ACCELERATING EXCELLENCE

YOUR PATH TO GOLD CLASS RECOGNITION AND THE FUTURE OF TRAINING IN COLLISION REPAIR

In this episode of Industry Insider, Stuart Klein discusses his career path and the critical role of I-CAR Canada in enhancing collision repair training in Canada. He explains how I-CAR Canada supports ongoing technician education beyond Red Seal certification and offers recognized designations like Platinum and Gold Class recognition. He also highlights partnerships with organizations such as the Canadian Welding Bureau to improve enhance training access, particularly in remote areas. I-CAR Canada’s subscription model helps shops train staff efficiently, and achieving Gold Class recognition reflects a shop’s commitment to quality and staying current with industry changes.

Collision Repair magazine: Welcome back to the Industry Insider podcast! Today we’re joined by Stuart Klein, VP of Collision Programs at AIA Canada and Executive Director of I-CAR Canada. Thanks for being here, Stu. Let’s start with a quick intro—tell us about your journey and contributions to the industry.

Stuart Klein: Thanks, Allison—great to be here. I’ve been in the industry for over 46 years, starting as a technician, which sparked my passion for collision repair. I spent 10 years in insurance, followed by 15 years with a major network, where I audited and coached shops, and managed training. I’ve been involved with I-CAR Canada for decades—first as a student, then as a trainer for 25 years. Two years ago, I joined AIA Canada, the not-for-profit that’s been delivering I-CAR training in Canada for over 15 years. That’s the short version!

CRM: We’ve known each other for a long time, and I know how dedicated you are to the industry. So let’s dive in—can you explain what I-CAR Canada is and how it operates in Canada?

SK: Sure. I-CAR is a U.S.-based not-forprofit founded in 1979 to develop training for the collision repair industry. The name stands for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, reflecting the fact that its direction comes from all segments of the industry—over 500 volunteers help shape its programs. Over time, I-CAR has created eight defined training paths known as the Professional Development Program, outlining the skills needed for key roles in a shop. In Canada, AIA Canada holds the contract to deliver I-CAR training and has done so for over 15 years. Nearly all of I-CAR’s content applies directly to the Canadian market, as our industries and vehicles are very similar.

CRM: Excellent. We have a lot of experience in this industry. So I understand, as you mentioned, there are different levels to the I-CAR Canada platform, whether it comes to shops or technicians. Can you educate us and provide some more information on the different tiers that are available?

SK: Sure. I think most of the people reading or listening to this podcast probably know that there are two main credentialing systems that I-CAR Canada has, which are called Platinum and Gold Class. Platinum is a designation that an individual can reach, and Gold Class is a designation that a shop can reach if they have a certain number of Platinum individuals working for them.

CRM: We’ll get into that at the latter end of the podcast. But I’d like to know, Stu, what are some benefits to having a Gold Class certified collision repair centre?

SK: There are many benefits to achieving I-CAR Canada Gold Class recognition, beyond just meeting OEM or insurer requirements. While the Red Seal program is valuable—I’m a Red Seal tech myself—it lacks ongoing training, varies by province and isn’t mandatory everywhere. Gold Class helps fill those gaps by ensuring every technician and estimator meets consistent, up-to-date standards.

Red Seal technicians do receive 74 I-CAR credits, but there’s still a training gap—especially around areas like welding certification—that Gold Class helps cover. I-CAR Canada’s Platinum role training is actually a bit more advanced and is continuously updated every four years. Gold Class shows a commitment to ongoing education and technical excellence. It’s a higher standard that many OEMs and insurers recognize and require. More importantly, it’s currently the only truly standardized training framework in Canada built for the industry.

CRM: You mentioned that Gold Class isn’t just about OEM accreditation and that it also covers important training gaps like welding certification—something Red Seal doesn’t require. Can you tell us more about AIA’s partnership with the Canadian Welding Bureau and the program you’ve developed together?

SK: Sure. The Canadian Welding Bureau is part of our Industry Training Alliance under the sustaining partner program. I-CAR sets industry training standards but isn’t the only trainer. Through the alliance, partners like CWB have their training reviewed and accredited by I-CAR. This means technicians can earn I-CAR credits without repeating similar courses, which saves time and money.

CWB offers two key programs: automotive steel and aluminum welding, both accredited by I-CAR. Since welding certification is required for Gold Class and some areas lack training options, CWB’s strong remote training helps expand access across Canada, especially in underserved regions.

CRM: Excellent. Stu, for shops that might be at ground zero, what does becoming an I-CAR Gold Class certified entail? What are some of the requirements they may need? They might think it’s a big mission, but it’s for your ultimate service-like requirements. So what would they need to be able to meet that?

SK: Starting from scratch, becoming Gold Class is a big task—likely a three-plus year journey, especially with no Red Seal techs or prior training. It requires having Platinumcertified individuals in key roles: structural tech, non-structural tech, refinisher and estimator. The estimator role is especially important since it’s not covered by Red Seal.

If you have Red Seal techs, you can transfer their credits to I-CAR Canada and get 74 credits, easing the process. Using the Training Alliance can also help avoid redundant courses.

To support shops, I-CAR Canada offers a subscription program giving unlimited access to online training for a flat yearly fee—like an all-you-can-eat training buffet—which is a great resource for those pursuing Gold Class.

CRM: OEM certification is crucial today, especially with OEM demands. But customers mainly want quality repairs and assurance. Having that I-CAR Gold Seal shows shops provide the right repairs. How has this benefited their business?

SK: We’ve got about 700 Gold Class shops presently in the Canadian market. And these are industry leaders that typically when you talk to them, they’re saying that they see the value in keeping abreast with what I-CAR likes to call the technical tsunami.

That is I-CAR, trademarked wordsmithing and it’s kind of good wordsmithing because with this non-stop barrage of changes and technical updating with vehicles, you know, how are you keeping up with it? I-CAR Gold Class demands that you keep up with it. So all those reasons that I’ve already mentioned are things that these shops talk about. We have training paths for production managers and ADAS, so once you get past the actual requirements for Gold class, there is just a ton of training in there to keep your staff up to date.

My experience has been as soon as I think I know something, something happens that reminds me how little I actually know.

Anyway, I’d say that’s sort of an overview of what I hear from those leaders in the industry that are doing it for the benefits we’ve already talked about. They’re not doing it just so they can meet a mandate.

CRM: I think you guys are doing an incredible job. Are there any last words you’d like to give to the industry?

SK:Well, thank you for the kind words. Maybe the last thing I’d say is for a shop to maybe look into the benefits of subscription. That’s certainly not for every shop. It’s not a one size fits all.

You pay per person that’s required to train and you get unlimited access to on-line training. You also get a 10 percent discount on welding programs. The shops that are using that presently, they’re getting really good value because they’re doing more training at a little lower cost per unit is what happens for people that are really interested in training. And like I said, There’s ADAS courses and there’s production manager.

There’s OE specific courses, EV courses. There’s over 170 online courses. It’s so much more than just gold class.

Another benefit is that employees may come and go out of your shop. You’re not paying extra in that case, you’ve paid for subscription so if somebody new comes in your shop, you just update your shop roster with I-CAR and they start training. So there’s a lot of benefits that way. The other thing too is updates to the program. You know, like I mentioned, every program is reviewed minimum every four years. And sometimes they do a very small update. This might only be one or two slides. Technicians might retake the course and they kind of, they might complain a bit, quite honestly because they’re taking the whole course again for one slide. Well, if you’re on subscription, it’s no additional cost.

Yes, you do have to spend 30 minutes and take the course just to see what the update was because it’s new information but there’s no extra cost. And the other thing too, like I said that these programs are very dynamic and they respond to the market needs like the platinum Role, that is not chiselled in stone and it will change from time to time. In fact, In 2026 in Canada, the platinum rolls will receive a bit of an update where there’s going to be some requirement for some fundamental ADAS training under each of those platinum rolls.

So just watch for that. And if you’re on subscription, those courses are no extra charge. You just have to find the time to take them. That’s my little plug for subscription. I think it’s a really good product that will really help some shops. I can tell you the shops that are on subscription now are loving it.

CRM: Thank you Stu. That sounds like a great program. I personally look at some I-CAR courses myself. They are fantastic. So I really appreciate that and I really appreciate having you on here. It’s given me a lot of knowledge as well as I’m sure our audience has gained a lot of knowledge.

SK: Thanks for having me, CRM. It’s always a pleasure talking.

CRM: You can find us wherever you listen to podcasts—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Yahoo Music, and more. Be sure to download and subscribe so you don’t miss our next episode. Thanks so much, everyone!