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Auto Body Repair: Choosing A School

Written by Chip Roth Tuesday, 29 December 2009 09:20

Careers in the automotive field are very competitive, and Auto Body Repair is no exception. You may hear from people who claim to be "in the know" that you do not need further education after high school to excel in this field, but they are wrong. If cleaning floors and running errands is your idea of a great job, listen to those people. If you are looking to land the highest paying jobs in Auto Body Repair, then you need experience. The only way to gain experience with no prior work in this field is with a Auto Body Repair School.

Careers in the automotive field are very competitive, and Auto Body Repair is no exception. You may hear from people who claim to be "in the know" that you do not need further education after high school to excel in this field, but they are wrong. If cleaning floors and running errands is your idea of a great job, listen to those people. If you are looking to land the highest paying jobs in Auto Body Repair, then you need experience. The only way to gain experience with no prior work in this field is with a Auto Body Repair School.

It is simple for us as quality auto body repair schools can be found nationwide with very little effort. Some are college programs that last for two years and include all the traditional college core courses, while others are technical schools dedicated solely to the auto body repair field. My choice would be going with a dedicated trade school as it gives much more hands on training time. Most of the institutions will split the courses time between book learning and working in the shop applying what was just learned. Ignorant people will argue that hands on training will be plenty for this career and the truth is in fact the opposite. If you choose not to learn the theory you can put you and others in serious danger. Complicated circuits, air bag components, and high voltage hybrids are just some of the cutting edge technology you will experience in the field, and learning from your mistakes is definitely not a good idea. A much better method of learning is to hit the books first, and later apply what you have learned in the field. For reference we have given you a few options to consider in Auto Body Repair Schools.

Lincoln Tech, my first choice for a school is a simple one. I am a LTI Alumni and can attest for their high quality of education. Using a systems approach they break down different systems of the automobile and then apply it later in the shop. With joint efforts between them and major auto makers they can provide specialized training for different makes and models. Tool companies are also linked up with LTI and provide tools to students at discounted rates. They also DBA Lincoln College of Technology and Nashville Auto/Diesel College.

Wyotech: Wyotech's Collision refinishing technology program is also widely known. Branded as the official school tech school of the NHRA this school has no shortages in ties to the motor sports industry. Among others former Xtreme 4x4 host Jessi Combs was a Wyotech grad in their collision repair program. In addition to taking the core curriculum students are allowed to major in specialty areas including trim and upholstery, applied service management, motor sports chassis fabrication, and street rod and custom fabrication.

If a dedicated trade school is not for you then perhaps looking into local colleges is a better option for you. Look for ones that offer a collision repair or auto body repair program.