Collision Engineering Program expands in California
The Collision Engineering Career Alliance announced Thursday that its collision repair technician program will be offered at El Camino College in Torrance, California, beginning in August 2026.
The Collision Engineering Program is a two-year, hybrid/work-based learning associate degree program. Students rotate every eight weeks between classroom instruction and paid apprenticeships at trusted collision repair facilities. The model provides students with the opportunity to earn an income while completing their training.
Enrollment in the program at El Camino begins in May.
“Partnering with schools across the country, Collision Engineering aims to help fill the more than 100,000 job openings expected through 2028 by bringing together education and industry to transform how collision repair technicians are trained and retained,” a press release from the alliance states.
“Students at El Camino College learn from instructors who have worked in the field, bringing real-world collision repair experience into the classroom,” said Pati Fairchild, technology instructor at El Camino College, in the release. “Partnering with Collision Engineering allows us to expand our impact and bring our students the latest model for collision repair education.”
El Camino College’s Auto Collision Repair and Painting department has been active in the collision repair industry for many years. The school offers Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) test prep and entry-level certification testing as well as a class series in insurance investigation.
The college is the second school in California to offer Collision Engineering, allowing the not-for-profit organization to reach more students and serve more communities on the West Coast. The program is also offered at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California; College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois; Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois; Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska; Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, North Carolina; and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
“As vehicles are increasingly complex and technology advances rapidly, industry-driven collaboration and education are critical to meet the demand for highly skilled collision repair technicians,” said Mary Mahoney, Collision Engineering Career Alliance Board of Directors chair, in the release. “We’re proud to partner with El Camino College to prepare more students for successful, sustainable careers in collision repair.”
Collision repair shops local to El Camino College that want to get involved can register for an informational employer session scheduled for Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. PDT.
“For nearly 80 years, our school has been committed to technical education,” said Katie Sundara, El Camino College dean of design and applied technology. “Through our strong partnerships with workforce development groups, corporate sponsors, and organizations like the Collision Engineering Career Alliance, we’re creating pathways for students to advance their careers.”
Images
Featured image of El Camino College provided by the Collision Engineering Career Alliance