In this episode, we will take a look at the Collision Repair and Refinishing Program. We’ll find out what you can expect to learn, what kind of jobs are out there, and where you can find them. Rebuilding and restoring old or damaged vehicles takes a unique blend of hands-on skills and artistic talent. Lincoln Tech’s auto body schools have a long-standing history of providing career training that helps students build both. Our campuses offer Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology training in a unique Blended Learning format, and there are excellent opportunities out there for you when you graduate: the country is expected to add tens of thousands of collision repair and auto body specialists by 2030. From dent repair and airbrushing to welding and feather edging, ASE Certified instructors at our auto body schools will ensure you're learning the techniques used in today's collision repair bays. Lincoln's mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, transforming students' lives and adding value to their communities. 00:00:03 Travis Vieira, Lincoln Tech Instructor - VIEIRA: Cars are a puzzle. Really, it's just a big, giant puzzle. So you have to know how to take the puzzle apart. You know how to fix the pieces and then put the puzzle back together. 00:00:13 Nina Lombardi, Hiring Manager at Gunslinger Custom Painting in Golden, Colorado: The Lincoln Tech grads understand the whole entire process pretty much from start to finish. If they don't understand it as much, they definitely pick it up quicker. 00:00:21 Joanna Swartz, Lincoln Tech Graduate and Collision Repair Technician: Collision repair is something that's always going to be needed. People get in collisions all the time and you're going to have that job security. It's definitely an important job. 00:00:36 Host: Welcome to the official podcast of Lincoln Tech. In this episode, we'll be looking at the Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology program. We'll find out what you can expect to learn and what kind of jobs are out there. We'll also find out that collision repair and refinishing technology means a lot more than just fixing bare bones. But first, Lincoln Tech’s mission is to provide superior education and training to our students for in-demand careers in a supportive, accessible learning environment, for transforming students’ lives and adding value to their communities. And Lincoln's promise to our students is simple. We will work tirelessly to help you succeed on the road to new career opportunities. Now let's dive into some details about the program. 00:01:13 Vieira: My name is Travis Vieira. I am the lead collision repair and refinish instructor for Lincoln Tech Denver. I graduated from the Collision Repair Refinish program and graduated with my Associate's Degree as well. I have 35 years in commercial production, automotive paint experience, which is the expertise that I bring to the program and I enjoy what I do every day. 00:01:45 Host: You hear that: 35 years of experience. This man is a wealth of knowledge. I'm sorry. Please continue. 00:01:53 Vieira: Our collision program is 12 months. There's ten different classes with those over those 12 months. The first one is an introduction. We're working on safety systems, OSHA requirements, SDLC, using the school systems, the computers, how we test, how we do our work, getting them registered for their iCar certifications. The first class is a bunch of “Let's get you set up to succeed and move forward through all the other classes”. From that class I'll go into basic welding and they'll learn how to make welds with steel. There's a follow up program, fabrication and the aluminum welding that comes later in the program where they'll make TIG welds and weld aluminum and start building parts from flat steel. We have a structural class. We'll get them on the frame rack using laser and sonar measuring systems to measure and find damage in cars and then straighten them with the big frame machines. We're doing a lot less of that in the field, but we still want them to know the basics. Those cars are a puzzle, really. It's just a big, giant puzzle. So you have to know how to take the puzzle apart. You know how to fix the pieces and then put the puzzle back together. Once they finish structural, they'll go into electrical and suspension. They'll learn brakes, they'll learn struts, they'll learn shocks, and they'll learn the electrical systems. They'll learn to scan the cars. Most systems now are pre and post scan, so when a car comes into the collision shop we scan it for any error codes. Look in and create a list of what’s in there. Once the repairs are all done, then scan and make sure they get all the codes corrected and fixed and input before the cars go back out on the road. They're doing a lot of scanning in their electrical class. And then we ...
