Service King Collision Repair Centers has announced that its fast-growing Apprentice Development Program has officially received certification from the U.S. Department of Labor. Officials from the Department of Labor, Texas State Representatives and Service King teammates held an official signing ceremony commemorating the milestone on Dec. 21 at Service King’s National Support Center in Richardson, Texas.
“This is certainly a proud moment for the Service King family as we continue investing in the development and training of the next generation of skilled automotive technicians,” said Chris Abraham, Service King CEO. “The Apprentice Development Program has long been a vision of our company, and we couldn’t be more proud to see its growth across the country. It’s our mission to equip aspiring technicians with a firm foundation of quality training, hands-on experience and ultimately a long, rewarding career as a Service King teammate.”
The company’s certification comes on the heels of a White House Executive Order signed in June promoting the growth of apprenticeship programs across the U.S. Furthermore, the Service King program was instituted to proactively combat a reported 13-percent decline in the population of automotive repair and maintenance workers between 2002-2014 as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“I am so happy to have Service King operate in North Texas,” said State Representative Angie Chen Button. “Creating a skilled workforce is vital to our state’s economy and providing opportunities for job seekers.”
As a certified apprenticeship program, Service King’s Apprentice Development Program positions itself to become eligible to receive federal workforce and education funds to reinvest into the growth of the program. Aspiring auto body technicians interested in Service King’s Apprentice Development Program are encouraged to learn more by visiting ServiceKing.com/careers.
According to the Department of Labor, certified apprenticeships help businesses develop highly skilled employees, increase productivity, reduce turnover and lower the cost of recruitment. Furthermore, apprenticeships provide customized training, safer workplaces as well as a stable and reliable pipeline of qualified talent.
The Service King Apprentice Development Program provides incoming technicians a hands-on training program featuring personalized instruction from an apprentice supervisor solely dedicated to the program. The program features an immersive and proprietary curriculum that promotes a focused learning environment. To achieve this, each class is capped at four apprentices per instructor. To ensure a real-world environment, all apprenticeships are hosted inside Service King Collision Repair Centers across the country.
The program has been widely heralded in the media, and across the industry, for its success in attracting and training young talent, including recent coverage by Dallas CBS affiliate KTVT and the Dallas Morning News.
