Finders Keepers: Qualified Technicians
With a shortage of qualified technicians plaguing the industry, shop owners are asking, “Where’s the best place to find my next employee?” The answer: in your own back yard.
Winona Technical College
Nestled among wooded bluffs surrounding the Mississippi River in Southeastern Minnesota is Red Wing/Winona Technical College. Founded in 1949 as one of the first two technical institutes in the state, the college offers dozens of majors, including autobody
technology.
Learning to Learn
If you would say to the typical collision-shop owner or technician, “You can have anything you want to improve shop productivity”, what do you suppose the most common answer would be? Chances are, it would focus on some new technological advance in equipment or tools.
Utah Valley State College
Striving to meet today’s increased demand for qualified technicians, collision-repair instructors at Utah Valley State College (UVSC) in Orem, Utah, are working to bring together students and the industry.
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Pennsylvania College of Technology has one of the oldest automotive programs in the nation, dating back to 1920 when the institution – then a local technical institute – served to educate World War I veterans in servicing automobiles.
Lining Their Pockets with Profits: Profit Centers
With rising competition and declining profits, many collision-repair shops are adding profit centers to boost their sales.
Productivity Feeds Growth: Zara’s Collision Center
Ahhhh! The smell of a smoldering steak … The air is filled with its spicy aroma … You’re getting hungry, very hungry, aren’t you? This isn’t the description of a favorite restaurant or a backyard feast, but instead, of a once-a-month lunch at Zara’s Collision Center in Springfield, Ill.
Clean Up Your Act: Spraybooths
A spraybooth, in simplest terms, is nothing more or less than a fire-retardant box with air moving through it.
Out With The Old
A good place to start when you’re considering upgrading is to take an inventory of your shop.
Think BIG
The honeymoon was definitely over when Darryl "The Moose" Johnson returned to a demolished home. The Dallas Cowboys fullback, while vacationing with his bride, was having a tree removed from his yard. Taking the tree out in sections, a 195,000-pound crane picked up a hunk too large to hold, swung to the center of the