The Collision Repair Education Foundation’s annual Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school grant application and the AkzoNobel Sustainably Challenge Grant application are both due on June 3rd. All high school and college collision school programs are encouraged to apply, and the winning schools for both awards will be announced during SEMA 2016. There is one application for both opportunities.
The makeover grant program is in its eighth year. Multiple cash awards totaling more than $100,000 will be given out. This year, the application will also tie each school to the Foundation’s new designation program, “Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark.” Applicant schools will be classified into three tiers – Tier 1: Advanced, Tier 2: Proficient or Tier 3: Developing. The designation will be determined by the Foundation based upon information provided by schools about the capabilities of their collision-training program on the Collision Repair Education Makeover grant application.
The criteria for each level will focus around the number of hours of instruction and curriculum in place, along with what tools, equipment and supplies a school uses to prepare their students for employment in the collision industry. If there is something that is missing, the grant application will allow a school to request that particular item. The goal is to help every school acquire the resources to eventually achieve a Tier 1: Advanced school designation.
In keeping with the goals of the Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grant, the Collision Repair Education Foundation and AkzoNobel are collaborating for the third year to offer the Sustainability Challenge Grant. Schools are invited to submit proposals for applying continuous improvement and sustainability principles that improve the processes in the school’s body shop or improve the way the shop interacts and impacts the community. Projects are to be driven by teams of students with the instructor serving as a mentor. Winning schools will receive funding to implement their proposed ideas and report on the success of their projects.
The application for both opportunities is available online and is due by Friday, June 3, 2016. Industry members are encouraged to work with their local collision school programs to ensure they apply by the deadline. Industry members interested in getting involved with the Foundation and joining its efforts to support the future of the collision industry should contact Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at (847) 463-5244 or [email protected].
