More professionals to staff your dealership’s already busy collision repair and body shop might be on the way.

On Tuesday, I-CAR, a provider of automotive collision repair industry education and credentialing, as well as technical information and services, announced that its new I-CAR Academy Program is now available to collision repair facilities.

The program initially launched for schools earlier this year.

The I-CAR Academy program is an entry-level collision repair curriculum, designed to educate and recognize new technicians and the schools and repair centers that train these new industry entrants.

I-CAR Academy was specifically designed to kickstart a technician’s education journey when they start their career in a collision repair shop. The company said the program can provide a solid foundation for the I-CAR professional level curriculum and ultimately platinum technician recognition, as well as a solid base for OEM and supplier training, enabling a smoother transition to the workforce.

The company explained the I-CAR Academy program for shops differs from the school version by offering additional training and best practices for shop leadership on creating a differentiated culture and delivering effective mentoring, which can be key to technician development, progression and retention.

“As our industry continues navigating through the talent crisis, I-CAR Academy offers an industry-wide solution at the most critical time in a technician’s career: the beginning,” I-CAR president and CEO John Van Alstyne said in a news release.

“Our industry is in dire need of technicians. For some the right starting point is a school, while others excel beginning their career in a shop. Regardless of where a technician enters the industry, they can count on I-CAR Academy to give them a solid and relevant foundation from which to build their future,” Van Alstyne continued.

I-CAR Academy’s curriculum provides collision repair fundamentals such as safety and tool skills, and foundational knowledge for shop roles including estimator/repair planning, non-structural repairs, structural repairs, and refinishing, and includes resources addressing critical cultural areas such as selecting and training a mentor, mentorship guides, and tools to create an employment brand for use in recruitment.

Five learning areas are available now, including:

—Collision repair fundamentals
—Disassembly and reassembly
—Plastic repair
—Aluminum and steel small dent removal
—Preparation for refinishing

I-CAR also has a badging system that can recognize progress and offer the industry a consistent language with which technicians can communicate and demonstrate their readiness to begin performing real work in each skill area.

The company went on to mention I-CAR Academy caters to the diverse learning styles of new technicians with a modern, engaging learning experience that combines interactive online modules, hands-on skills training, and gamified learning.

I-CAR added interactive online modules can deliver essential knowledge in a consumable format, allowing for flexible learning, while linked hands-on training hones practical repair skills through real-world exercises that solidify understanding.

“We expect that the collision repair facilities that implement I-CAR Academy will experience a range of benefits, including producing confident new technicians who possess a solid foundation in collision repair fundamentals, allowing them to contribute meaningfully from day one,” I-CAR vice president of planning and industry talent programming Dara Goroff said in the news release. “Research has shown that disengagement in the early onboarding and training process, and lack of clarity about career path leads to significant turnover.

“I-CAR Academy is accessible, easy to implement in a shop, and will reduce onboarding time, resulting in increased productivity, longer employee retention, and a high level of employee satisfaction,” Goroff went on to say.

Van Alstyne Added, “We expect that the collision repair facilities who make the commitment to training and developing the next generation of technicians will see the return on their investment in their locations, reaping the benefits of helping to create a more productive, stable, and engaged workforce, which in turn strengthens the public view of our industry.”

Collision repair leaders, shop owners, and managers who are interested in I-CAR Academy for their locations can learn at www.i-car.com/academyshops.