Shops, suppliers and other collision industry businesses around the country constantly lodge complaints about the lack of qualified help entering the workforce, but the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) works hard to connect businesses with future employees.
Half a dozen High School & College Transportation Student Career Fairs have already been scheduled this spring from coast to coast, providing industry employers with an ideal opportunity to get acquainted with thousands of incoming industry professionals.
“CREF’s Career Fairs offer a great forum for connecting collision industry employers with hundreds of students who have trained for entry-level positions and are prepared to begin their careers,” said CREF Program Manager Tiffany Bulak. “This engagement with future transportation industry professionals is vital for all segments of the industry---collision centers, dealerships and even paint, tool and equipment companies---as a means of generating brand awareness for the business that will help attract qualified help in the near future. Even more importantly, participation in CREF’s Career Fairs helps us showcase the diverse career paths available to the students in attendance and promote the industry as a viable industry that will sustain their futures.”
Spring 2023 High School & College Transportation Student Career Fair Schedule
- March 3: World of Wheels Student Day Rosemont Center, Chicago, IL
- March 3: OKC Auto Show Bennett Event Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- March 9: Universal Technical Institute, Long Beach, CA
- April 11: Warren Tech Central, Denver, CO
- April 14: Tulsa Auto Show Expo Square, Tulsa, OK
- April 27: Rosedale Technical College, Pittsburgh, PA
Stay tuned for additions at collisioneducationfoundation.org/transportation-career-fairs.
To complement the physical career fair events and ensure CREF helps connect students with employers across the country, CREF has also developed an electronic student resume database which contains contact information for more than 600 collision students.
Interested in participating in an event listed above, or in collaborating with CREF to schedule one in your market? Contact Bulak at Tiffany.Bulak@ed-foundation.org.
Unable to attend a career fair but still eager to get your company name in front of incoming technicians? Support local high school and college collision students by sponsoring work uniforms to ensure the future workforce recognizes the value of looking professional. For a donation of just $50 per student, companies can provide students with a brand-new Cintas technician shirt, branded with your logo, work pants and a safety kit. Email Tiffany.Bulak@ed-foundation.org to learn more.
Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting CREF’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs can contact us to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.
Source: CREF
