Career Outlook: The Future of the Collision Repair Industry
The collision repair business operates in a unique economic niche that helps to shelter it from other areas of the market. This is particularly true when it comes to downturns and recessions. The reality is that there are millions of automobiles and trucks on the road, and these vehicles will unfortunately always be getting into accidents that will require repairs. Slippery roads, careless drivers, and stormy weather have little or no regard for economic conditions. Likewise, insurance companies continue to operate in good times and bad, and they make up a sizable portion of the business seen by collision repair centers.
With the increasing number of cars on the road, as well as a larger percentage of new drivers just starting to get behind the wheel, demand for collision repair technicians is predicted to grow at a rate that is two percent higher than the average for all other occupations. By the year 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted the automotive body repair industry to have increased technician employment by 12 percent. The majority of these new jobs will be found in private garages, with dealership work remaining fairly constant.
The best way to get a piece of this promising job market is through training at a collision repair school. Almost all of the new jobs opening up in body shops will be filled by technicians who have received formal training and who can boast certification as well as experience with the latest technology. Those who follow an apprentice route, or who attempt to pick up skills as they go along will have a much more difficult time competing for jobs. Many experienced repair technicians will be retiring in the near future, and their roles must be filled by those with the equivalent training – something that only collision repair schools can offer.
The collision repair industry is facing an interesting future that will see it continue to adapt to the sweeping changes that have been made in the automobile industry. Cars and trucks are now designed with thinner metal in order to aid with crumpling in an accident, which means that while they do become damaged more easily, the chance that they will be declared a total loss by an insurance company is greater. This is also true thanks to the higher costs of repairing the gadgets and electronic systems found in most new vehicles. However, collision repair facilities have rolled with these changes and instituted team repair practices and improved techniques and repair methods in order to remain competitive.
The future is bright for anyone seeking employment in the collision repair business. Things look even better for those who invest their time in a training program offered by one of the more popular collision repair schools. The industry is stable, tied directly to a huge market of individual drivers and is also firmly supported by the enormous insurance sector of the economy. A strong work ethic and the willingness to never stop learning can help to ensure a long career restoring and repairing automotive body work.