offered by paint, equipment and product manufacturers and computer software providers. Safety training, computer training and management training is also available.
Event Videos
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program has been working alongside Skills/Compétences Canada to promote careers in collision repair by producing compelling online content and the ongoing 2020 Skills Canada Automotive Technology Summit. This content has been shared on various social media channels and is being distributed to secondary and post-secondary schools across Canada to raise the awareness of career opportunities for young people in the automotive industry.
Skills Canada Automotive Technology Summit Online Edition
Stay tuned for ongoing episodes of the summit, featuring original equipment manufacturers and industry experts who are sharing the latest information on automotive trends and technologies, the impact on the repair industry, and career opportunities.
2020 Skills Canada Automotive Technology Summit Online Edition – Video #1
David Adams, President of the Global Automakers of Canada, discusses trends in the automotive industry and opportunities for young people.
2020 Skills Canada Automotive Technology Summit Online Edition – Video #2
Leanne Jefferies speaks with Scott Wideman, Manager, Collision Program at Volkswagen Group Canada to discuss emerging technology in electric cars and the career prospects in the industry.
Skills Canada Automotive Technology Summit Online Edition – Video #3
Scott Wideman from VW Group Canada joins Leanne Jefferies to share insight into the future of training for the collision repair industry.
Skills Competences Canada Trade and Tech Chats testimonial: Bill Speed, Autobody Repair
In this Trade and Tech Chat testimonial, National Technical Committee member Bill Speed wants you to consider a career in autobody repair! Posted on social media August 26
Car Painting promo video
Skills Canada Alumni Series #7
Kassandra Bilodeau. SCC CEO Shaun Thorson discusses the car painting trade with SCNC and WorldSkills Team Canada 2015 Alumni Kassandra Bilodeau
Skills Competences Canada Trade & Tech Chats: Car Painting
Discussion about women in this trade, how it’s promoted through SCNC and SCCRP, encouraging youth, educational paths and job opportunities. Posted on SCC social media channels August 24
Featuring:
Leanne Jefferies, VP, Canadian Operations Assured Performance Network; Director Skills Canada Collision Repair Program;
Kassandra Bilodeau, WorldSkills Team Canada 2015 competitor in Car Painting at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 and National Alumni Committee representative for Quebec;
Cecile Bukmeier, Autobody Repair Instructor at NAIT, SCNC Vancouver 2013 gold medalist in Car Painting and WorldSkills Expert for Canada in Car Painting
SCC Trade and Tech Chats: Automobile Technology
Discussion about current technology and training techniques, labour shortage, encouraging youth, educational paths, and job opportunities. Posted on social media Sept. 3
Featuring: Ricky Martineau, Former NTC, Director of Education, ConsuLab
Nathan Banke, ConsuLab, WorldSkills Shizuoka 2007 competitor, Alumni; Product Owner
Shannon Lebel, Academy Technology and Support Lead, Group After Sales, Volkswagen Group of Canada
Skills Canada Collision Repair Program VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS 2019
Highlights from across Canada of the Skills Canada Collision Repair Program – 2019 Competitions and Automotive Technology Summit
Sponsors
The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program promotes careers in collision repair to students, parents and educators across Canada by showcasing the industry at Skills Canada Competitions. The Skills Canada Collision Repair Program has made a great deal of progress – from establishing a national Car Painting event, to expanding the number of provinces hosting provincial Autobody Repair and Car Painting competitions, to reaching over 800,000 students with the Virtual Painting system, and attracting a growing number of young women to the industry – the program is making a difference across the country!
Funding for the Skills Canada Collision Repair Program comes exclusively from industry stakeholders. Program sponsors include collision repairers, insurers, all types of suppliers, and service providers.
Please join our many existing sponsors, and be a part of the solution. Invest in your future!
LINK TO DOWNLOAD SPONSORSHIP FORM
Bronze
Media
Collision Quarterly
Collision Repair Magazine
Collision Management/Carrossier/Autosphere
National In-Kind
Contact
For more information or to learn about opportunities to get involved, contact:
Leanne Jefferies, Director
Phone: (905) 628-2041
Mobile: (905) 251-1345
Email: ljefferies@bell.net
