"Challenges Produce Champions" Producing Champions in the Collision Repair Industry

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Learn How To Become A Professional Collision Repair Technician

2011-02-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Are You Interested In A Collision Repair Career Pathway?

Why choose collision repair as a career pathway?

Hands-on: Why should your job be boring and dreadful? You can earn income doing the things you like to do. If you're someone that likes working with your hands, a high-tech environment and you enjoy being able to step back and see the results of your work; then collision repair may be a good fit for you. High income potential: I-Car Education Foundation completed a survey, showing the average income that a collision repair technician earns. You may be surprised that the average income of $51,312 is higher then many other comparable trades. In fact, the top 10% earn $88,460. Although, just like with any career, you shouldn't expect this your first year on the job. These are the incomes you can expect to make with experience and commitment.

Test This Career For Free...Free Series Of Training Videos Are Ready For You

Yes, I'm Ready For Free Auto Body and Paint Training

TeachMeHow.info

What Are You Passionate About

I recommend that you find what your passionate about and do it. Let's face it, no one wants to spend the rest of their life hating their job. Life is too short...make each day count. While you're thinking about your passions, I'll tell you about mine and a few other stories.

Donnie's Story

I started working on cars as a hobby when I was a kid. My father, brother and I enjoyed tinkering around with cars. In high school, I enrolled in an auto mechanics class. This class allowed us to perform the mechanical aspect as well as body work and painting. There, I painted my first car. It was a 1974 Camaro. It took me the entire year to repair all the small dents and get it painted. However, the paint job turned out awesome. I was impressed with the satisfaction of being able to stand back and see the end result. This was when I discovered that I was passionate about the collision repair pathway. From there I attended a school for collision repair and entered the field of collision repair. In 2004 I decided to take the skills that I’ve learned and teach it to others. I remain passionate about collision repair and teaching.

Jenni’s Story

Auto Collision Repair fulfills a dream for me and provides a way for me to grow in my passion. My story isn't typical. I didn't grow up with all my family being car people, although my dad did teach me use my hands and to find solutions. It really started as a silly hobby when I was ten to identify cars on the road by their headlights/tail lights, and body lines etc., and people’s fascination of this only encouraged me more. When it came time to go to college, I couldn't decide. I really hated the thought of continuing education in just general studies until i figured out a degree choice, of which none of them I could see myself doing for any length of time. I wanted to pursue something that was more a part of me that I could do for the rest of my life. I consider myself artistic and my dad encouraged me to combine that with my love of cars and pursue Auto Body. I had doubts that I’d like the repair part of it, but my drive to do custom paint and the thought of being around cars, and car people all the time was enough for me to enroll at Butler. The first year was a bit awkward, I was the only girl in the class and having my own set of tools was new to me. So now I'm almost done with my second year of the program and I have gained a lot of confidence in what I'm doing, and actually love the repair part too. I've found out that when I graduate there are many different jobs you can have within the industry; many different choices of what you can be good at.

Read More Passion Stories

What if we can teach you a skill that you are passionate about and earn an honest decent income? Would that interest you? If so, keep reading to learn what we have to offer. If it is a fit for your needs, we’ll help you take the next step. If not, I suggest finding what you are passionate about. Fair enough?

Test This Career For Free...Free Series Of Training Videos Are Ready For You

Yes, I'm Ready For Free Auto Body and Paint Training

TeachMeHow.info

Collision Repair Career

Job Security

As long as people continue to drive vehicles, there are going to be accidents.
As long as there are accidents, there’s going to be people required to repair those damaged vehicles.
The roads are getting busier every day with traffic as population grows.
Job not outsourced - Vehicles involved in an accident will not be shipped overseas to have repairs completed and shipped back.

This means JOB SECURITY for technicians Job EnvironmentMost automotive body repair technicians work indoors and work a standard 40-hour week, Monday through Friday, although some, including the self-employed, work more than 40 hours a week. Source: US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Still not sure if collision repair is a fit? This may help you determine if it is or not.

This is how I-CAR says it: “If you’re someone who enjoys working with your hands, has a mechanical aptitude, takes pride in your work and is passionate about cars, then you might consider a career in collision repair. In spite of many stereotypes, the collision repair field can be very rewarding for individuals who possess the right skills and desirable attitude. In fact, most people are surprised to learn that a collision repair technician’s income, on average, is better than comparable trades. Also, an experienced technician has high-income potential, excellent job security and ample opportunities for career advancement within the entire Automotive Industry.”

Potential Jobs

A collision repair and/or refinish technician are only a few of the possible career paths this training can lead you to. Others include:

Automotive Technician
Collision Estimator
Aviation Paint Technician
Auto Assembler
Customer Advisor
Part Specialist
Body Shop Manager
Body Shop Owner
Auto Damage Appraiser
Collision Instructor

Ready To Take The Next Step?

All We Need Is Your First Name and Email Address To Email To Send You A Free Series Of Auto Body and Paint Training. If You Find That You Are Interested In A Collision Repair Pathway, We Have A Virtual Training Course Prepared That Will Take You One Step Closer To Making Your Dream of Being A Professional Collision Repair Technician Become A Reality.

Test This Career For Free...Free Series Of Training Videos Are Ready For You

Yes, I'm Ready For Free Auto Body and Paint Training

TeachMeHow.info

3M ACCUSPRAY CONTEST

2010-12-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

Enter The 3M Accuspray Contest

Join The Collision Repair Expert Authors

2010-08-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Are you a body shop owner, supplier, offer a related service, educator, etc. If so, you have expert advice to share with the collision repair industry. We invite you to join us on CollisionBlast.com This is where the experts are the authors. Feel free to promote your business and/or educational contend that may help educate others about the collision repair business.

Free Collision Repair Training

2010-04-15T04:12:00.000-07:00

LEARN AUTO BODY AND PAINT FOR FREE - FREE LESSONS E-MAILED TO YOU

ONLINE TRAINING

GET STARTED

Hi,

Donnie Smith here and I would like to invite you to join me on this training journey. I have spent my life working on cars and would like to share what I have learned with you for FREE. Why for free? Simply because I truly believe that people reap what they sow and this is my way of giving back.

My passion for working on cars started when I was a kid. I helped my dad and older brother work on cars as a hobby. In high school I enrolled in auto shop and painted my first car. After stepping back and seeing the finished product, I knew that I was hooked for life. After graduating high school I attended the collision repair program at WyoTech. Since then I have worked for body shops and a body tech, paint tech, and an estimator. I have managed and owned a body shop. For the past 6 years I have been teaching collision repair for an NATEF Accredited school that is also a member of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance. I stay up-to-date with the collision repair industry by attending training on a continuing basis, I am a member of ASA and the facilitator for the Educators Group on Collision Hub.

I am not bragging with all of my qualifications as I will be the first to admit that I do not know it all. I still learn everyday in this fast-paced industry. However, I do qualify to teach and I may be able to help you out if your interested in collision repair and painting.

GET STARTED

I am ready to share with you many of the tips, tricks, how-to’s, and resources. I also have many videos and resources of top trainers in both, professional and DIY to send you.

Here Are A Few Of My Qualifications:

*Graduated WyoTech in 1988 and Have Years Of Experience

* Associates Degree in Collision Repair and Management

* Obtaining a Degree in Professional Technical Education

* ASE Certified

* PPG Certified

* I-CAR Instructor Work Shop Certified

* Member of ASA

* Custom Paint Certificate From WyoTech

* Custom Metal Working Certificate from UTI

* Numerous Other Certificates in Collision Repair and Teaching

* Attend SEMA, NACE, VISION and Many Other Training Events

* Educator Group Facilitator on CollisionHub.com

*Technical Educator

So why am I willing to teach you for free when I get paid to do it for a college? Well, you’re probably interested in this for several reasons.

(1)You’re interested in collision repair as a career. If so, this will allow you to test the career pathway and determine if collision repair is a fit for you. If it is, I encourage you to further your education by enrolling in a college or technical school that provides collision repair. If you need help locating a NATEF accredited school in your area let me know. I have a list of all schools accredited throughout the US.

(2) You’re interested in this as a hobby (DIY). If so, I would like to give you a pat on the back and help you all that I can. Believe it or not, you play a crucial role in the industry. Without the DIY folks out there, there would not be any interest in the auto industries. Remember I said that I started working on cars with my dad and older brother as a kid? Well, we were just DIY people, which resulted in a collision repair career for me. I think there are many similar stories out there. I sincerely believe that it would improve any parent-child relationship. Your kids may not remember all of the TV shows or video games play growing up, but they will remember the times spent together working on a hobby, such as working on cars. Therefore, I want to give you all of the resources you need to make that happen. In return, you are providing interest and exposure to the collision repair career. It’s a win/win for everyone!

GET STARTED

Whatever reason you want to learn auto body and paint, it’s here for FREE. I will be sending you videos, articles, and websites from myself and other professionals in the industry. You will learn body work, painting, estimating, airbrushing, custom paint, success training, and much more. All I need is a first name and e-mail address to send it to.

GET STARTED

Technology; isn't it great!

2008-05-24T05:12:00.000-07:00

It is a fact that new technology has changed the way we do business. Teaching is no exception. There a lot of new and awesome ways to teach and connect with students today. They have I-Phones capable of more than many of our computers. However, just like anything, it can be a two edged sword.

For instance, how many of you have ever said or done something a little out of line? Have you ever lost your temper? If so, you may want to be very careful. Several years ago I had a student tell me what the new "in thing" was to do. Several students would aggravate a teacher trying to get him or her mad on purpose. Once the teacher lost control, another student would secretly record the teacher using their cell phone. Then they would forward it to each other for a quick laugh. The problem is that a few of these have ended you on YouTube or GoFish. Of course, they only show the part of the teacher losing control. As a result, many teacher have lost there jobs.

I would never recommend wrestling with your students, but here is an example of a teacher being recorded and put online for the world to see. The students claimed they were messing around having fun. The student in the video and his parents refuse to press charges; nevertheless, the teacher has resigned.

The next time you lose your temper or say something you shouldn't, just smile instead, as you may be on candid camera.

This example is certainly out of line. I can't imagine why they were doing this. Maybe he is a wrestling coach... However, I have to admit, I would probably been upset if that was my kid.

What are you going to do...

2008-05-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

What are you going to do...when you graduate? Will you be able to get the things you want? Make sure you make wise decisions, as it's already a challenge to survive in today's economy. It takes a lot of money to live.

Things you need to consider when choosing a collision repair training facility.

2008-04-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Enrollment has started and there is limited class space available. This is the time of year to enroll, in order to secure your spot in the classes you wish to take in the fall. Many students put this off until the end of summer or the last minute. However, some of them will find that the classes they intended to take are full. Many technical programs, like Collision Repair, have a low student per instructor ratio, which means very limited space available. Procrastinators may lose their spot to someone else.

Why choose collision repair as a career pathway?

Hands-on: Why should your job be boring and dreadful? You can earn income doing the things you like to do. If you're someone that likes working with your hands, a high-tech environment and you enjoy being able to step back and see the results of your work; then collision repair may be a good fit for you.

High income potential: I-Car Education Foundation completed a survey, showing the average income that a collision repair technician earns. You may be surprised that the average income of $51,312 is higher then many other comparable trades. In fact, the top 10% earn $88,460. Although, just like with any career, you shouldn't expect this your first year on the job. These are the incomes you can expect to make with experience and commitment.

Job Security: As roads and highways become more populated with vehicles, the results are more auto accidents. Unfortunately, the automotive industry is not finding enough trained technicians to properly repair these modern day vehicles. This means job security for you.

Work will never be outsourced: Think about it! Could you imagine a damaged vehicle being loaded on a ship, taken overseas, repaired, and shipped back to the customer...it's not going to happen. We need trained collision and paint technicians right here in the United States, in every state and every city to repair our cars. As a technician, you will never have to worry about your job being outsourced.

What are some of the things to consider when choosing a school to attend?

NATEF certified: Make sure the school is a National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF) accredited. This gives you peace of mind knowing that the school has met the NATEF standards and is a quality school. NATEF is national recognized in the automotive industry and will give you a competitive edge, when you pursue a job. In order to be NATEF accredited, all instructors must be Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified to teach. This means that you will have competent instructors to ensure your success in the future.

I-Car affiliation: Make sure the school is affiliated with I-Car. I-Car is an organization that helps the collision industry with on-going training. They provide training to technicians already on the job and they provide curriculum and support to colleges and technical schools to prepare students for the world-of-work. I-Car is known throughout the collision industry and will give your potential employer another perk to hire you.

Where do I find a school like this and how do I enroll?

1. Call the school to set up a time you can visit with them and ask to tour the collision repair program.
2. Is the collision program accredited? If so, who are they accredited through?
3. Are they affiliated with I-Car and what curriculum do they use?
4. Ask if one of the program instructors are available to speak with. You can ask them program specific questions. This will give you a better feel of the program and the instructors.
5. What is their student per instructor ratio?
6. Find out what requirements, tools, tuition,and fees are required.
7. Have them explain the difference between a certificate and an associates degree. (some technical schools do not offer associates degrees)
8. Does the college have any articulation agreements with any other schools, which allows the student to transfer into a four-year university?
9. Once you feel you have made the correct decision, ask them to direct you to an advisor. The advisor will walk you through the steps to get you enrolled.

or

Post a commit on this blog or contact me directly and I will help you find a college in your area. The key is to act now. Waiting may cause you to lose out on this opportunity.

Here are a few resources for you:
Collision Career Video
Collision Career Information
Collision Resources

Donnie Smith
"Challenges Produce Champions"

The Discipline Problems in Our Schools from the 1940's to Now.

2008-04-05T07:05:00.001-07:00

Why the change in students behavior over the last 70 years? By looking at history we can tell something has gone wrong with the way our children are being raised. A study performed by the Dallas Baptist University gave some of the top offences made in school in the 1940’s. These major offences included, running in the hallway, chewing gum, not putting paper in waste basket and making noise. However, these did not seem like big offences when I graduated in the late 80's. I remember fighting and alcohol being among the top offence at that time. Years later, I started teaching collision repair to high school students in 2004. This was my first teaching job and my first time to be back in a high school since I graduated. This opened my eyes to a whole new generation of kids. Top offences in schools now include every felony possible from running in the hall way to murder. In fact, here is a link to an article and video, where 9 third graders brought a knife, duct tape, handcuffs, and other items to school with the intentions to harm their teacher. This is quite alarming to me and reinforces us that we are dealing with a different group of students these days. Many people believe problems increased when most schools stopped spanking students at school. Others believe that spanking only lowers a students self esteem and produces violence. I believe both sides holds truth, but discipline must start at the home. Therefore, the same issue of spanking children exist in the home today. Does spanking teach our children discipline or not?

I know there are a lot of good books, theories and resources offering solution to resolve this issue. I know that spanking our children and Bible study have been taken out of schools, but I would like to point out what the Bible says about raising children. Here are a few verses on the matter: Proverbs 22:15 "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." Proverbs 23:13 "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die." Proverbs 29:15 "The rod of correction impairs wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother."

By reading these verses it seems apparent to me that the Bible teaches us that we should discipline our children by spanking them. The Bible also teaches us love. If we are going to spank our children I think we need to demonstrate we love them too. If we spank our child out of anger, we teach them violence. If we spank them out of love we teach them respect. If we only threaten to spank, we teach them how to lie. However, if we follow through with what we say, we teach them honesty. Sometimes it is easier to threaten or overlook things, but if we want our children to respect and obey us, we need to be consistent with what we do and say. We can't do one without the other. For example, if we love them dearly, but never discipline them, we will spoil them. If you always give to them without asking for a small sacrifice or something in return, they will become un-thankful. However, I believe the other side is the bigger problem we face. Which is, if you discipline, insult, spank, or beat a child out of anger just to punish them, they may not understand why. Therefore, we teach them to react in anger and become out of control. I believe the schools are being populated with these three types of kids: the spoiled, the un-thankful, and the ones that feel unloved and out of control. Of course, there are a lot of outstanding students as well. However, I sincerely believe you could trace many of the problems students have to one of the above three reasons. So, I believe that spanking is effective if done correctly for the right reasons.

What else can we do to help raise our children right? I don’t think discipline and love alone is enough to assure our children will go the way we want them to. Proverbs 22:6 says "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." How do we do this? I think to "train "we need to demonstrate how by leading by example. Who are you going to trust more on your next flight; a pilot that has been flying for years and has took off and landed time after time safely, or someone that has been reading about flying and knows everything there is to know about flying, but has never actually flown? My point is, that just because you know the truth and speak it does not mean they will hear what you are saying? For instance, if you smoke and tell your child of all the hazards of smoking; are they going to hear "causes cancer" or "Mom and/or Dad does it, so it’s not that bad?" If we don’t want child to be involved with drugs and alcohol then we need to stand up and be the first to say "no" to drugs and alcohol or whatever it is we don’t want our child doing.

I know everyone does not have the same religion preferences that I do. However, I believe this method will work with or without Christan principles. If we let out children know we care for them, we love them, but we correct them when they're outside of their boundaries; while leading by example, will produce respectful kids with high self esteem. If we (the parents) can help develop our children with these core ethic skills, our schools will be filled with higher quality students making it easier for the teachers to provide them with an education.

What suggestions or comment do you have about our childerns ethics today?

Here is a video about the attack.

No Child Left Behind; Is It Working?

2008-03-18T05:33:00.000-07:00

Education plays a crucial role in securing a successful job today.  The days of going out and getting a job without prior training are gone, as minimum wage jobs are not enough to survive in today's world. Bush has passed a bill called "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), which is to help all students receive a better education while in secondary school and to prepare them for a college. The plan is to increase accountability for student performance. At the same time, everyone got the perception that if every child can learn, then every student should attend a four year university. There are reports that show that this bill, is in fact, working.

Many studies have shown that four-year degrees are a good investment. In fact, I am a big advocate of education, as I would encourage all students to pursue a bachelor degree. Students that attend college and obtain at least a bachelor degree have a much greater chance of succeeding in their careers and more doors are open for these individuals.

Again, I comment those that obtain at least a bachelor degree. However, the problem is with the students that don't. According to the National Assessment of Vocational Education, they report that two-thirds of America's young people do not obtain a four year degree. This leaves almost 67% of people that do not have a four year degree. What about these individuals? What hope do they have of securing a decent and honest living?

A problem with the (NCLB) is that it has left teachers teaching to "the test." Now how educational is it to teach someone how to take a test? I think teachers need the freedom to teach their students real education and how to survive in the real world. After teaching three years of high school in Texas I believe the (NCLB) has created a huge gap between those who can and those who can't. This is leading to a higher high school dropout rate. I think the bill was an excellent idea; however, I don't believe it is working as planned. What alternative solutions do we have available to help keep students involved with school so they will graduate?

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has the right idea to help solve this problem. Arnold mentions, in an article by Time Magazine, that vocational education is the key to help students’ graduate high school. Arnold says it this way ""I have talked to many kids who tell me they don't want to go to college, so why graduate? They don't see an end goal. They can't visualize it." I agree that technical education is the solution for the gap caused by the (NCLB.) However, the budget the Bush Administration submitted to Congress earlier this year eliminates all Carl T. Perkins funding for Technical Education and plans to use it for No Child Left Behind. This will be disastrous if this is pushed though, as it will affect the 67% of students that will not obtain a four year degree.

In addition to graduating high school, technical education provides many career paths for students to choose from. These careers are for people that may not feel like sitting behind a desk doing paperwork or talking on the phone the rest of their life. These hands-on careers offer jobs that are high-skilled and high-tech, which offer high paying salaries comparable to many occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree.  You can receive the training for these jobs in two years or less in most cases. This is good news for the individuals that may not feel like sitting in classes for an additional four plus years. Our economy greatly depends on these jobs as well. For instance, it's kind of hard to ship a vehicle overseas to be worked on when it is in need of repairs. We need trained technicians right here that we can depend on to help us with these repairs.

In conclusion, both four-year degrees and technical degrees are available to ensure success for students. Our economy depends on both academic bound and technical bound students to survive. Therefore, we must focus on our large number of students not attending a four year university. We must not allow these students to fall through the cracks of educations. We need them to graduate high school and pursue training that is a fit for their individual needs. We must help them determine what their passion is at younger ages and help them along the determined career pathway.  This is what it is going to take to provide a thriving economy and to ensure that no child is left behind.   What do you think?

Are you ready to teach the next generation?

2008-03-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Take a look at what's headed your way; if it's not already.

Keeping up is today's challenge.

Bush Eliminates Technical Education Funds to Fund No Child Left Behind

2008-02-18T19:50:00.000-08:00

The budget the Bush Administration submitted to Congress earlier this month eliminates all Carl T. Perkins funding for Technical Education and uses it for No Child Left Behind. Read more about cut at ACTEonline Here is another link to an article about how this will affect a Texas school.

If you're involved with education I'm sure you're aware of the problems with No Child Left Behind. All teacher are able to teach anymore is "the test." Now how educational is it to teach someone how to take a test? I think teachers need the freedom to teach their students real education and how to survive in the real world. What do you think..?

What does this mean for the Automotive and Collision Repair industries? I don't think I need to spell it out, as shop managers and owners are already having a difficult time finding properly trained technicians. If this budget goes through, it may directly affect many of the automotive and collision repair programs in the US. If you're currently having a hard time finding qualified employees, just wait, it's going to get a lot harder.

Are you up for this challenge? I don't know what the answer is, but I invite you to be heard by offering your thoughts, opinions, ideas, or solutions by joining us at http://www.autocollisionnetwork.com/ or commenting on this blog.

Your Thoughts Please?

BCC Student Meets the Orange County Chopper Folks

2008-02-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

Devin Olson, a student in the Collision Repair program at Butler Community College had the opportunity to meet the folks from Orange County Choppers in Wichita, Kansas. Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey came to Wichita Wednesday, February 6, 2008 to unveil the chopper they build for Viega, a Kansas based company that makes heating and plumbing supplies. The unveil will be taped to air on an upcoming episode of American Chopper on TLC.

Devin is no stranger to legendary bike builders as his grandfather and great grandfather have built many extraordinary motorcycles through the years. Devin's great grandfather, Herb Ottaway, started working on motorcycles at the age of 12. Herb and his son, Jerry Ottaway, are well known for their collection of over 80 motorcycles they've restored and collected through the years. They have sold motorcycle engines to well known builders like Jesse James from West Coast Choppers.

In addition to motorcycles, they are also well know for designing and building steam engines. Jerry has built steam engines for, and developed a friendship with car collector, Jay Leno. He also designed steam engine trains for several amusement parks. Learn more about Herb and Jerry.

Devin is following in their footsteps by learning all he can about repairing cars. He is currently a student at Butler Community College and plans to obtain an associates degree in Collision Repair.

Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words

2008-01-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

Sema 2007 At Las Vegas

Take a look at students learning how to perform collision repair.

Starbird 2008 Car Show Wichita, Kansas

Are Academic Skill Needed for a Technical Career?

2008-01-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

While four-year college degrees are not designed for every student this does not lessen the significance of academic skills. Even though technical education provides a career path for students that may not be scholars or seeking a four year college degree, this does not exempt the academic skills required of them to properly and safely perform a technical career.

In order to get a job the applicant must know how to properly type a resume, fill out an application, properly communicate with interviewer, and the ability to read and comprehend the description and requirements of the job. Once employed, he or she will need to use basic academic skills in almost any job situation. At a body shop in a dealership, for example, the manager is going to hand the employee a work order and expect the employee to take the information and repair the vehicle. The supervisor is not going to instruct the employee step by step what to do like a teacher may do for a student. The employee will be expected to read and comprehend the work order and repair manuals; use critical skills to analyze the damage and determine a repair method and process; use math skills to calculate, to measure, align unibody structural components, and to understand estimating procedures and times. The employee will need good communication skills to communicate with co-workers, supervisors, and customers. Miscommunication is one of the biggest problems in the work place today. It is also important for the employees to have the right attitude and values. The best skilled employee can find them self unemployed if they do not know how to control their temper or if they are caught stealing. Which employee would you rather hire and work with? One that lacks some technical expertise, but understands the basics, has a good attitude, good values, team player, and is willing to learn the skills needed to become successful; or a seasoned employee with the skills of "Chip Foose" (if anyone watches Overhaulin), but is hard to work with, always complaining he's being cheated, can't get along with other co-workers causing a high employee turn over rate, hateful to customers, and makes you feel uncomfortable because you feel like he is always looking for ways to cheat or steal from the company? Would the high skill level be worth the headaches and risk?

According to Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) report, to survive in today's work place an employee must have the foundation and work place skills. These skills include:

•Basic Skills - writing, arithmetic, mathematics, speaking, and listening.
•Thinking Skills - ability to learn, reasoning, thinking creatively, make decisions and solve problems.
•Personal Qualities - individual responsibilities, self-esteem and self-management, sociability, and integrity.
•Resources - know how to allocate time, money, materials, space, and staff.
•Interpersonal Skills - works on teams, teach others to serve customers, lead negotiate, and work well with people from culture different backgrounds.
•Information - acquires and evaluates data, organize and maintain files, interpret and communicate, and use computers to process information.
•Systems - understand social, organizational, and technological systems, monitor and correct performance, and design and improve systems.
•Technology - select equipment and tools, apply technology to specific tasks, maintain and troubleshoot equipment.

Teaching students only technical skills is setting them up for failure in today's society. We need to teach students the basic academics needed, technical skills required, attitudes, values and work ethic expected by employers to ensure we provide successful employable employees in the future.

Technical education does not require all honor students. The ideal students need to have basic academics skills, safety conscious, interest in the program to motivate them to learn, willingness to complete assigned tasks, and a good attitude.

I invite you to team-up with us to produce champions of the collision industry. To support the collision industry and join our network visit www.learnautobody.com From there you can click on the Automotive Blog Network to join. It's easy and it's free. We just ask for your expertize. Let's TEAM-UP and work together.

TEAM: Together Everyone Accomplishes More

Fast Paced Change in Technology

2008-01-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Only one thing is certain in technical education. That absolute certainty is change. If career and technical education institutions are going to prepare students for tomorrow's jobs, they must adapt and change with the fast pace of technology.

The old method of learning a trade from the "old school" or traditional ways will leave tomorrow's employees behind. For many years a lot of trades could be copied and repeated over and over. For example, in auto body repair, the same methods were used for years to straighten damaged metal back to its original shape. Then lacquer paint consisting of only a few basic colors, were used to paint the vehicle back to its original color. While some of the old techniques are still very effective, the industry has made major changes. Plastic body fillers were introduced to take the place of lead filler; MIG welders took the place of oxyacetylene welding and brazing, enamel replace lacquer paints, and urethane replace enamel paints. These are slight changes that could simply be called improved methods. However, in the last 15 to 20 years we have plastic parts, aluminum parts, unibody construction in addition to full frame vehicles, computerized cars with sensors requiring the technician to be more knowledgeable about electrical systems, air bags, base coat clear coat finishes, three stage factory finishes, hybrid cars. And now, they even have cars that will tell you where to turn or if your lost, and even parallel park for you. This requires much more knowledge, skills and the ability to comprehend all the different repair methods to properly repair the vehicle to pre-accidental condition. It’s easy to figure out that a hammer and dolly are not going to fix all the repairs needed these days. Who knows what the body repair business will look like in twenty years from now. It’s clear the "just like learning how to ride a bike" concept will not work for current and future technical education institutions. If you step out of the industry for a long period of time, you're not going to be able to jump back in and continue where you left off. How busy would a carburetor specialist be in a dealership; or how effective would an executive assistant be using only a typewriter in today’s working world?

The future is calling for more diversified technicians than ever before. If we are going to prepare students for a technical career we must teach them the many skills required, but more importantly we must teach them how to learn to learn, because the fast paced changes are a never ending process.

Donnie Smith

Attention Auto Collision Repair Instructors

2008-01-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

We're looking for a few auto body instructors to team-up with to collaborate and share ideas with.

As you know, academics at the secondary level are on the rise, resulting in less technical education programs, like ours, being offered. With less exposure of these type of programs is causing less students going into these types of careers.

Let's look at what results can be when we decide to work together. For thousands of years everyone did everything the same way. Basically, they provided for their own families. The results were pretty predictable. I guess with the exception of the weather. However, when people decided to team-up and work together, a revolution occurred. We've advanced more in the last 100 years, than we had from the beginning of time. Now, technology is changing daily.

My proposal is to team-up so we can come up with new proactive ways to present and attract potential students to this trade to. The collision industry is hurting for qualified technicians to work on these high-tech modern day vehicles. There are a lot of good programs to train them. We just need to get more students to train.

I invite you to team-up with us to create a revolution of teaching this trade to students. To support the collision industry and join our network visit www.LearnAutoBody.com From there you can click on the Automotive Blog Network to join. It's easy and it's free. We just ask for your expertize. Let's TEAM-UP and work together.

TEAM: Together Everyone Accomplishes More

The Challenge

2008-01-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

This blog is named "Challenges Produce Champions." Let me back-up a little bit and tell you how I came up with that title.

Being an instructor in the collision repair industry, I starting to see a trend of less quality students enrolling in collision repair. High schools are requiring more academic credits to graduate. This leave less opportunities for elective programs, resulting in less technical education programs being offered in the secondary level. This leaves less students exposed to programs like collision repair.

At the same time, I was receiving students that did not want to be in the program. I believe technical education should be available for non-college bound students, but I don't think it should be a holding place for the students that the school don't know what to do with. It's definitely a challenge to provide a successful program with a class full of students that don't want to be there.

I then thought of the challenges I faced, which were less student enrollment and less quality students. This is what gave me the "Challenges Produce Champions" mindset. With that said, I wrote a "The Challenge," which was a challenge for the students enrolling in my program. My intentions were to attract more quality students.

This was aimed for students, but everyone can take the challenge daily by applying these ideas to your lives.

The Challenge

The challenge is not to just enroll into one of the exciting automotive or collision repair technology programs, which offer a rewarding, lucrative and challenging career, but to enroll with the intentions of learning and applying what you learn to become a "top performer" in the automotive industry. I read a quote by Laurence J. Peter that makes a lot of sense to me. "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car." The same stands true for education. Simply knowing how to do something is useless, if you’re not willing to use what you know to do it. Another example I heard from David Dykes in Texas is like looking at a road map. You can look, read and study a map all day or even all year on how to travel from here to Texas. You may discover all the alternate routes you could travel, but unless you get into your car and drive there, you are still here in Kansas. Just knowing the information will not get you there, just like reading the Atkins Diet book will not make you loose weight. You must apply what you learn to reap the benefits.

The challenge is to enroll in this class, have an interest in automotive or collision repair technology, have good attendance, have a good attitude, be a team player, and be willing to learn and apply what you learn in order to become the champion of your trade. You may be saying "Yea right!" Well, if that’s your attitude that is what will always separate you from the doers, leaders and champions. The world is full of half doers and slackers. When they see a challenge they turn the other way and run. They show up to class just to receive the minimum grade to slide through or go to work just to receive a paycheck. However, "top performers" have a different mindset. They understand all the efforts they apply will reward them for the rest of their life. They are willing to stay focused on a goal until completed. They fight hard for what they believe in, but pick their battles wisely. They see limitations and obstacles as challenges to overcome, not excuses to fail. They get back up when knocked down, instead of claiming it can’t be done. They base their future goals on what can be done, instead of focusing on their past failures. And they’re always willing to help others up instead of laughing at them while they’re down.

These are the individuals that will be at the top of their careers, with the successful jobs, earning a lot of money, and having enough income to do all the things they desire.

According to I-Car the top 10 % of technicians make over $85,000 a year. Many technicians even decide to start and operate their own successful business leaving the earning potential unlimited. Are you going to be one of them or are you someone that will scrape by to make ends meet? The choice is yours. The things and values you consider success are up to you. Your teachers, parents, or friends can’t make these choices for you. It’s all up to you. If you’re a slacker you can change. If you were not an honor student in school, you can improve and still become very successful. If you have limitations you can overcome them. However, no one can help you if you are not willing to let them. If you’re not willing to learn, to work hard, to complete assigned tasks, to help others, be present and on time, or to stay up with the fast paced changes and challenges of technology, than this class is not a good fit for you. This class will be a waste of your time and a waste of our time. You may need to consider another career that does not require the physical application and challenges this industry requires. However, if you are willing to enroll in this class with the mindset of a champion, then we dare you to take the ultimate challenge that Automotive or Collision Repair Technology has to offer you.

~Donnie Smith
"Challenges Produce Champions"

If you're involved in the automotive or collision repair industry and are interested in producing more qualified technicians, I challenge you to join us at www.LearnAutoBody.com and help us produce champions of the collision industry.

Are your childern amoung the two-thirds of America's Youth that will not attend a four-year college?

2008-01-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

Should Schools Offer a Two-Tract Curriculum?

Two-tract curriculum has been a controversial subject since the late 18th century and continues to be an issue today.

In the early days of education, school was primarily for individuals planning to go to college and prepare for careers such as professionals, doctors, lawyers, teachers, ministers, and engineers. However, due to compulsory school laws, the schools of America had a much larger and diverse population to serve. The diversity of the students from different cultures and social backgrounds with different job interests required the schools to create a two-tract curriculum to serve the student population. This consisted of a practical one for terminal students and a classical one for college bound students.

Today, many schools and individuals feel academics skills are more important then technical education. Technical and vocational programs even find themselves fighting and defending their programs to keep them from being closed. Academic requirements are also being set higher, which is leading to fewer opportunities for students to elect technical education programs. While academics are a very important part of any education, I feel technical education play an important role as well.

I believe technical education is vital to keep American strong and successful. Technical programs need to be there to provide opportunities for individuals that do not plan to go attend a four-year college. The technical industry is in desperate need for qualified employees today and will hold true in the future. If we cut programs resulting in less trained employees to meet the needs of employers, is a step toward failure in America. If we take a look at history, we see that the lack of technical programs available resulted in a high uneducated society and an extremely high crime rate. I don't know about you, but I don't think we should repeat history. I think we should continue offering a two-tract curriculum and realize all students are not going to attend a four-year university. The National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) report that two-thirds of America’s young people do not obtain a four year degree. This tells me we need to focus more on the two-thirds of the youth in America.

Now, I'm not against four-year programs. I think that is great for the college bound students. I just think we should offer the same level of support for technical education. What do you think?

Visit us on the web at http://www.learnautobody.comif you're involved in the automotive or collision repair industry. We're looking to network with instructors, students and others in the industry to provide optimum results within the industry. We'll be glad to hear from you.

~Donnie Smith

Does it cost too much to provide technical education?

2007-12-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

As you may know, technology changes at a very rapid pace and the need for updated equipment and advisement is a constant, making it a challenge to stay up-to-date. The rising costs of quality materials and supplies contribute to the fact that technical programs cost more to provide than many other programs.

While the cost is high to provide technical programs, the cost not to provide the programs may be much higher. It's clear that four year college degrees and all academic type programs are not for all students. Without technical programs available will leave some students with no options in their career path and no future hope of securing a decent, honest career. This contributes to a higher dropout rate leaving these students with no skills to obtain a job. Many of these students will work for low wages struggling to live from paycheck to paycheck. Some may also seek assistance from the state, while others may turn to theft, robbery, selling drugs, or other illegal crimes to compensate as their means for survival. High crime rates also contribute to our extremely high cost of operating jails and prisons. Many of these students probably would rather have an honest and decent job, but have never had the opportunity presented to them. In addition, every student should have the opportunity to have a piece of the "American Dream" and be able to have the pride that comes from being successful.

According to the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) report career and technology play an important part of high school curriculum. These courses prepare students for the world of work and post secondary education. They also report that two-thirds of America’s young people do not obtain a four year degree and at least 25% of them go directly to work after high school.

Time magazine wrote an alarming article called "Dropout Nation." I found it interesting, as it talks about vocational educations as one of the solutions to Americas Dropout Rate. In addition, towards the end of the article it talks about a student using auto body repair as a career path and as a motivator to keep him in school. Click here to read the full story.

They had an additional article "Arnold Sells His Road to Success." "I have talked to many kids who tell me they don't want to go to college, so why graduate?" says the Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "They don't see an end goal. They can't visualize it." Click here to read the full story.

I believe it is crystal clear, that technical and vocational programs need to be available for these students so we can welcome their differentiations. We need to help them discover their talents and capitalize on each of their strengths to produce employable individuals, rather then watching them fall through the cracks of society. It’s clear that it is a much wiser choice to provide the training for these students to learn how to earn and contribute to society.

Visit us on the web at www.LearnAutoBody.com if you're involved in the automotive or collision repair industry. We're looking to network with instructors, students and others in the industry to provide optimum results within the industry. We'll be glad to hear from you.

~Donnie Smith

What's so special about Chip Foose...?

2007-12-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

Chip Foose is a custom car designer on a reality television show. It seems like reality shows are a dime a dozen these days and there are a lot of talented car designers out there. It almost seems like everyone perceives Chip as the "Elvis" (king) of custom car design. What is it about Foose that draws people to him?

I'm not trying to discredit Foose, as I actually think he is the most talented custom car designer of today. However, I think we can all agree that there is something different about Chip. I don't think it's Foose's talent that makes him so unique. I think it's his fragrance.

This will make sense it a minute, but let me ask you a question. Have you ever smelt something that reminded you of a time and place? Every time I smell coffee, eggs and toast I remember early mornings at my grandparents home. They would get up at the crack of dawn and get the mixtures of aromas flowing through the house. The smell would wake me up. At the same time, the aroma reminds me of hot summer nights, as that is usually when I would spend the night with them. I can remember this pleasent memory just as clear as yesterday, even though that was many years ago. There are many other smells that remind me of certain times or situations. (Some good and some not so good...) The point of this paragraph is to convey the power of a smell. Well, people have a fragrance too.

I heard a sermon from Pastor Dykes in Texas about fragrances. The way he explained it was something like this. Your fragrance lets people know who you are and where you've been. For instance, if you've been at a smoky bar drinking alcohol, you're obviously going to smell like booze and smoke. If an officer pulls you over on your way home, he will know where you've been before you ever say a word. Your fragrance would be a give-a-way of what you've been up to. Another example is eating a bunch of garlic...need I say more?

Well, back to Chip Foose. The sermon was about the fragrance of Christians. There is just something different about them, something unique. People can tell who they are and what they stand for, without them having to say a word. Foose has the fragrance that lets people know that he is different. I don't know if he is a Christian or not, nor have I ever read anything about it. However, I think his fragrance produces the scent of Christianity. Now that's just my opinion, but I'm certain we can all agree that he is a sincere and honest person, as he has the "good guy" reputation. People can determine this just by watching him on Overhaulin'.

I am a big fan of Chip's work and I love cars; however, it's not his talent or his custom cars that impress me. It's the fragrance he produces. I think the world needs a lot more people just like him. Wouldn't it be nice to hear more Foose stories and other good things that happen to people when we turn on the television? Unfortunately, most television programs and news are negative and about bad things that happen.

So turn off the news and turn on an uplifting episode of Overhaulin' and watch, the "king" of custom car design at work, where good things DO happen to people.

~Donnie Smith

If you are involved in the automotive industry, we invite you to join our automotive blog network. Go to www.LearnAutoBody.com and clink on Automotive Blog Network. We'll be glad to hear from you.
Here is a music video by Nickelback, "If Everyone Cared," I think you may like.

Special Merry Christmas Story...

2007-12-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Here is a Christmas Eve Special just for you.

INSURANCE REPAIR COSTS

2007-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

Could the car you drive be co$ting you?

Depending on how much your vehicle will cost to repair, if involved in an accident, will determine your insurance rates. This may be something you should consider when you purchase your next car. Watch the short video for more information.

Are You Paying Too Much For Insurance?

2007-12-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Do you know if you're paying too much for insurance. Well, just because you shopped around when you purchased your policy does not mean you are currently getting the best rate available. It's a good idea to check around and shop for the best rates at least once per year. You may be surprised what you may save.

There are a lot of insurance that will offer special rates if you meet certain criterias. For example, Liberty Mutual, which I use, offers discounts for a number of organizations you belong to. Be sure to ask about discounts when getting your quote to assure you get the best rates.

Depending on your needs and situations will help you determine which company to go with. However, I recommend adding Libery Mutual to you list to check, as they've always kept their premium under what others could offer. However, if you find better rates and coverage please share them with us.

So, put this on your "to-do" list, along with your other New Year's resolutions.

By the way, my family and I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. Here a special surprise for you. Click Here To Watch

Below is a video with additional insurance tips for saving money.

Your Idea May Be Worth $10,000

2007-12-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had an idea, but never pursued it? Maybe it was in the back of your mind until someone else invented a similar item and put it on the market. You never know what might work. For instance, I always think everything has already been thought of. However, people are coming up with more ideas now, than ever before.

Let's look at Myspace. It was already in existence, but that didn't discourage Mark Zuckerberg. While in college this young man in his early twenties decided design Facebook, which is now the second biggest network. Mark has been offered billions of dollars from companies like Goggle.

It's been said if you have an idea to get it out there. If you try to perfect first or procrastinate it will be outdated or on the market by the time you get it ready. If you have an idea get it out there and work out the details later.

Below is a website that awards $10,000 to the best idea every month. So if you have an idea give it a try. It may make you $10,000 richer by next month...Good Luck! CLICK HERE

A Students Vision Today

2007-12-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

I ran across this video and thought it was interesting. I was talking to my students in class the other day about Google pages that can be shared and edited. It's similar to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page , in that it can be edited by others with collaboration. It's really a fascinating concept and it's amazing of how the world we live has changes over the last decade. Students are multi-taskers being able to perform well in this environment.

Anyway, I showed this Youtube video to my students; and to my surprise they knew many of the students on the video. The video was made by K-State students, which I did not notice the first time I watched it. Take a look at it. I think you too, will find it interesting.

~Donnie Smith

Have a Political Correct Merry Christmas

2007-12-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

I started this blog to share with you thoughts and resources related to the automotive industry. However, as mentioned in the introduction, I can add additional thoughts that may not be appropriate in a college environment.

With Christmas right around the corner I thought this would be an appropriate time to show a Christmas story. To see the political correct version watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDqu7kNX5zI Enjoy!