Lincoln Tech Partners with Kindig-It Design

Lincoln Tech Partners with Kindig-It Design

Thanks to a collaboration with Dave Kindig, Lincoln Tech will be bringing custom fabrication and advanced design skills to its Denver campus.

Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, marking 75 years in 2021 as a national leader in specialized technical training, announced it will be launching the Kindig Academy at its Denver, Colo., campus in early 2022. Lincoln Tech has entered into a collaboration with Dave Kindig, owner of Kindig-It Design and star of MotorTrend TV’s “Bitchin’ Rides”, to offer advanced instruction in this highly specialized field.

Dave Kindig, owner of Kindig-It Design

Kindig offers start-to-finish builds for custom vehicles – known as RestoMods – that are unlike anything on the road today. With an extensive waitlist, his services are in high demand. At the same time, the need for skilled, qualified professionals throughout the industry has never been greater. The Kindig Academy at Lincoln Tech will help students take their skills to the next level in the custom vehicle design and fabrication industry.

“Earning a Kindig Academy certification is a unique credential for a custom vehicle designer and fabricator,” said Chad Nyce, executive vice president and chief innovation officer for Lincoln Tech’s . “And it will be available exclusively at Lincoln Tech.”

Kindig founded and operates Kindig-It Design, the nation’s premier custom vehicle fabrication company. Since 1999, Kindig-It Design has been the leading name in creating one-of-a-kind custom rides. In 2014 he helped launch “Bitchin’ Rides” on MotorTrend TV, a series that is still going strong in its eighth season. The show spotlights the one-of-a-kind rides Kindig and his team produce and is seen in more than 169 nations worldwide.

Thousands of shops across the country offer custom design and fabrication services, and Kindig sets a high industry standard. He attributes much of the demand to the unparalleled performance machines his team turns out, while also noting how challenging it has become to attract and retain talent with the skills needed to excel in this highly specialized field.

“We’re really excited about this partnership and about combining our name with Lincoln Tech,” said Kindig. “We’re very thankful for this opportunity to partner with an educational institute that’s known for delivering quality training. The Kindig Academy and its Advanced Skills program will be great for both organizations, and most importantly for the technicians we train.”

The seven-week program will provide students with 240 instructional hours covering 14 topics such as specialty welding; custom fabrication; part design; custom painting; custom exhaust fabrication; custom electrical system design; custom powertrain programming; mechanical assembly; and more. Students entering the program will be expected to possess foundational skills in most areas and will be asked to demonstrate those skills as part of the application process. Entering the program with a basic knowledge of the fundamentals allows instructors to deliver training in the highly advanced skills needed to produce high-end custom vehicles.

Lincoln Tech will transform an area of its Denver campus, which offers Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology training, into the new Kindig Academy with its own entrance, showroom and merchandise shop. Nyce says a substantial investment has been made to make the Kindig Academy at Lincoln Tech a landmark training center for an exciting career field.

With class sizes expected to include no more than 12 students at a time, applicants will apply into a competitive admissions process. Prior experience will be a prerequisite, and candidates will be asked to detail why they want to advance in the custom vehicle fabrication industry.

“This is an incredible opportunity for all sides,” said Nyce. “We’re looking forward to launching the academy, and we’re grateful to have been chosen by Kindig-It Design to host the program at Lincoln Tech.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the collision repair and refinishing industry to projected to fill more than 130,000 openings by 2028. Lincoln Tech’s Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology program, in tandem with industry leaders like Dave Kindig, will help employers nationwide maintain skilled, competitive workforces.

For more information on Lincoln Tech, visit lincolntech.edu. For more information on Kindig-It Design, visit kindigit.com.

You May Also Like

Automotive Parts Associates to Host Annual General Meeting

APA will be hosting its 2024 Annual General Meeting March 26-28, 2024 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.

Automotive Parts Associates (APA) announced it will be hosting its 2024 Annual General Meeting March 26-28, 2024 at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk in San Antonio, Texas.

Every year, shareholders of APA, members of TruStar and supplier partners gather to mix, mingle and network with one another. The event kicks off with a group welcome reception and "date night," where a supplier takes a shareholder or member to dinner. From group breakfasts, lunches and dinners to shareholder and member one-on-one sessions with suppliers, there will be ample time to make connections and discuss business. On the final night, there will be a special awards dinner at the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum.

Auto Care Association Launches REPAIR Act Video Campaign

In the new campaign, shop owners from across the U.S. share their stories on the increased challenges independent repair shops are facing with accessing repair data to service their customers’ vehicles.

AkzoNobel Using 100% Renewable Electricity in Latin America

The milestone — reached late last year — follows similar achievements in North America and Europe.

AASP/NJ Mourns Loss of Board Member Sam Mikhail

Mikhail was an AASP/NJ Hall of Famer and served on the AASP/NJ board for decades.

Auggie Calibrations Meet EURO NCAP Standards

AirPro Diagnostics announced that the Auggie mobile static calibration device has now met the EURO NCAP safety standard.

Other Posts

SCRS Announces Podium as Newest Corporate Member

Podium provide solutions that allow collision repair centers to capitalize on messaging, customer feedback, online reviews, selling products and requesting payments.

Jerry’s Abra Sponsors Uniforms for South Central College

Auto body students at the college in North Mankato, Minn., will now have the proper attire to wear to class.

LKQ FinishMaster, CREF Announce 5th Annual Hood Master Challenge

The 5th Annual Hood Master challenge event will take place Aug. 29, 2024 in Nashville, Tenn.

U.S. House Holds Hearing on EV Fires

The hearing dealt in part with concern for auto repair technicians and their need for training.