When servicing and repairing your vehicle, you will want to make sure that your vehicle receives the highest quality and most reliable repairs. Organizations like I-CAR are essential for such repairs to take place. In this article, we will explore how I-CAR works and how you can be recognized by I-CAR.
What Exactly Is I-Car?
Wondering what I-CAR stands for? We have all the answers! I-CAR stands for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair. I-CAR is an organization that provides appropriate and current information, knowledge, and skills which are required to complete quality and safe repairs to all vehicles.
What Is I-Car Vision?
The vision that the organization I-CAR aspires to achieve is that every person in the collision repair industry is equipped with the information and skills that would be needed in order to perform a complete quality repair on any vehicle. I-CAR ideally works for the benefit of the consumer, making sure that the level of service the consumer receives matches a standard overall high quality.
About I-CAR
I-CAR is a not-for-profit organization that works internationally and specializes in the training of auto repairs. The organization was founded in 1979 by six experts that all had technical and knowledgeable backgrounds from different areas of collision repairs. These six areas included tools, equipment, insurance, repair, manufacturing, and education. The purpose and vision of I-CAR is to educate those working within the industry and provide relevant resources to auto repair shops and technicians.
I-CAR now has 200 new vehicle introductions containing various safety systems that will impact how repairs are performed on collision-damaged vehicles. I-CAR is able to provide key information on new cars and update technicians on current repair changes.
What Does It Means to be Recognized by I-CAR?
I-CAR not only recognizes and helps auto body shops in South Jersey, but the organization also helps individual collision repair technicians along with thousands of auto body shops across the United States. To be recognized by I-CAR, the individual technician or the auto repair shop will need to demonstrate skills of extremely high standards. Technicians are able to complete I-CAR training programs to earn qualifications such as Platinum and Gold I-CAR awards. To achieve one of these awards means that the technician of an auto body repair shop has reached the highest level of training in the industry, making them one of the most qualified in the field.
I-CAR Platinum
The program that will land you an I-CAR Platinum certificate is able to provide any technician with skill development and education regarding the ongoing technological change. The I-CAR Platinum program is designed to teach vehicle technology while improving skills related to job performance. The program will also look at aspects of career development and all related topics to help the consumer.
I-CAR Gold
An auto body repair shop can achieve an I-CAR Gold Class recognition which is the highest qualification and training achievement recognized by the repair industry. The I-CAR Gold Class program follows a very similar path to the platinum I-CAR program. The I-CAR Gold Class program is known to be one of the most challenging programs to achieve with only 10% of all the repair shops in the United States achieving these Gold Class I-CAR standards.
Similar to the platinum I-CAR program, the I-CAR gold program specializes in collision repair and insurance businesses while continuing reliable training and up-to-date knowledge and skills which will improve business performance and risk reduction.
For an auto body repair shop to achieve an I-CAR gold certification the auto body repair shop must continue and maintain high-quality standards at all times as the testing and training are ongoing over a period of time. This is a lengthy process that makes sure that the auto body repair shop is able to continue this quality daily. This evidence will then support the passing of certification of the gold I-CAR qualification. Achieving an I-CAR gold certification is an honor that will represent not only to all consumers but to all staff and competition that the auto body repair shop is committed to high standards and quality repair work.
The Future Of I-CAR
I-CAR training is continually developing to adapt to Ongoing changes that are occurring in OEM technology, new materials, and manufacturing capabilities. The ongoing development of the course is to make sure that the standards of training are the highest and the qualification matches the true quality of the technicians.
How Elmer’s Auto Body Can Help Today
When picking a garage or technician to work on your vehicle you should consider the qualifications of the establishment as this will represent the quality of the repair. Achieving an I-CAR certification represents the highest quality of work meaning that you can have full confidence that your repair is in safe hands and will ensure that you will get customer satisfaction with the repair that has taken place on your vehicle. If you need any repairs to your vehicle call in at Elmer’s Auto Body today. The team at our NJ body shop is ready to repair your car back to its original form using quality parts and skilled labor. Schedule your appointment or contact us with your questions today.