As part of its dedication to the future of the collision repair industry and safe and proper repairs, Audatex, a Solera Company, donated over $2 million in software subscriptions to schools with collision repair educational programs in the U.S. in partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), an initiative that provides students with the opportunity to learn on the same software utilized in today’s shops.
An additional $25,000 donation from Audatex provides unrestricted funds to support collision repair students. Audatex made a five-year commitment in 2018 to provide these funds to ensure collision repair training programs have access to the tools and resources needed to successfully train the next generation of technicians in the ever-evolving repair industry.
“We are proud to partner with organizations like CREF to invest in the future of the automotive repair industry and create innovative opportunities for hands-on learning using our industry-leading technology,” said Don Mikrut, vice president, Solera Global SMR Service Sales.
The software donations from Audatex are part of the company’s collaboration with CREF on the Audatex Educational Institutions Program, which also provides eligible schools with access to online courses and training, a custom curriculum that includes CEUs and I-CAR points and technical support. This partnership has provided Audatex estimating software to nearly 300 schools’ collision repair programs in 41 states, a number that increases each year.
“I would like to thank Audatex for their continued support of the industry’s pre-employment education system,” said Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for CREF. “Access to the latest technology during their training is a key driver of student success when they start their career in the collision industry.”
To qualify for the Audatex Educational Institutions Programs, technical schools in the U.S. and Canada offering a collision repair program must complete the Educational Institutions Program contact form found at Audatex.us.
Industry members interested in supporting CREF’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs should contact Brandon Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or [email protected].
