Here are some of the highlights of the first half of 2016:
- Collision Career Fairs & Student Resume Database Success: To help introduce and connect collision students with industry employers and display the array of career opportunities students have within this industry, the Education Foundation organized and supported 10 high school and college collision career fairs around the country this spring. Students were able to distribute resumes, meet local employers, and some walked away from these events newly employed. There are six career fairs planned for the fall and we look to improve on the events and tracking over the events to report back their success to the industry. To assist those students who aren’t able to attend these events, the Education Foundation piloted their Collision Student Resume Database program where collision students from around the country who are seeking full-time, part-time, or internship work could submit their contact information and the Foundation would provide this database to its’ industry supporters.
- Student Scholarships & Tool Grants: Over $250,000 in high school senior and college collision student scholarships and tool grants were awarded this spring to help the future professionals of this industry with needed financial support for their technical education and/or provide them with the entry-level tool sets they will need to be successful in starting off an industry career.
- Makeover Grant / New School Readiness Benchmark Program: After hearing feedback from donors/industry about an immediate need for entry-level staff, the Foundation created a new designation system for schools where each school that applies for the Makeover grant will be given a Collision School Readiness Benchmark designation (Tier 1:Advanced, Tier 2: Proficient, or Tier 3: Developing). The designation will be determined by the school completing a collision program profile through the application and which included tools/equipment inventory, student contact hours, continuing education hours, and more. The Foundation will work with those schools that apply and provide funding to help them advance in the tier program to assist in their ability to graduate students who will be productive upcoming employment.
- Strategic Planning: The Education Foundation Board of Trustees is working together with the staff on multi-year strategic planning that includes enhancing our work with the schools but also efforts to get in front of parents, guidance counselors, and students at a younger age.
We celebrate these first half successes however there is no plan on slowing down in the second half of the year and are asking for the industry’s continued support to help us achieve our goals.
- Donations: If your company can join our list of supporters by providing tax-deductible monetary and/or in-kind product donations to collision school programs through the Education Foundation, please contact me or a member of the staff.
- Industry Reception at SEMA: Join us the evening of Tuesday, November 1st during SEMA at our annual industry reception where we will be awarding over $100,000 in school grants and student support.
- Chicagoland Speedway & Other Career Fairs: This fall we will be in Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Columbus continuing our career fairs, in addition to starting to plan out the spring ’17 events as well.
This industry should be proud of the fact that they have allowed the Education Foundation to provide over $50 million in donations since 2009 and through effective leadership on both the board and staffing level, the organization returns 90 cents of every dollar donated back to the schools, which has been recognized through Charity Navigator awarding the organization a Four (out of four) Star rating the past several years. As collision school instructors need the industry’s support now more than ever, we invite you to join in our efforts to help bring this organization and collision technical education to the next level.
On behalf of the Collision Repair Education Foundation Board of Trustees, staff, and the high school and college collision school programs that we support, I thank our industry supporters and if you aren’t a current supporter, I invite you to join us in helping the future professionals of the industry.
Regards,
Stacy Bartnik
ITW Evercoat, Central Zone Business Development Manager
Collision Repair Education Foundation, Board of Trustees Chair
[email protected] / 224-210-9952
