By Erin McLaughlin
Edmonton, Alberta — September 27, 2017 — The Canadian Collision Industry Forum held its first Career Day in conjunction with CCIF Edmonton, taking place September 28 at the Westin Hotel Edmonton.
The event consisted of a guided bus tour to five local facilities: CARSTAR Ellerslie, CSN Reflections Auto Body, Distinctive Auto Works, Fix Auto Edmonton North and Speedy Collision. All five were also accepting drop-in visitors throughout the day to chat with local partners, including representatives of suppliers, OEMs and insurers.
It was their first time in a collision repair facility for many visitors, and some were surprised with what they saw. “It’s really amazing to see,” said student Zandre Lagrosa. “The shops were bigger and better than I expected.”
This was a great opportunity for students to see whether or not this is a career they want to pursue. For at least some, that was certainly the case.
Tyler Gerling, a St. Joseph student commented, “Just seeing the technology, the paint samples, and that you can be creative makes me want to do it even more.”
Visitor Cleo Heard expressed interest in painting. She said that she’s always had a love of graphic design, tattoo art and cars, and wants to incorporate these interests through doing custom work with vehicles. Like Gerling, Heard felt that her interests in car work were reinforced through her visits. “A lot of the shops have a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. I found them exciting and intriguing,” she said.
The final stop was at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), which gave students and members of the community an opportunity to tour the college’s repair facilities. Current faculty and students were available to answer questions and provide advice.
Watch for more reports from CCIF Edmonton on collisionrepairmag.com!
