Program Spotlight: Collision, Repair, and Refinishing Technology
If you are looking for a growing and rewarding career that combines technology with creativity, CFCC’s Collision, Repair, and Refinishing Technology program could be a great fit for you. The program trains students to repair and refinish body damage caused by traffic accidents, animals, or parking mishaps. Hot rod enthusiasts can learn to customize their vehicles and develop valuable workforce skills that repair shops are looking for.
Providing Training to Optimize Job Opportunities
Located in the newly renovated workshop in downtown Wilmington, NC, the program prepares students to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, reconstruct, and finish automobile bodies, fenders, and external features. Program Director Ed Hernandez is proud that CFCC’s program offers students the valuable I-CAR Platinum certification, an online database of learning and testing for certificates.
“While studying at CFCC, students learn technical aspects of automotive repair through the I-CAR program,” shares Hernandez. “Once they enter the workforce, graduates can still access and use the I-CAR program to stay up-to-date with new technology, new car models, or redesigns. Our students graduate with the Platinum level certification, and that makes them highly sought after by employers in the repair shop industry.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the career outlook for automotive body repair technicians is projected to grow from 2020 to 2030. The median annual wage for automotive body repair technicians is $45,350.00.
Workforce Skills You Can Use at Home
The features of this all-inclusive program are what attracted Jordan Hoag to the CFCC campus. Hoag traveled the east coast of the United States looking for the perfect collision repair program. Hailing from New York State, she not only fell in love with the mild North Carolina weather, but she was also duly impressed by CFCC’s Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology program. Jordan is ecstatic that she will have her I-CAR certification by her graduation this summer. Her ultimate goal is to own and operate a collision repair shop, but she also appreciates the idea of being able to repair her personal vehicle.
“People own two big things in their life: a house and a car,” Jordan said. “It will be nice to have the skill to customize at least one of them.”
