I-CAR®’S 2017 Results Show Continued Growth and Effort to Align the Industry 2017 proved to be another strong year for I-CAR®, continuing to build on the progress made since 2010 when the current Professional Development Program™ was announced. Over the past seven years the organization has achieved significant growth as result of it's greatly expanded product and services portfolio, plus increasing industry responsiveness to pur-
sue required knowledge and skills levels in the face of the Technical Tsunami™. 2017 results confirm significant growth in technician and shop training engagement versus prior year: I-CAR reports an increase of 2,000 shops engaged in I-CAR training, meaning approximately one-third of total shops are now training with I-CAR, up from about
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25 percent prior. Additionally, a 27 percent increase in the total number of Gold Class® shops was achieved. I-CAR’s Gold Class count now stands at 5,570 shops across the United States, plus 1,300 shops now on the Road to Gold®. Gold Class shops in Canada, Australia and New Zealand would increase these numbers. From a student perspective in 2017, I-CAR training was completed by 83,693 students. In total, these students completed 178,955 unique courses. Welding Training & Certification™ also set new records, with 17,639 students who attended 9,758 events, up dramatically versus prior years. I-CAR’s annual welding program student participation level is now up 700 percent since 2010, with the number of welding training and certification events up 1,300 percent, respectively. OEMs and insurers who specify I-CAR training as a repair network qualifier saw increases as well. As of January 2018, 25 organizations acknowledge Gold Class for their networks, including 11 OEMs and 11 insurers. Additionally, 22 organizations now require I-CAR Welding Training & Certification, including 17 OEMs and 5 insurers. Additions to this roster in 2017 include Volvo, Audi, Hyundai, Maserati (welding), State Farm (welding), and one additional OEM we are unable to disclose also now requires I-CAR aluminum welding. Last year, I-CAR worked closely with partners in the technical school and supplier segments to identify qualified neutral fixed-site locations for training, called I-CAR Official Training Sites. Official training sites were formed as a means to ensure consistent and effective live course delivery, providing a better learning environment and training regimen for students. I-CAR reports more than 260 training sites have been established as of January 2018. Currently, 62 percent of secondary and post-secondary schools now utilize I-CAR’s Professional Development Program – Education Edition, all achieved since the program was first introduced to schools in 2012. Additionally, with the launch of In-Shop Knowledge Assessment™ in 2017, I-CAR’s education, information and services I-CAR Results Please Turn to Page 18
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March 2018
Southern Automotive Journal
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