San Diego Community College District Continuing Education in California offers a 900-hour certificate program in auto body studies. Students have the option of specializing in auto body repair or auto painting. Courses teach trade-related math, industry safety practices/procedures and how to use automotive hand and power tools. Students also learn how to use high-transfer paint spray equipment, how to prepare vehicles for refinishing and how to apply data from service manuals. Students can complete the program at their own pace in nine to 12 months. The curriculum is based on standards developed by the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair. San Diego Continuing Education has a 90-year history.
San Diego Continuing Education
4343 Ocean View Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92113
619- 388-1234
sandiegocet.net
Portland Community College in Oregon offers certificate and associate degrees in auto body painting and auto collision repair technology. Collision repair students learn about frame analysis and repair, panel repair, panel replacement and even aluminum welding. The auto body painting one- and two-year certificate programs cover topics such as the safe use of base coat and urethane, spot repair, plastic part refinishing and color matching. Students also learn how to restore vintage and antique automobiles. The programs are approved by the National Automotive Training Education Foundation. Portland Community College was founded in 1961.
Portland Community College
Rock Creek Campus
17705 NW. Springville Road
Portland, OR 97229
503- 614-7331
pcc.edu/programs/auto-collision
Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek, Fla., offers an auto collision, repair and refinishing program. Classroom and lab opportunities teach skills such as paint systems and undercoats, frame and unibody squaring and aligning, concealment of imperfections and straightening by hammering. Students also learn how to handle damaged vehicle bodies and fenders as well as how to install and maintain trim and hardware. Painting/refinishing and structural analysis/damage repair are two of five areas of specialization recognized by the Institute of Automotive Service Excellence that the school teaches. The program includes 1,400 hours of training, which takes about 12 months to complete. Atlantic Technical Center opened in 1973.
Atlantic Technical Center
4700 Coconut Creek Pkwy.
Coconut Creek, FL 33063
754- 321-5100
atlantictechcenter.com