HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – February 16, 2017 – In partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), Mitchell International donated more than $700,000 in software to schools across the United States in 2016. Through this collaboration, thousands of students who were enrolled in qualified collision education programs learned with the same software as many professionals across North America and Europe. There is no cost to students or schools to use the software through this program.
In addition to software, Mitchell sponsored collision student safety kits (work pants/shirts, dust masks, safety glasses, ear plugs) for 50 students at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif. and 14 students at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Shelbyville, Tenn.
Mitchell has continually supported a hands-on collision repair education program that offers in-kind donations, including uniforms and estimating software. Not only does Mitchell software help to prepare the next generation of collision repair professionals, it also supports the Collision Repair Education Foundation mission in collecting important information about collision repair education programs.
Debbie Day, EVP and General Manager – APD at Mitchell, said, “Repairer education has never been more important to the industry. Vehicles are more complex to repair than ever, and we at Mitchell believe technology will be critically important in addressing the changing landscape. CREF has a rich tradition of preparing students and Mitchell is proud to donate its software to schools and to partner with CREF in educating those interested in our industry.”
Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for the Foundation said, “I would like to thank Mitchell International for their continued support of the industry’s pre-employment education system. Access to the latest technology during their training is a key driver of student success when they start their career in the collision industry.”
The Collision Repair Education Foundation helps to connect collision repair programs at secondary and post-secondary technical schools and colleges across the country with software providers, like Mitchell. To qualify for the free software, qualifying schools need to fill out the Collision Repair Schools Solutions Survey, available on the Foundation website, www.collisioneducationfoundation.org. The survey is required once a year for a renewal of the software subscription.
The Education Foundation uses the information gathered from the Collision Repair School Solutions Survey to track important details about school programs, key academic performance indicators, and crucial program needs for new tools and equipment necessary to train students for careers in today’s collision repair industry. The longitudinal survey enables the Foundation to understand the capabilities of schools as they evolve over time both in response to Collision Repair Education Foundation initiatives, local industry involvement with the school programs, as well as changes within the schools and the communities they serve.
