Resuscitating Collision Repair Education
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
It’s no secret that collision repair facilities have been struggling to staff their shops for years, so when industry leaders learned that Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School (Billerica) was debating whether to eliminate its auto collision repair and refinishing program due to low enrollment, they couldn’t sit back quietly as the future of collision repair took another vicious blow.
After finding that the program was potentially on the chopping block during an advisory board meeting in October, Torque Financial Group’s Rachel James took to social media with a post encouraging students, parents, industry professionals and members of the community to contact the school. “This program isn’t just about cars – it’s about opportunity, community and providing a pathway to success for students who thrive through hands-on learning,” she wrote. “The auto body program has helped countless students discover their talents, build confidence and develop real-world skills that lead directly to stable, high-paying careers.
“With a national shortage of skilled tradespeople, cutting this program would take away one of the few remaining pipelines into an industry that desperately needs young talent,” she continued, pointing out that “our trades programs are not ‘nice to have’ – they are essential. They serve students who might not see themselves in a four-year college, and they give them a reason to stay engaged in school. For many, it’s the first time they feel seen, capable and proud of their work.”
Her rallying cry generated its desired effects; dozens of students and collision repairers gathered at the school on October 28 to emphasize the importance of the program before the school’s committee cast a vote, and those voices were heard loud and clear – Shawsheen voted to retain the program!
“We’re proud to share that the auto body program at Shawsheen Tech is staying!” Anchor Auto Body (Woburn) announced the victory on Facebook the following morning. “Auto body education is the foundation of our trade’s future, and preserving it means more opportunities for the next generation of skilled technicians. This victory proves what can happen when a community stands united – but it’s only the beginning. There’s still a lot of work ahead to strengthen and modernize the program, support students and ensure they have the tools and training needed to succeed in today’s industry. We’ll continue to do our part – advocating, volunteering and lending our hands where they’re needed most. Let’s keep pushing forward together!”
“We will certainly need [the industry’s] help to improve the program and help enrollment in the coming months,” James agreed.
This isn’t the first time that a Massachusetts vo-tech school came close to losing its auto body program. Several years ago, Northeast Metropolitan Technical Vocational School faced similar enrollment challenges in their auto body program which was saved through industry engagement…and the good fortune of having an administration that was supportive of efforts to keep the program alive. As of 2020, South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School (Hanover) decided to phase out its collision repair program with the intention of combining it with the automotive program; however, a review of the program’s webpage (southshore.tech/automotive) shows a course list focused on mechanical work, with no listed classes specifically geared toward auto body.
Although schools often face challenges related to low enrollment in their auto body programs, there’s a definitive need for more technicians in the field.
According to the TechForce Foundation’s 2024 Supply and Demand Report, “For 2023, the [collision] sector added nearly 16,000 additional employees, equating to a very strong gain of 10.4 percent.” The report predicted that the industry will need over 100,000 new technicians between 2024 and 2028, yet supply is not keeping pace. After reporting yearly decreases in the number of students completing their collision degrees since 2014, TechForce Foundation reported a small increase in post-secondary collision completions in 2023 for the second year in a row, though the number of newly-graduated technicians (4,783) fell far short of the industry’s demand for 26,000 new technicians in 2024.
The struggle to hire new technicians seems to be particularly pervasive in the New England market. Although CRASH Network recently reported that the US collision repair industry has largely recovered from the pandemic, employing 6,000 more workers than its previous historic high of 245,000 in the first quarter of 2020, this trend is not consistent in every state.
While 31 states now boast more collision industry employees, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals a reduced collision employee count in the remaining states. Of the six states with the largest reductions, half of them are located in New England. “Vermont, not a large state to begin with, had almost 12 percent fewer auto body employees in December 2024 than it had in February of 2020,” the article indicates, noting that New Hampshire is down around 10 percent, while “Massachusetts remained almost nine percent smaller in terms of employees.”
But it’s not like Commonwealth shops aren’t trying to hire more technicians and grow the workforce! Results from the New England Automotive Report 2024 Industry Survey (grecopublishing.com/near0225coverstory) revealed that 55 percent of respondents indicated that their youngest employee is between 18 and 25 years of age, proving there is a place for the next generation of collision repairers; however, many shops are missing a golden opportunity to staff their facilities as only 37 percent are seeking technicians from local vocational schools.
Even fewer shops are actively involved in supporting those programs, and failing to engage with the schools can prevent collision businesses from recognizing the talent available at their fingertips.
“Local shops are consistently seeking new talent and are eager to hire capable students,” says David Lelievre, collision instructor at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School (Fitchburg). But there’s some give and take. In order to graduate students with the right entry-level skills, schools need feedback from shops on exactly what skills are most important, and those same shops are likely to have the first pick of those new technicians. “Local shops that join our advisory board provide valuable suggestions on our curriculum, equipment and new technology we should be teaching. Our advisory board members are also the first to meet our students for potential hiring opportunities.”
“Our advisory board is vital in shaping our program’s curriculum,” agrees Bob MacGregor, department head of collision repair and refinishing at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School in Wakefield. “We have a really supportive and active group of collision professionals on the board that provide tool recommendations and keep us informed of industry changes and trends, so we know about the latest tools, equipment and processes that students are going to need to learn. That feedback helps us understand what type of support we should be asking for when we apply for grants.”
Industry support is the cornerstone to any successful collision repair education program, but improving enrollment numbers stretches beyond simply showing up for advisory committee meetings – collision programs need support from industry professionals who are truly engaged and willing to show up in a variety of ways. Many challenges plague collision programs, including funding concerns, so donations of used parts, tools and supplies can go a long way toward helping instructors prepare their students for the workforce.
“We are fortunate to have a well-equipped shop and recently had some big renovations done; however, we still face challenges, including a lack of space and an insufficient number of instructors for the large number of students we have,” Lelievre acknowledges. Fortunately, the school has received a lot of “industry support from companies such as the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), LKQ, MAPFRE Insurance, SEM and other industry partners.”
MacGregor has also been lucky to have a “really supportive” school that funds the program as well as can be expected. “We also have an active grant writer who is excellent at finding additional funds through CREF and other organizations to help us improve the program. We get a ton of supplies through CREF, but additional donations are always helpful. We use a lot of consumable products, especially with our exploratory students, so donations of paint and parts are always welcome.”
It’s also incredibly helpful when industry professionals invest their time and energy into the programs by volunteering to do presentations. “It’s like being a parent; I can tell my students something until I’m blue in the face, but when someone else comes in and tells them the same thing, they’re more likely to actually listen and absorb the information,” MacGregor shares. “It really reinforces the message, plus it gives students a chance to interact with the shops that need new talent and allows them to connect with the industry in a new, exciting way.”
Creating an exciting learning environment can make all the difference in a student’s path to a collision career, and it’s often the most effective way of combatting the negative stereotypes about the industry.
“Collision repair is still seen as a dirty trade that requires a lot of hard work,” MacGregor observes. “That perception isn’t changing fast enough, so we have to do what we can to help students see the positive aspects of a collision career. The kids who like cars and see the artistic side of repair are passionate about it and more likely to stick with it; my job is to help them find that passion.”
“We strive to create a fun, safe and fast-paced learning environment,” Lelievre concurs, explaining that luring students to the program begins with “freshman recruitment, which is the cornerstone of our program. Our one-week exploration initiative keeps students actively engaged with projects related to the collision repair industry. To ensure manageable group sizes, students are divided into three smaller groups, each working on different projects. After completing a safety program to familiarize themselves with tools and equipment, students undertake three tasks throughout the week: a welding project, a metal shaping and welding project and a custom paint design project.”
Northeast Metropolitan has a similar exploratory program for freshmen. “During our five-day program, we try to fill the time with as many real-world activities as possible. We start with identifying damage and writing estimates on the first day, and the next day, we take cars apart and put them back together. On the third day, exploratory students sand parts, and we split them into groups on Thursday and Friday to allow them to suit up and paint. Each student gets to airbrush designs on a license plate that they can take home, and that seems to really get a lot of them excited about the idea of working on cars. It’s a busy week, but it provides a pretty comprehensive overview of what the job is really like while having some fun. Most students seem to enjoy the experience, and it has been a successful way of inspiring students with the desire to pursue a collision education.”
It’s important, though, for shops hiring recent graduates to remember that those new technicians are still developing their knowledge and skills; Rome wasn’t built in a day after all, and neither is an A-tech!
“Shops that hire students need to realise that the students are entry-level and are still learning,” Lelievre offers a reminder. “We have found that the shops that have the most success with our students have a mentoring program and/or an incentive program to train and retain new employees.”
Although there may be some training involved, there’s a significant benefit to hiring these entry-level technicians. “These young motivated students are starting out with entry-level training and skills, and though they may not be as experienced as more seasoned techs, they are more open to learning and growing,” MacGregor points out. “Different shops may have different methods of reaching the same outcome, and it’s much easier to train a young mind to do things your way compared to a more experienced technician who may be reluctant to change their ways.”
Investing the time and energy into these new hires is vital to the industry’s future as experienced technicians age out, which will create even more job openings in the near future, but a large hurdle to attracting and retaining these young technicians in Massachusetts often presents itself in the form of their paychecks. According to NEAR’s 2024 Industry Survey, 40 percent of respondents are paying their lowest-level employee less than $35,000 annually. In comparison, an Amazon warehouse worker in Massachusetts earns over $47,000 on average.
“Entry-level pay isn’t as high in collision repair as in some of the other trades,” MacGregor laments, admitting that the gap in compensation may cause some students to defect to other opportunities. “Something has to change,” he insists, and Massachusetts shops agree. AASP/MA has been advocating for a fair labor rate for years, and association leaders are hopeful that change is coming as the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board (ABLRAB) prepares recommendations that are due at the end of the month (recap of October’s ABLRAB meeting on page 14).
Still, MacGregor is convinced that there are plenty of great opportunities in the field for those with the drive and determination to stick with it, and employers may have more success in retaining young technicians if they’re willing to highlight the opportunities that exist. “Reassuring employees that there’s a way to grow and move up the ladder is important, especially when their starting pay is comparatively low. In addition to establishing clear expectations in their current position, develop a clear career path so they understand the earning potential and are motivated to advance. But you can’t just keep dangling the carrot; there needs to be follow through so they recognize the rewards of their efforts. Collision repair may not be the most glamorous job in the world, but for those who enjoy it, it’s a great career!”
Want more? Check out the December 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!