The Collision Engineering program today announced that Mitchell has made an in-kind software donation of more than $1.5 million across its seven participating United States partner colleges. The donation will empower students to excel in their future collision repair careers by providing them with access to the latest industry technology.
"Mitchell is a valuable supporter of the Collision Engineering program, and we are extremely grateful for its latest software donation," Enterprise Mobility Vice President Mary Mahoney said. "It is essential that we come together as an industry to address the global technician shortage and develop the next generation of collision repair professionals. With the help of organizations like Mitchell, we can meet the growing need for qualified and skilled workers."
In addition to its 2021 in-kind donation of $150,000, Mitchell’s latest contribution to the Collision Engineering program will provide more students with access to its advanced technology solutions, including Mitchell Cloud Estimating with Integrated Repair Procedures and Mitchell TechAdvisor. Using the software, students will gain hands-on experience creating collision estimates and comprehensive repair plans for today’s complex vehicles.
"The only way to address the challenges our industry is facing is through ongoing collaboration," Mitchell Auto Physical Damage Division Executive Vice President & General Manager Debbie Day said. "We are proud to support the Collision Engineering program and the next generation of collision repairers. By making our technology more accessible, these students will receive real-world experience using the same advanced solutions as collision facilities do today to restore vehicles to pre-accident condition."
The Collision Engineering program was created in 2020 by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation and Ranken Technical College in St. Louis to proactively address the technician shortage. Its goal is to foster collaboration between educational institutions and industry representatives to develop a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals who are well equipped to perform proper and safe vehicle repairs.
The program is available at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, Mo.; College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ill.; Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Calif.; Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas; Parkland College in Champaign, Ill.; Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Neb.; and Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, N.C.