The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) has announced its fall schedule of career fairs, which provide collision and auto service industry businesses with the opportunity to connect with high school and college transportation students across the country. Through these partnerships, the fall events will bring together over 4,000 collision, auto service, heavy duty and diesel students to participating employers.

CREF also plays an active role in facilitating on-site interviews and employment-related presentations, ensuring that students are well-prepared for meeting company representatives.

“Connecting students with collision industry employers is a key part of the Education Foundation’s mission,” says Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for CREF. “Our transportation career fairs provide the perfect opportunity for industry employers to meet with students who have trained for entry-level positions in collision repair and other related automotive professions.”

Painters Supply & Equipment (PSE) is sponsoring the Detroit career fair being held on Oct. 8. PSE, headquartered in Taylor, Mich., serves more than 7,300 customers from 45 branch locations across Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“We at Painters Supply & Equipment Co. are excited about the opportunity to be the title sponsor, along with PPG Industries, for the Detroit High School and College transportation student career fair hosted by the Collision Repair Education Foundation,” said Chris Kugler, vice president of sales for PSE. “With our industry facing a shortage in technicians, it is imperative that we as an industry embrace, enable and encourage talented individuals to enter the collision repair industry. Painters Supply & Equipment Co. was founded in 1952 in Lincoln Park, Mich., just 20 miles southwest of Detroit, which makes it extra special for us to support this career fair in one of our many communities we serve.”

This year, Mercedes-Benz is sponsoring three career fairs including events at its Mercedes-Benz Learning & Performance Centers in both Texas and New Jersey. The third Mercedes-Benz sponsored career fair will take place at Cerritos Community College in Norwalk, Calif.

The fall 2019 schedule includes:

• St. Louis, Mo. (9/27) – Gateway Motorsports Park (Madison, Ill.)
• Detroit, Mich. (10/8) – Lead Sponsor: Painters Supply & Equipment – Oakland Community College (Auburn Hills, Mich.)
• Dallas, Texas (10/17) – Lead Sponsor: Mercedes Benz – Mercedes-Benz Learning & Performance Center (Grapevine, Texas)
• Northern California (10/22) – Contra Costa College (San Pablo, Calif.)
• Southern California (10/24) – Lead Sponsor: Mercedes Benz & Hendrick Auto Group – Cerritos Community College (Norwalk, Calif.)
• All South Carolina (10/24) – Lexington Technology Center (Lexington, S.C.)
• Houston, Texas (11/20) – Kingwood Park High School (Houston, Texas)
• Robbinsville, N.J. (11/21) – Lead Sponsor: Mercedes Benz – Mercedes-Benz Learning & Performance Center (Robbinsville, N.J.)
• Miami/Broward/Palm Beach County, Fla. (12/10) – SouthTech Academy (Boynton Beach, Fla.)

Employers who are interested in participating at the events should contact Tiffany Bulak, development and marketing coordinator for CREF, at [email protected].

“We are excited to be facilitating these events in new markets this fall and continue our efforts in helping to introduce the future professionals of the industry to local and national employers,” said Eckenrode. “As the aging workforce issue and need for entry-level staff are commonly referred to as the top issue facing the industry, we invite companies to get involved with these events and start networking with students.”

Industry members interested in joining CREF’s roster of supporters to assist high school and post-secondary collision school programs and students should contact Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or [email protected].