Cerritos College

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November 9, 2009

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College Receives Support from the I-CAR Education Foundation

Grant Will Help Auto Collision Repair Program

Cerritos College received a grant benefiting the college’s Automotive Collision Repair Program from the I-CAR Foundation, October 6. A ten-member team from the I-CAR Education Foundation visited campus to present the grant and to view the Automotive Program facilities.

The I-CAR Education Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, raises funds for donations that support philanthropic and collision repair education activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.

“All of us at the I-CAR Education Foundation are pleased and proud to help support the students in the Automotive Collision Repair Program at Cerritos College,” said Scott Kruger, executive director of the I-CAR Foundation.  “Looking at all the construction around campus, I see that this is a very exciting time at Cerritos and I trust that students today and in the future will greatly benefit from this investment in their education and enjoy successful careers in the auto body and collision industry.”

The donation will go toward upgrading the current I-CAR curriculum and training material library which the college previously purchased, but are now out of date.  “The donation comes in quite handy especially now – we have less flexibility in our budget for such replacement with the college budget severely cut by the state,” said Charles Robertson, instructor in the Automotive Collision Repair Program. 

“The CDs donated provide for student pre-study and the live presentation by an instructor for four hour blocks of condensed learning,” said Robertson.  All materials will be multi-media delivered by computer and projector – students spend a few weeks preparing for exams by using the CDs to preview the videos, content and sample questions.

Students that are successful in completing each module will receive one I-CAR Gold Class Credit – which is highly coveted in the industry.  “This will help our students not only gain the much needed information, but also become more desirable as a future employee as they begin interviewing for jobs in the collision repair industry,” explains Robertson.

“We truly appreciate the I-CAR Foundation’s support for our Auto Collision Program,” said Steve Berklite, dean of the college’s Technology Division.  “We look forward to working even closer with their team to train future professionals in the collision industry.”

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