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Current Events/News: E-newsletter: 2005 Archives

I-CAR AND VEHICLE MAKERS HOLD PROMOTION FOR NACE ATTENDEES

I-CAR, along with DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Toyota, and Volvo, who include I-CAR training in their technician training programs, will co-sponsor a promotion available to all NACE attendees.

 NACE Treasure Map

A "Training Treasure Map" will be available at all of the participating company booths and, when complete, may be entered in a drawing for prizes. The "Training Treasure Map" must be stamped by each of the co-sponsors at their booth during NACE. Once all of the stamps have been collected, participants should drop off their completed "Maps" at the I-CAR booth. I-CAR and the vehicle makers will be donating prizes, which will be awarded to randomly selected "Training Treasure Map" entries.

"At NACE, I-CAR will be conducting several of the vehicle-specific training programs that have been developed with the support of the vehicle makers," said I-CAR President and CEO Tom McGee. "We would encourage the industry to attend these programs and also to participate in this joint promotion that is available to all NACE attendees."

"We want to put the spotlight on training at NACE and this is a fun way to go about it," said Rick Tuuri, I-CAR Director of Business Development and North American Operations. "I-CAR is extremely pleased with the relationships that we have developed with these OEMs. They know that training is important, they recognize the value of I-CAR training in particular, and we want NACE attendees to find out more about it."

NACE attendees can find these industry partners at the following booths:

  • DaimlerChrysler - # 3077
  • Ford Motor Company - # 3087
  • General Motors - # 3151
  • I-CAR - # 8443
  • Toyota - # 1957
  • Volvo - # 8613

NACE 2005 will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 2-5, 2005. For more information regarding NACE visit www.naceexpo.com or call 888.529.1641.


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I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND AKZO NOBEL'S "THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN OF THE COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY" OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS

I-CAR Education FoundationFor the third consecutive year, the I-CAR Education Foundation, in conjunction with Akzo Nobel Coatings Inc. and "The Most Influential Women of the Collision Repair Industry," is proud to announce an exciting scholarship opportunity for female collision repair students.

In order to promote both the increasing importance of a skilled and educated workforce, as well as recognizing the increasing leadership roles and growing opportunities for women in the industry, Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. has established the "The Most Influential Women of the Collision Repair Industry" program. This program annually recognizes the leadership contributions that are made by a unique group of individuals that have dedicated themselves to the betterment of this industry and their communities.

On behalf of "The Most Influential Women of the Collision Repair Industry," Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. has chosen to donate funds to the I-CAR Education Foundation for scholarships so that additional opportunities might be created for women in the collision repair industry. Applicants for the scholarships that are attending a secondary school must be a senior that is in a collision repair training class with plans to continue their education in the collision repair industry after graduation. Applicants from post-secondary schools must be enrolled in training programs relevant to collision repair. The monies will be paid for post-secondary education or to attend training programs offered by I-CAR.

This year there will be two $5,000 winners; one winner from a secondary school and one winner from a post-secondary school. In addition, there will be six $2,000 runner-up scholarships. The Education Foundation will announce the winners at NACE this November. The I-CAR Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of entry-level employees for the collision industry.

A total of 331 career and technical schools and colleges that are ASE-certified to the NATEF standards received a letter and student applications for this scholarship. Both the student applicants and instructors will submit an application and a short essay explaining why the students should be awarded the scholarship.

Ron Ray, Executive Director of the Education Foundation added "It is a pleasure to administer this scholarship program for Akzo Nobel and reward these talented, future female collision industry employees."

The Executive Committee of the Education Foundation’s Board of Trustees will make the final selection of winners. The Executive Committee consists of:

Chairman Clark Plucinski, True2Form Collision Repair Centers  
Vice Chairman Paul J. Huber, Allstate Insurance Company
Secretary  Sharon Merwin, CCAR
Treasurer            Chris Evans, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Trustee-at-Large Rick Jazwin, UTI
Immediate Past-Chairman Brian Whitcomb, General Motors Corporation
     

GOLDCLASS.COM HONORED BY WEB MARKETING ASSOCIATION

WebAward 2005The I-CAR Gold Class Professionals consumer information web site (www.goldclass.com) is proud to be named a winner of the 2005 Standard of Excellence WebAward by the Web Marketing Association. This WebAward recognizes the standard of excellence for which all corporate web sites should strive.

Gold ClassDeclared "clean and easy to understand" by judges, goldclass.com offers vehicle owners a one-stop resource for all things automotive, such as safety tips, maintenance information, and a directory to locate local Gold Class Professionals businesses. Gold Class Professionals are highly trained in the latest collision repair methods and processes. Because of changing vehicle technology, training is vital to performing complete and safe collision repairs.

"We are honored that goldclass.com has been selected for this distinction," stated Rick Tuuri, I-CAR Director of Business Development and North American Operations. "The goal of goldclass.com is to educate as many vehicle owners as possible about collision repair. Proper collision repair is vital to the safety of a family riding in a repaired vehicle; goldclass.com helps vehicle owners to locate local Gold Class Professionals who are trained to properly repair their vehicles."

The Web Marketing Association (WMA) was founded in 1997 to help set a high standard for Internet marketing and corporate web development on the World Wide Web. The Web Marketing Association is the producer of the WebAward Competition, the premier annual award competition that judges web site development against an ever increasing internet standard.

COLLISION TV AVAILABLE TO ENTIRE CANADIAN COLLISION INDUSTRY

Are you looking for easily accessible and convenient training? Look no further than Collision TV! I-CAR, CARSTAR Canada, and Canadian Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) Network have produced this interactive distance-learning platform, which is available to the entire Canadian collision industry.

The upcoming month’s schedule of Collision TV training programs is:

Collision TV - I-CAR Canada's Satellite Training

TITLE

DATE

INSTRUCTOR

LOCATION

Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding and Weld Bonding (CAR08)
Description
Flier
October 4, 2005 TBA Collision TV Locations
Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding (CAR11)
Description
Flier
October 11, 2005 TBA Collision TV Locations
Introduction to Aluminum Welding-Machines and Technology (CAR04)
Description
Flier
October 18, 2005 TBA Collision TV Locations
Flood, Hail, Vandalism, and Fire Damage Analysis (CAR15)
Description
Flier
October 25, 2005 TBA Collision TV Locations
Corrosion Protection (CAR05)
Description
Flier
November 1, 2005 TBA Collision TV Locations

Satellite training locations for these programs and an extended Collision TV training schedule are available online. For additional information and registration, please call 800.422.7456.

FORTY-TWO SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES JOIN I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S PACE+ST3 PROGRAM

Forty-two career and technical schools and colleges have joined the I-CAR Education Foundation’s PACE+ST3 training and internship program. Through their participation in PACE+ST3, these schools will be providing their local repair community with aspiring entry-level technicians who have received training on the most important tasks identified by repairers.

PACE+ST3, which stands for People Actively Creating Employability Through Short-Term Task Training, brings schools and local collision repair facilities together to provide a fast-paced learning environment and real world experience for aspiring technicians with the goal of getting students prepared to be productive immediately upon hire. Repair facility operators can support their local schools’ involvement and receive free mentor training for their experienced technicians who will guide students during internships at their repair facility.

The PACE+ST3 program provides students with competency-based collision repair training on the most common skills that collision repair business operators expect entry-level technicians to perform in a competent manner with little or no supervision. These skills include many tasks within common repair operations such as bolted parts removal and replacement, minor dent repair, refinish preparation and detailing.

PACE+ST3 was designed to attract potential student interns at an early age, train the students in basic entry-level skills, and provide a mentored working experience over the summer in a production collision repair facility. These skills will be further refined during the student’s second year in the program.

Upon graduation, the student intern can be placed in a collision repair business working full-time. These students will not only have knowledge of important entry-level skills, but also the experience and confidence from summer production work performed during their paid internships that were part of their PACE+ST3 experience. Students are also well prepared to continue their education in post-secondary collision repair training programs.

Any businesses that wishes to sponsor internships at participating schools, or assist their local school in joining the PACE+ST3 program, can call the I-CAR Education Foundation for more information at 888.722.3787, Ext. 282. Applications for schools to join the PACE+ST3 are available online at PACEST3.org or by calling the I-CAR Education Foundation.

The following secondary and post-secondary schools are currently participating in the I-CAR Education Foundation’s PACE+ST3 program:

Limestone County Career/Tech
Athens 
AL 
Bishop State Community College
Mobile 
AL 
DeKalb County Tech Center
Rainsville
AL 
Brewer High School
Somerville 
AL 
Bevill State Community College
Sumiton
AL 
Lassen Technical Institute
Susanville
CA
Warren Tech
Lakewood 
CO
Sussex Technical High School
Georgetown 
DE
Seminole High School
Sanford 
FL
Technology Center of DuPage
Addison
IL
Thornton Fractional Center for Science & Technology
Calumet City 
IL
York Community High School
Elmhurst 
IL
College of Lake County
Grayslake
IL
Area 30 Career Center
Greencastle
IN
Central Nine Career Center
Greenwood 
IN
Walker Career Center
Indianapolis 
IN
James D. Patton Vocational School
Edgewood
KY
Blue Hills Regional Vo-Tech
Canton 
MA
South Shore Vo-Tech
Hanover
MA
Crocus Plains Regional School
Brandon 
MB
Center of Applied Technology North
Severn
MD
Oxford Hills Technical School
South Paris
ME
Union County Career Center
Monroe 
NC
University of New Mexico-Gallup
Gallup 
NM
Edison Tech
Rochester 
NY
Cleveland Heights High School
Cleveland Heights 
OH
D. Russel Lee Career Center
Hamilton
OH
Northeast Tech Center
Afton
OK
Tulsa Tech Center
Tulsa 
OK
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport 
PA
Wm. M. Davies Career & Tech HS
Lincoln 
RI
Samuel A. Heyward Career Center
Columbia
SC
G. Frank Russell Career and Technology Education Center
Greenwood 
SC
Newberry County Career Center
Newberry
SC
Applied Tech
Rock Hill 
SC
Stuart Career Center
Baytown 
TX
UAW-LETC
Clearfield 
UT
Bridgerland Applied Tech College
Logan 
UT
Norfolk Skills Center
Norfolk 
VA

LOCAL SPONSORS ENHANCE JACKSONVILLE I-CAR Z06 CLASS

Collision repair professionals from the surrounding Florida areas came together on September 8th to attend the Collision Repair Overview for the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (GEN01) I-CAR training program, instructed by Gary Sanford. This was the first Corvette Z06 training class to take place in Jacksonville, but included students from as far as Miami, Tampa, and Pensacola.

Local sponsors helped make this training program even better for the students! ADESA IMPACT of Jacksonville sponsored the class and ADESA employees Rick Irwin and Rhonda Rogers helped coordinate dinner for the students. In fact, Garrett Morrison of ADESA even donated a $1,000 scholarship for a student in need of I-CAR training.

I-CAR Northeast Florida I-CAR committee chairman Steve Carey said,"The sponsor, ADESA IMPACT, and specifically Garrett Morrison, Rick Erwin and Rhonda Rogers, believe in I-CAR training. They have sponsored three of the last five classes locally. Every time we need help, they are one of the first to step forward and sponsor whatever event we have planned; everything from our annual local golf tournament to a simple I-CAR class."

In addition, the classroom that held this training program will now be available to the local I-CAR committee to hold training programs throughout the year, thanks to the generosity of Enterprise Rent-A-Car!

REGISTER FOR AN UPCOMING QUALIFICATION TEST!

Have you advanced your professional skills by successfully completing one of the three I-CAR qualification tests (QTs)? Recognized by many OEMs, insurance companies, and other collision industry segments, I-CAR QTs allow professionals the opportunity to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to perform the tasks required for proper, efficient, and safe collision repairs. Demonstrate your skills by registering for an I-CAR QT today!

Click on a state/province below to view their full QT training schedule!

Find Qualification Tests Located In:

PENSVTNHMARICTNJDEMDNUNTYTBCABSKMBONQCNLPENBNSAZNMCOUTWYMTIDWAORAKLAAROKTXHICANVVANCSCGAFLALMSTNKYOHINILMEVTNYNHMACTNJMDPAWVNDSDNEKSMOIAMNWIMI

Pre-registration and pre-payment are required for I-CAR QTs. Please contact I-CAR customer care at 800.422.7872 to check availability of QT dates and open seats.

Need to view additional test dates or are you located in a different I-CAR region? Visit the QT specific web page and simply enter in your ZIP/postal code to find the most up-to-date class and qualification test schedules!

I-CAR Automotive Steel GMA (MIG) Welding Qualification Test Pre-Registration

I-CAR Automotive Steel GMA (MIG) Welding Qualification Test Pre-Registration Form ( 60K) in Adobe Acrobat Format

I-CAR Automotive Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding Qualification Test (WCA01, WCA02, WCA03) Pre-Registration I-CAR Automotive Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding Qualification Test (WCA01, WCA02, WCA03) Pre-Registration Form ( 73K) in Adobe Acrobat Format
Structural Parts Steel Qualification Test Pre-Registration Structural Parts Steel Qualification Test Pre-Registration form ( 67K) in Adobe Acrobat format.

COLLISION REPAIR OVERVIEW FOR THE CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 AVAILABLE DURING NACE 2005

Planning on attending NACE 2005? Why not take advantage of the available I-CAR training at NACE at a reduced rate? I-CAR will be conducting six of their training programs this year at NACE 2005, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 2-5, 2005. The programs will be offered at a reduced rate of $60 (US) for each four-hour program.

One of the available I-CAR training programs is Collision Repair Overview for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (GEN01) on Wednesday, November 2 from 1 - 5 p.m.

Topics that will be covered during this program include:

  • Locating GM Service Information
  • Identifying the Construction Materials
  • Making Non-Structural Repairs
  • Using GMA (MIG) Pulse Welding Equipment
  • Making Structural Repairs

A full schedule of available I-CAR training programs and registration information available during NACE are available through the NACE web site. Register today and enhance your professional skills through I-CAR training!

PURCHASING USED VEHICLES - PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BUYING A 'LEMON'

The following article was a "Car Care Tip of the Week," which is a service of the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign. Visit www.carcare.org for more information.

Be Car Care AwareIf you have purchased a used vehicle in the past, you may have first taken it to an automotive mechanic to have it checked out. That’s a great idea that can save you from "buyer’s remorse," but there’s actually one other step that you may want to consider.

Many autobody or collision repair facilities also offer a "pre-purchase" check of used vehicles. This service, for which there may be a fee, can help determine if there is unrepaired or poorly repaired previous damage that could impact the vehicle value, safety, or performance.

A qualified, well-trained collision repair facility can restore both the look and performance of even a badly damaged vehicle. In addition, well-trained collision repair facilities will be able to determine if a vehicle that may seem shiny and new to the consumer is really hiding substandard or unsafe repairs.

In some cases, a used vehicle that looks like a great bargain is actually a "rebuilt" vehicle that had been declared a total loss after a previous collision. For instance, the vehicle may have been damaged by water in a flooded area. A vehicle that has been severely damaged or totaled can be repaired properly, but improper repairs may not fully meet safety standards. Having the vehicle in question inspected by a properly trained collision repair business can help you avoid "surprises" after the sale. Surprises can include paint that begins to peel, electrical problems, wheels that cannot be aligned, a trunk or window seal that leaks - or worse yet, damaged safety features such as structural damage or an airbag system that hasn’t been restored to work properly.

While the collision repair facility can thoroughly inspect a vehicle, there are a number of things consumers can do when researching a used vehicle:

  • Check for a musty smell - an indication of water leak problems or flood damage - inside the vehicle and in the trunk.
  • Make sure that your test drive includes a stretch of flat, straight highway. If the vehicle "pulls" or if the steering feels "sloppy," there could be suspension damage that has not been properly repaired. Uneven tire wear may also indicate suspension problems.
  • Look at the vehicle paint from different angles, and in a variety of lighting situations, when the vehicle is clean and dry. Compare the color match between panels. Run your hand along the door jambs and the hood and trunk jambs. If they feel rough or look dull rather than shiny, the vehicle may have been refinished poorly or without these areas properly masked. An improper paint job is not dangerous, but it may result in paint peeling problems later on or be covering poor quality repair work.
  • Ask about the vehicle history. Whenever possible, check with previous owners to find out if it was ever involved in a major collision or totaled for any reason. Vehicle histories are also available to the potential buyer from several information providers. If the vehicle has suffered significant damage, have a trained collision repair facility inspect the quality of the repairs.
  • Look for fluid leaks on the underside of the vehicle, on the engine or transmission, or on the ground beneath the vehicle. Look thoroughly for signs of corrosion (or rust) on all areas of the vehicle.

I-CAR Gold Class Consumer SiteJust as you spend time choosing the right vehicle to purchase, it’s a good idea to spend time choosing the right collision repair business - whether you need a repair facility to check out a used vehicle you’re considering for purchase, or you need collision repair work done. Insurers and collision repair business owners alike say the key to selecting the right collision repair business is to look for evidence of properly trained technicians, such as the Gold Class Professionals designation. The Gold Class sign helps you to feel confident about your choice in collision repair.

Use the online Gold Class business directory at www.goldclass.com to select a well-trained Gold Class collision repair business; they have the knowledge and understanding to effectively communicate and work with one another when repairing your vehicle. They know when parts can be repaired, or when they need to be replaced. This helps to eliminate surprises when the repair bill comes, and it leads to less hassle for you! Gold Class Professionals are dedicated to training their employees on the latest collision repair technology to help achieve a safe and complete repair.

I-CAR Collision Repair Training  |  Australia
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Page Last Revised: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
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