The Hamilton District Autobody Repair Association (HARA) and I-CAR Canada recently announced that HARA's Level 1 Collision Estimating course will be recognized as an I-CAR eligible program, beginning this year.
Over the years, I-CAR has recognized a range of manufacturer training programs, including paint and material courses, but this is the first time it's partnered with an association.
The Level 1 Estimating program is an 18-hour course, covering: Introduction to Estimating; Understanding Vehicle Construction; Fundamentals of Estimate Writing; Understanding Collision Manuals; and Collision Damage Analysis.
"We have been running this program successfully for over ten years with 400 participants," says John Norris, HARA executive director. "It's an excellent foundation for one of the most important skills a collision shop must have."
Andrew Shepherd, director of Collision Training for the Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, which runs I-CAR training in Canada, says, "HARA delivers a first-rate instruction and it makes sense that we should build a national partnership for the good of the collision industry in Canada."
Participants passing the HARA course exam will now be eligible for 4 I-CAR points.