The Collision Engineering Career Alliance announced it is expanding to El Camino College in Torrance, CA, which will begin offering the industry-leading training program in August 2026, with enrollment beginning in May.
Partnering with schools across the country, Collision Engineering is an immersive two-year associate degree program designed around a hybrid, work-based learning model. Students rotate every eight weeks between classroom instruction and paid apprenticeships at trusted collision repair facilities in the local area. This unique model provides students the opportunity to earn an income while completing their training.
“For nearly 80 years, our school has been committed to technical education,” said Katie Sundara, El Camino College dean of design and applied technology. “Through our strong partnerships with workforce development groups, corporate sponsors and organizations like the Collision Engineering Career Alliance, we’re creating pathways for students to advance their careers.”
El Camino College’s auto collision repair and painting department has been active in the collision repair industry for many years. The school offers Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) test prep and entry-level certification testing and a unique class series in insurance investigation.
El Camino College is the second school in California and the seventh nationwide to offer Collision Engineering.
“As vehicles are increasingly complex and technology advances rapidly, industry-driven collaboration and education are critical to meet the demand for highly skilled collision repair technicians,” said Mary Mahoney, vice president of Enterprise Mobility and chair of the Board of Directors of the Collision Engineering Career Alliance. “We’re proud to partner with El Camino College to prepare more students for successful, sustainable careers in collision repair.”
For more information on the program, contact Pati Fairchild at pfairchild@elcamino.edu. Local collision repair shops looking to get involved can register for an informational employer session at 1 p.m. PT Nov. 13 here.
“Students at El Camino College learn from instructors who have worked in the field, bringing real-world collision repair experience into the classroom,” said Fairchild, technology instructor at El Camino College. “Partnering with Collision Engineering allows us to expand our impact and bring our students the latest model for collision repair education.”
In addition to El Camino College, the Collision Engineering Career Alliance is active at partner schools College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL; Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA; Parkland College in Champaign, IL; Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE; Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC; and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, ND.
Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at www.beacollisionengineer.com/donation.