New facility and programs aim to advance the industry in Canada.
Through an exciting new collaboration with Volkswagen Group Canada, CWB Group has announced the creation of the Canadian Collision Repair Academy—a dedicated OEM collision repair training centre to serve Audi and Volkswagen. The new training centre will be located at the CWB Group facility in Milton, Ontario.
The Canadian Collision Repair Academy will showcase an OEM training environment utilizing the latest equipment and developing technician skills in repairing modern vehicles according to OEM standards.
Additionally, the training centre will focus on helping the industry through several initiatives, these include:
- Improving the competency of repair technicians, including welding certification
- Organizing events with Skills Canada to attract youth to the trade
- Supporting Women’s Industry Network to attract women to the collision repair industry
- Industry education sessions on safe and proper repair—including sessions for insurance companies, repairers, and government
“We are proud to partner with Volkswagen Group Canada to provide continuous education to their Automotive Repair Technicians to enhance their skills and remain competitive in the global automotive sector,” said Bill Gwynne, Vice-President, Industry Solutions at the CWB Group.
“The partnership between Volkswagen Group Canada and the CWB is a long-term commitment by both parties and will be evident for years to come,” added Jon Vieth, Business Development and Sales Manager at the CWB Group. “Not only is this commitment designed to support the technicians that will be coming to the Canadian Collision Repair Academy (CCRA) for training but also the many vendors and manufacturers that have stepped up to support this initiative.”
Significant milestone
“The creation of the Canadian Collision Repair Academy is a significant milestone for our market as it represents the first body repair training centre of its kind for any OEMs in Canada,” stated Scott Wideman, Collision Program Manager at Volkswagen Group Canada.
“The vision for creating this training centre results from the participation and hard work of numerous stakeholders: Volkswagen Group Canada, the CWB Group, equipment manufacturers and distributors. The facility will allow Volkswagen and Audi to deliver body repair training to support safe and proper repair techniques according to factory guidelines.”
Wideman added that, “I would like to thank all the stakeholders for making this dream a reality and for their commitment to our shared vision. The opportunities and the potential for the Canadian Collision Repair Academy are tremendous, and I look forward to furthering the training and advancement of the body repair industry, especially as vehicle technology evolves. This will all be made possible through this significant achievement; a body repair training centre developed in Canada for Canadians!”
The OEM collision repair training centre has been made possible by the support of various equipment suppliers and distributors:
- Celette
- Diversitech
- Equipment Solutions
- Filco Inc.
- Flatline SSI
- Fronius Canada
- Pro Spot International
- Spanesi Americas
- Titanium Tools
- Wielander & Schill
