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Letter to the Editor

I-CAR Working with Industry Training Alliance and Offering Enhanced Delivery Curriculum to Vo-Tech Schools and on CD-ROM

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL -- I-CAR® has recently joined with other collision industry technical trainers to form the Industry Training Alliance. I-CAR Gold Class points can now be awarded to students who have taken Alliance training programs. The Alliance has greatly strengthened the Gold Class Professionals® and Platinum Individual programs by increasing the number of training sites and reducing the time and expense to attain Gold Class or Platinum status.

"After striving to become Gold Class for so long, I am happy to say that I am sending in my Gold Class application tomorrow with confidence that I'll pass," said Mark Hunt, manager of The Body Shop in Kingsport, Tennessee. "I have five employees that may have been a little short on Gold Class points. Because of the Industry Training Alliance, the training they've received from Sherwin Williams and Chief has put us over the top."

The Body Shop is one of many businesses incorporating the Industry Training Alliance into their training plan. Businesses who complete technical training other than I-CAR courses to improve their skills and knowledge of the industry may not have been eligible for the Gold Class program in the past. However, these businesses now have another option to help them reach their goal of becoming Gold Class Professionals.

"The Alliance is a great program, and it won't stop us from taking I-CAR courses," Hunt stated. "It just provides a great way to organize all our training in one place." I-CAR maintains a student database, which includes all Alliance training programs. Once I-CAR receives documentation from the Alliance member that a student has completed a training course, that student can apply to I-CAR for Gold Class credit. The student's I-CAR transcript will list all courses taken from I-CAR and Alliance members.

I-CAR expects that within one year virtually all quality technical training organizations and vocational-technical schools will be members of the Alliance. As of this date, Sherwin Williams, Martin Senour, Chief Automotive, PPG and BASF are Alliance members.

I-CAR® Enhanced Delivery Curriculum Now Available to Vocational-Technical Schools

I-CAR is now offering its Enhanced Delivery curriculum to vocational-technical schools for the first time. Over 70 technical training programs will be marketed to the schools by the I-CAR Education Foundation. Additionally, schools can purchase any props, simulators, and student consumable materials used during I-CAR classes.

"I-CAR's Enhanced Delivery curriculum is the most comprehensive in the collision industry," stated Rod Kohlhepp, program director and instructor for Madison Area Technical College. "Because it is continuously updated to reflect the latest technology, our students will always be equipped with the most current technical material available." Introduced in January 2000, Enhanced Delivery courses feature knowledge and performance-based training, with an emphasis on hands-on exercises. The schools may also choose to purchase and provide each student with a CD-ROM, which includes the textbook, instructor audio track, and video demonstrations of the classroom exercises, for later review and reference. The student CD-ROM may also be used to support a self-paced learning environment.

"By offering the I-CAR curriculum, we can help reverse the trend of closing vocational-technical school programs, improve the quality of training and ultimately increase the number of qualified entry-level technicians in the industry," said Executive Director Ron Ray of the I-CAR Education Foundation.

Schools who use I-CAR's Enhanced Delivery curriculum and whose instructors are I-CAR qualified are also eligible to join the Industry Training Alliance. p> Vocational-technical schools that would like more information on I-CAR's Enhanced Delivery curriculum or the Industry Training Alliance can find it at www.i-car.com. Schools who wish to purchase the curriculum may call 888.722.3787, X283.

I-CAR continues to introduce new Enhanced Delivery training programs and is on track to replace all traditional courses with Enhanced Delivery by the beginning of 2003.

The Enhanced Delivery curriculum is a series of individual, modularized training programs that offer in-depth coverage of traditional and new subject areas. This allows students to choose only the segments which best fit their training needs. Enhanced Delivery programs feature knowledge and performance-based training, with an increased emphasis on hands-on exercises. Students also receive a CD-ROM, which includes the textbook, instructor audio track, and video demonstrations of the classroom exercises for later review and reference.

Among the programs recently introduced are Damage Analysis Program 1, which focuses on estimating vehicle damage and writing a damage report; Heating and Cooling Systems Program 1, which examines the part terminology, operation, diagnosis and repair of heating and cooling systems; and Electrical & Electronics Program 1, which allows participants to construct different types of circuits and measure circuit values.

Also available are Welding and Cutting Aluminum Programs 1, 2, 3 and 4. This series provides instruction on the principles of aluminum GMA (MIG) welding in Program 1, allows students to practice a variety of welds in Program 2, and offers a hands-on welding qualification test in Program 3. Program 4 focuses on aluminum TIG welding.

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