Dec. 13, 2012—East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), an Arizona-based trade school that provides 40 occupational-specific training programs, has partnered with Leading Edge Auto Refinishes and Kachina Automotive Equipment to establish a new educational program and training center for collision repair technology in Arizona.
EVIT said it has provided collision repair training to high school students for more than 20 years. The partnership with Leading Edge Auto Refinishes and Kachina Automotive Equipment allows EVIT to expand that mission by developing a new training facility and programming for post-secondary student education, as well as advanced training for professional technicians already working in the collision industry.
“We must bring industry to the table if we are going to provide the finest training in the world, and to accomplish that goal we needed to partner with two of Arizona’s most influential market leaders,” said Sally Downey, CEO and superintendent of EVIT. “Leading Edge and Kachina Automotive are recognized as innovative market leaders and industry visionaries in Arizona. When I asked them to outline their vision of what they believed our program could become I was taken back at the depth, the vision and their comprehensive strategy of implementation that greatly exceeded EVIT’s short and long-term vision for our collision program.”
The newly renovated 18,000-square-foot facility in Arizona will begin hosting manufacturer training classes in January. The first programs offered include Chief Automotive’s “Design Based Repairs and Advanced Frame Analysis” training classes.
“When Dr. Downey approached us we quickly realized that we shared a similar vision for industry training in Arizona. We lacked a brick and mortar facility and EVIT lacked the knowledge and industry connections to bring EVIT’s dream to reality,” said John Rang, managing partner of both Leading Edge Auto, a BASF ColorSource distributor, and Kachina Automotive Equipment, a supplier of collision repair tools and equipment. “…we are going to have a significant impact on students and the industry. This is going to be a unique collision program.”
“It’s essential that we keep technicians current with the technology and repair techniques in our industry, so we leveraged our local and national industry relationships. I-CAR embraced the opportunity immediately along with several nationally recognized manufacturers who are offering industry training at EVIT during 2013. The 18,000 square foot facility, with new state-of-the-art equipment, and factory supported training, offers the perfect environment to address one of the greatest weaknesses of our industry, a severe lack of qualified technicians,” Rang said.
