This year, I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, is kicking off a year-long celebration of 45 years of collaboration on behalf of the collision repair industry. Established in 1979 in response to the increasing complexity of modern vehicles, I-CAR provides educational programming, technical information and related services, and talent crisis solutions for the collision repair industry and its related value chain.
“We are proud of our organization’s enduring and unwavering commitment to the industry for 45 years and counting,” remarked John Van Alstyne, CEO & president. “I-CAR was founded in response to changing industry dynamics, and as we begin the celebration of our 45th year, we are once again leading the industry forward in a time of rapid innovation.”
As a neutral not-for-profit industry body, the organization said it aims to ensure that collision repair technicians of today and tomorrow are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle the latest advancements in vehicle design and repair techniques and deliver top-tier customer service, all for the benefit of the consumer.
Setting the industry baseline standard for knowledge and skills, the industry technician and shop credentialing system against this standard, and with a supporting curriculum offering now spanning more than 350 courses, comprising hands-on skills development, in-shop knowledge assessments, foundational learning, and specialized vehicle training, I-CAR is committed to helping seasoned technicians and appraisers stay current on industry advancements while also nurturing the next generation of collision repair professionals, the organization said.
Nationwide at the end of 2023, a record 9,295 collision repair shops have earned I-CAR’s Gold Class recognition by continuously training their technicians, allowing these repairers to stand out against lesser qualified competitors in their local areas.
Looking ahead, Van Alstyne said: “We have several exciting initiatives and announcements planned, from introducing new solutions to help address the talent crisis to cutting edge curriculum and training methods, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate 45 years than to keep delivering solutions to help ensure the industry performs complete, safe, and quality repairs for decades to come.”
