Auto Collision and Technology
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Auto technicians specializing in collision repair refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames. The Automotive Service Association estimates that collision repair is a $30 billion a year industry. That translates into tremendous job security and mobility in the industry.
This Center of Excellence program is for juniors and seniors who want to prepare for entry-level employment in the field of repairing and refinishing collision damaged vehicles or who would like to prepare to enter college auto collision programs.
Credit hours
You can earn up to 26 credit hours with Metropolitan Community College.
MCC has five Associate in Applied Science degrees and three career certificates in automotive technology. The program is accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation.
What you’ll learn.
In the first year, Emphasis is placed on classroom instruction while you work toward industry recognized certifications from Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), PPG Automotive Refinish North America, and ADP Dealer Services. The lab experiences will help you learn to use hand and power tools, welding and refinishing equipment.
Year two is designed to further develop the skills needed for entry-level or advanced positions in the automotive
collision industry. Employment opportunities demand trained technicians who can use changing technology. That’s
why you will spend the majority of your time in the lab mastering the technical skills you’ll need to repair customer
owned, late-model vehicles with collision damage.
Schedule
The full program is two years of classes. You may take one or both levels.
You’ll take classes at
Herndon Career Center
11501 E. 350 Highway
Raytown, MO 64138
Prerequisites
Minimum 2.0 GPA
90% attendance
Reading, writing, and math at the 10th grade level
Strong mechanical aptitude
Though not required, coursework in Industrial Arts, Metals and Computer Application are recommended.
Demand and Pay
The demand for qualified body repair technicians increases as the number of motor vehicles in operation continues to grow. While the U.S. Department of Labor doesn’t expect significant growth in the number of jobs available in this specialty, overall growth in the auto repair industry is expected to grow with the increasing technology being installed in cars. That means new jobs will be created to respond to the needs of repairs on new technology.
Below are wages and expected employment growth according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration’s O*NET career exploration and job analysis tool.
Automotive Body and Repairers (career certificate or associate’s degree)
Median wages: $18.26 hourly, $37,980 annual
Number of people already in the industry: 166,000
Projected job openings (2008-2018): 43,800
First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers and auto repairers (career certificate or associate’s degree)
Median wages: $28.18 hourly, $58,610 annual
Number of people already in the industry: 448,000
Projected job openings (2008-2018): 136,500
Skills, character and physical traits of successful people in this career:
- Using welding and soldering machines and equipment
- Using mechanics’ hand and power tools
- Repairing mechanical objects
- Following written repair work orders and instructions
- Observing and diagnosing problems
- Coating or painting objects
- Listening
- Manual dexterity (ability to move your hands to assemble objects)
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
To apply
Contact your high school counseling office to complete an application, student contract and student essay of interest. Your school will determine if you meet the program criteria. If you do not, but your counselor or principal feel you can be successful in the program, they can recommend you.
