The West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education will integrate the industry recognized I-CAR Professional Development Program – Education Edition into the curriculum of all 22 secondary and vocational schools in the state of West Virginia.
This marks two firsts for I-CAR: West Virginia’s initiative marks the first time I-CAR training will be used at a statewide level within a school system’s curriculum, and West Virginia will be the first publicly announced adopter of the I-CAR Professional Development Program – Education Edition.
I-CAR provides training for several areas of the collision industry, including career and technical schools. Students that receive this training will benefit from a dynamic, role-relevant education that directly aligns with I-CAR’s industry-recognized training program and a solid foundation to work from as they begin their collision industry careers, according to I-CAR.
West Virginia Assistant State Superintendent of Schools Kathy D’Antoni said, “Our vision is to grow a highly skilled and quality driven workforce that leads the way for a better tomorrow. The Business and Education segment must work together to make sure the curriculum being taught in our career technical centers satisfies industry needs."
The I-CAR Professional Development Program – Education Edition delivers a performance-focused training experience with three successive training levels, each referred to as an I-CAR ProLevel. The West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education has set a goal for its secondary and vocational schools to produce Non-Structural Technicians and Refinish Technicians who have successfully completed the first ProLevel by 2012-2013. By meeting this goal, students will be knowledgeable on many of today’s collision repair procedures and will be better prepared to enter the industry’s workforce.
Bill Stage, I-CAR senior director of Segment Development, said, "I’m pleased to see that the West Virginia Department of Education/Division of Career and Technical Education shares the I-CAR Vision and recognizes the importance of education within the collision repair industry. Without proper training, we run the risk of improperly repairing vehicles, which can impact the driver’s safety."
Stage continued, “By utilizing the program, schools will produce entry-level technicians with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to work productively while achieving complete and safe repairs.”
In Spring 2012, schools will also have access to the I-CAR "Intro to Collision Repair Series," a set of introductory courses for entry-level collision repair professionals. These courses will include information on terminology, personal safety, construction materials, vehicle systems and other topics. This series will be especially helpful for those new to the collision industry and for those working in roles that are related to the collision repair process. The “Intro” series will be integrated as prerequisite training in the I-CAR Professional Development Program – Education Edition.
More information:
I-CAR
