Technical school responds to increase in popularity of automotive programs

In response to the growing popularity of its automotive programs, the New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) recently changed the name of its collision repair program and is in the process of expanding its automotive technology facilities.

Christopher Bannister, department chair for the transportation technologies at NEIT, says the change in name of the collision repair program, from Auto Body Technology to Automotive Collision Repair Technology, was a way to stay consistent with the overall collision repair industry.

“We felt that [collision repair] is what the industry reflects, that’s what our instruction reflects—collision repair rather than overall automotive body work,” he says. “Our certification [process] through NATEF is for collision repair, and we wanted to keep everything consistent.”

The new 53,000-sq.-ft. facility, which is slated to open on Jan. 3, 2005, will house the mechanical side of the automotive program. The old facility will be renovated to house the expanded collision repair program, as well as the marine technology program.

Bannister says plans for expanding the collision repair program’s space include adding new equipment, a dedicated welding area and new programs focusing on hybrid vehicles, welding and composite materials, to name a few. He says this expansion is in direct response to the growing interest that he’s seen in the automotive industry.

“Overall, in all of the transportation programs, we’ve seen a steady increase in enrollment. We have a huge enrollment in automotive,” Bannister says. “Collision increased to the point where we’ve appointed two adjunct professors.”

When asked what he attributes this growing popularity to, Bannister credits a combination of factors. “I think some of it is economy driven,” he says. “I think pay scales have started to come up, and that’s what drives a lot of our programs. Is it a viable profession? If it is, kids go there.”

In addition, he says the industry has changed throughout the years, making it a more popular—and viable—choice for students. “The work environment is a big thing. A lot of the shops today are big and very bright, nice and clean. We take kids over and say this is where we want you to go to work in the end. It makes them think, ‘This is a good, viable career for me.’”

Currently, there are 94 students enrolled in the Automotive Collision Repair Technology program at NEIT. In addition, the externship program in which students spend the last quarter doing on-the-job training with a collision repair facility has continued to be a success.

“Externships are required and may or may not be paid. The majority of students stay with those employees,” Bannister says. “We’ve been very lucky in the last couple of years to have 100 percent placement. There’s never been a shortage of places for students for doing externships.”

To find out more about NEIT and the programs it offers, visit www.neit.edu or call (800) 736-7744.