Butler Collision Repair Network

Wishing All Of The Followers Of BCRN A Happy Thanksgiving!

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:17:00 +0000

I appreciate all of you that take the time to read this blog. I would like to extend my appreciation by wishing each one of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

As I posted on Facebook earlier, I am thankful for my failures. What I mean by that is that I am thankful that I have the health and ability to try new things. Whether I succeed or fail, at least I have the chance and opportunity to try.

What Are You Thankful For...?

I will end this post with a quote that one of my Facebook friends shared with me.

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." ~Henry Ford

Have A Happy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday.

Donnie

Connecting With Champions in the Collision Repair Industry

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Skills USA National Winners. From Left is Jennifer, Kayla, Rachel

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the National SkillsUSA winners while at NACE. Collision repair has been a male dominated industry, but more women are showing an interest and becoming recognized as champions in the collision industry.

I asked Gold Medal winner, Kayla E. Toncik to tell me a little about herself while at NACE 2009. Kayla was born and raised in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. She recently graduated from Nazareth Area High School and The Career Institute of Technology. While at CIT, Kayla studied Automotive Refinish Technology for the three years that she was there. Kayla participated in SkillsUSA placing second in all of the competitions she competed in. That is until her senior year. She had one last shot at trying to place first. This time she made it through local competition, which allowed her to move on to district competition, where she took first as well. Kayla was named the first female in the state of Pennsylvania to take first in the Automotive Refinish Technology competition in SkillsUSA history. This allowed Kayla to move on to National where she competed with students from all 50 states in America and 3 US territories. There Kayla took first place in the nation and the first female in the history of SkillsUSA to take first in non-traditional auto refinish competition.

Kayla plans to compete in SkillsWorld, 2011 in London, England, where she will be representing the USA. That is awesome and I wish Kayla the best of luck at this competition.

I asked Kayla what her future career goals were. She replied that having a family is important to her and she wants to become a Collision/Refinish teacher so she can help others succeed in life.

After meeting Kayla, I believe that her sincerity and desire to help others will allow her to reach any goal that she set for herself.

Charley Hutton and a PPG Trainer Demonstrate How to Woodgrain Using Waterborne Paint

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:54:00 +0000

It is funny how some things happen in life. For instance, do you remember the commercial where these people were at the movie theater and someone drops their chocolate bar in someone else's peanut butter? The point the commercial was implying is that Reese's was discovered by an accident. If you don't remember, I included a video of the commercial below.

The reason I bring this up is because Charley Hutton from the television shows American Hotrod and Overhaulin', said he discovered this wood graining technique by accident. They sprayed some paint on an area, but did not like the way it looked. Therefore, he started to wipe it off to start over. However, after wiping the paint he noticed how the waterborne paint smeared and streaked when wiping it. This created the wood graining technique they are demonstrating in the video.

As I mentioned before, always be open minded and look from way to learn from your mistakes. Mistakes have created many of the things we use today.

Wood Graining With Charley and Paul

The Reese's Commercial

Here is a LINK to a blog listing the top 10 accidental inventions in the world. What have you discovered by accident? Leave us a comment with your story.

Positioning Yourself in the Collision Repair Industry.

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Mike Anderson presented a great presentation at NACE 2009 about how jobbers can better position themselves in the collision repair industry.

As a jobber, the success of their customers is a curtail part of the jobbers success. If the shop is not doing well or goes out of business, this means the jobber is doing less business or will not be as successful either.

Mike explained that a jobber of the future is going to do a better job of serving their customers. With a shrinking industry and increased complexity of the vehicles being produced, this will be a challenge for the jobber and shop owners. The jobbers will position their customers to recruit and retain quality employees. They will position their customers to be coached to success. The jobber will become auditors for quality of repairs, estimates, waste, lean process, customer service, and much more to assure the shop is running effective and proficient. Shops that do not take hold and embrace the changes coming may be looking at closing their doors. Therefore, it is in the jobbers best interested to help the business owner avoid any problems the future may hold.

Mike also conveyed that shops are going to have to be more careful with material usage and find ways to charge for all of the materials used. Shops are going to have to dig a little deeper and assure that they are charging for all of the line items that are not included in the repair operation.

The jobber will need to become more resourceful and able to point their customers in the correct direction. They must know what websites are out there to help the shop owners. The jobbers will need to help with accounting issues, website designers, it experts, and marketing strategies.

In a nutshell, jobbers are going to need to position their customers to be coached to success and the shop owners are going to have to be open-minded and be coachable. This will be required to survive the futures competitive and complex times.

Mike gave an excellent presentation and this just touches on a few of the topics that he discussed. For more information you can contact Mike Anderson ckneip@wagonwork.com or you can visit his website at www.wagonwork.com

Donnie Smith

Learn By Teaching - How To Use A Stud Nail Gun

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:44:00 +0000

Butler students lead a student led lesson on how to use a stud nail gun. This lesson was developed by the students. It required research using our computer lab, I-CAR CD's and hands-on practice. The lesson requires each team to prepare a lecture presentation using visuals in the classroom and a short demonstration as shown in the video below. The students are still learning these skills, but are on their way to becoming top notch technicians in the collision industry.

I-CAR Provides Free Training At NACE 2009

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:43:00 +0000

I-CAR was at NACE providing free classes conveying the importance of finding the recommended procedures to repair modern day cars. In years past a technician had a lot more flexibility of sectioning parts. However, with all the new metals being used, sectioning in the wrong location may result in an unsafe vehicle.

They had a new Camaro on display showing the different metals. The I-CAR instructor also explained a few locations that sectioning was allowed and other locations that were not. Modern day cars are made from: mild steel, high strength steel, ultra high strength steel, boron, aluminum, etc. More composites like sheet molded compound and carbon fiber are being used as well. Therefore, it’s easy to see that we can’t continue doing the repairs the way that we always have in the past. It’s crucial to get the training to learn the new techniques required to repair vehicles that will be safe if involved in another accident at a later time.

With the complexity of cars being produced, it would be a good investment to make sure your technicians are properly trained and up-to-date with the changes. Like I heard from Tony Molla, “The only thing worse than investing in your employees training and them leaving to work for someone else, is not training them and the employee staying.” Think about it!

Check I-CAR.com or look into other training to assure that you are employing qualified technicians. You will have happier employees, produce high quality work at your shop, and customers driving properly repaired cars for their safety, which will result in a satisfied customer for many years to come.

Skills USA Champion Rachel Fonseca

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:04:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to meet Rachel Fonseca while at NACE. After meeting Rachel, it was easy to see how she was a Gold Medal Champion at Skills USA state and Silver Medal Winner at Skills USA Nationals. Rachel’s perseverance to make things happen and favorable personality has opened many doors for her in the collision repair industry.

Rachel has loved cars for as long as she can remember and working on them is her life. She graduated from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School, in New Bedford, MA, where she majored in Collision Repair.

While at Voc, Rachel participated in SkillsUSA, and then became the first female in the 34 year MA state history to win Gold in Collision Repair. She was also the only student ever to win double Gold in Collision Repair & Automotive Refinishing. She then moved on to place second in Collision Repair at the SkillsUSA 2008 Nationals.

Currently, Rachel is employed as an Adult Education Instructor (teaching Collision Repair and Small Engine Repair) at Voc and also an assistant manager at an ice rink. Most of her free time is spent volunteering with Voc's Collision program on the Curriculum Advisory Board and training current students for the SkillsUSA competition. Rachel is also attending the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth to obtain a business degree.

It was a pleasure to meet Rachel and I wish her well on her bright future and endeavors. I would also like to thank Rachel for showing the other women out there that may be interested in technical education that it is possible to be successful in a male dominated industry.

Interview With Rich Evans at SEMA 2009

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:21:00 +0000

I just returned from NACE and SEMA in Las Vegas, NV. I had a lot of fun and met many people that I will be blogging about over the next several weeks.

The first post is an interview that I had with Rich Evans. Rich is a custom car builder in California at Huntington Beach Body Works. I asked Rich to share a little advice for students that are in a collision repair career pathway or for students that may be considering collision repair or related careers. You can watch the interview below to hear what he had to say.

Rich is not only a very known and successful custom car builder, he is also the face for our friends at Chicago Pneumatic Tools. CP Tools is a huge advocate for education, as they support the School Of The Year award every year, which awards 1000's of dollars in tools to technical schools.

I would like to give a special thanks to educational supporters like Rich Evans, CP Tools, Tomorrows Technicians, and CollisionHub.com for their support to technical education.

Check back later to see who else I ran into while I was there.

Happy Halloween from The Butler Blues Sisters

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:24:00 +0000

The Butler Blues Sisters (Butler President and Vice President) Wishing Butler a Happy Halloween!

It's Great To Be A Part Of Butler!

It's That Time of Year - SEMA & NACE

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:06:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again. You car enthusiast know what time that is…that’s right, time for SEMA and NACE in Las Vegas. Only a few more days and I’m getting excited.
I attend NACE to get the training that I need as required by NATEF. All schools that are NATEF Accredited must have ASE certified instructors. They are also required to maintain a minimum of 20 hours of training each year to stay up-to-date with what is going on in the industry.

It’s not all about training! This also gives us the opportunity to network with leaders in the industry, which also keeps us on track with our curriculum. The expiations of the industry are important to me and I try to incorporate that into our program. This year, Rachel Fonseca and I will be videoing a few interviews with leaders in the industry, hot cars, and hopefully a few celebrities. The Collision Hub will edit the videos and add them to CollisionHub.com on a daily basis. So to get the latest news and updates from SEMA and NACE, be sure to visit the http://www.collisionhub.com/.

If you’re going to be there, please let me know. I would like to have the chance to meet with you.

Talk to you soon,
Donnie Smith

BCC Students Demonstrate How To Replace Gas and Wire on MIG

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:39:00 +0000

Each student is required to Disassemble and Re-Assemble GMA (MIG) Welder's, And Oxyacetylene equipment. The students are also exposed on how to troubleshoot and fix potential problems which may occur with everyday use.

Here Me, and Douglas "Chicago" Change the gas and wire on a GMA (MIG) Welder.

~Samuel

Students Demonstrate How To Paint and Blend

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Below are a few videos of students demonstrating how to paint.

Brandyn demonstrated how to repair and paint a bumper cover. He will blend within a panel to provide a good color match for the vehicle.

ide a good color match for the vehicle.

===================

BCC Students are repairing, painting and blending on a s-10 pick-up. Black is normally an easy color to match, but were practicing blending methods. On this job we performed a traditional blend on the adjacent panel and a traditional blend within a panel on the right front fender.

Check Back To Stay Updated With What Is Going On At BCRN

First Year Students Welding Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:31:00 +0000

As we come into the last two weeks of our welding class most of the students have already passed several of the tests. We have already learned how to set up and operate GMA MIG and Oxyacetylene equipment. The following are the welds we will be tested in; plug welds, lap joint, and butt joint welds all done in the flat, vertical, and overhead positions. In the last two weeks students are expected to pass all tests and will have a good knowledge of welding and the welding equipment.

~Samuel

Challenges Produce Champions

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:44:00 +0000

The Challenge

The challenge is not just to enroll into the exciting collision repair technology programs, which offer a rewarding, lucrative and challenging career, but to enroll with the intentions of learning and applying what you learn to become a top performer in the automotive industry. I read a quote by Laurence J. Peter that makes a lot of sense to me. “Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.” The same stands true for education. Simply knowing how to do something is useless if you’re not willing to use what you know to do it. Another example is like looking at a road map. You can look, read and study a map all day or even all year on how to travel from here to Texas. You may discover all the alternate routes you could travel, but unless you get into your car and drive there, you are still here in Kansas. Just knowing the information will not get you there, just like reading the Atkins Diet book will not make you loose weight. You must apply what you learn to reap the benefits.

The challenge is to enroll in this class, have an interest in automotive or collision repair technology, have good attendance, have a good attitude, be a team player, and be willing to learn and apply what you learn in order to become the champion of your trade. You may be saying “Yeah right!” Well, if that’s your attitude that is what will always separate you from the doers, leaders and champions. The world is full of half doers and slackers. When they see a challenge they turn the other way and run. They show up to class just to receive the minimum grade to slide through or go to work just to receive a paycheck. However, top performers have a different mindset. They understand all the efforts they apply will reward them for the rest of their life. They are willing to stay focused on a goal until they have reached it. They fight hard for what they believe in, but pick their battles wisely. They see limitations and obstacles as challenges to overcome, not excuses to fail. They get back up when knocked down, instead of claiming that the challenge at hand can’t be done. They base their future goals on what can be done, instead of focusing on their past failures. And they’re always willing to help others up instead of laughing at them while they’re down. These are the individuals who will be at the top of their careers, with the successful jobs, earning a lot of money, and having enough income to do all the things they desire.

According to I-Car the national average income for a collision technician earns over $51,000 and the top 10 % of technicians make over $88,000 a year. Many technicians even decide to start and operate their own successful business leaving the earning potential unlimited. Are you going to be successful or are you someone that will scrape by to make ends meet? The choice is yours. The things and values you consider success are up to you. Your teachers, parents, or friends can’t make these choices for you. It’s all up to you. If you’re a slacker you can change. If you were not an honor student in school, you can improve and still become successful. If you have limitations you can overcome them. However, no one can help you if you are not willing to let them. If you’re not willing to learn, to work hard, to complete assigned tasks, to help others, be present and on time, or to stay up with the fast paced changes and challenges of technology, than this class is not a good fit for you. This class will be a waste of your time and a waste of our time. You may need to consider another career that does not require the physical application and challenges this industry requires. However, if you are willing to enroll in this career with the mindset of a champion, then we dare you to take the ultimate challenge that collision repair technology has to offer you.

~Donnie Smith

Dare to take the challenge!
"Challenges Produce Champions"

Follow Your Passion - You Can Do it!

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:14:00 +0000

I was asked to present a video conference presentation about our collision repair and auto tech programs at Butler. Therefore, I edited the same presentation from the last time I presented at Clearwater, Kansas. Rather than using a PowerPoint I chose to make an outline on this blog. This will give the students the opportunity to view this with their parents at a later time. It will also give the teachers and counselors from the different high schools the opportunity to view this at a later time.

Collision Repair - Automotive Tech

Is it a fit for you?

Before we start, I want to emphasize that my job is not to convince you to choose an auto career. I’m here to explain the career to you, which will allow you to determine if this is a fit for you or not. If it is, I suggest that you take the next step and make it happen. If not, that is alright too, because we're looking for serious minded students in our programs.

Since many high schools no longer offer a collision repair program, you may not fully understand the different careers that the automotive industry offers. Therefore, I ask that you allow me to give you a quick lesson over the history of vehicles.

Vehicle History Overview

They don’t make them like they used to.

The First Cars

The first motor cars were nothing more than a buggy and engine (Generally repaired by blacksmiths and carpenters. These cars were very expensive, which only the wealthy could afford)
Model T was the first car mass production on an assembly line in 1908 (Ford's Vision was to produce an affordable car the average person could purchase)
Model T’s came in black only to keep the costs down. (The price came down once the assembly line was streamlined, but in 1908, the cost for a Model T started at $825. By 1913 the cost of the car reduced to $550)

Cars in the 1960s

Cars were made the same basic way up through the 60s

Body Over Frame
Rear Wheel Drive (Same concept, but the cars were very big, bulky, and heavy)

Except people in the 60s wanted SPEED! They achieved this with Big Block Motors, which created a lot of Horsepower. (The Birth of Hotrods, Rat Fink, Flames, and Pin Striping)

Cars in the 1970s

The government place strict fuel economy and emissions control laws
Customers demanded cars with increased fuel economy
New laws and customer demands started the automotive explosion of engineering ideas and changes in the automotive industry

Changes to comply with Demands and Laws

Smaller bodied cars and smaller engines
Aerodynamics (Increase Fuel Mileage)
Lighter cars by using different materials and designs
More work-hardened areas created during formation of panel (Body Lines)

Safety

Construction of Interstate Highways + Higher Speed Limits + More High Performance Cars = Accidents and More Deaths from Auto Accidents

Federal Laws were passed to regulate safety. These laws included:

Installation of seatbelts
Safety glass windshields
Head restraints
In 1979, the first driver side airbag was introduced
Airbags are mandatory in motor cars produced after 1990
Unibody Torque Boxes: Allow controlled twisting and crushing
Crush Zones: Made to collapse during collision (To act as an absorber, absorbing the impact)

Modern Day Cars

Carbon Fiber Parts
Aluminum Parts
More Plastic Parts
High Strength Steel
Boron Steel
Unibody Construction
Space Frame Construction
Computers
Hybrid Cars

Now they even have cars that will tell you when you’re lost, where to turn, Parallel Park for you.

Conclusion
While the modern day cars appear to be made cheap and unsafe, they are actually designed to crush or collapse, while transferring the energy around the stronger passenger compartment to protect the passengers from injury.

There is considerably more damage to modern day cars during a collision than the older vehicles, which gives the perception that “they don’t make them like they used to”. However, in reality the cars are taking the impact instead of the passengers.

The lesson was designed to give you a little history, but to also emphasize that just a hammer, dolly and a few wrenches are not going to repair today's cars. We need highly trained collision repair and automotive technicians to repair today's vehicles.

What Are You Passionate About
I recommend that you find what your passionate about and do it. Let's face it, no one wants to spend the rest of their life hating their job. Life is too short...make each day count. While you're thinking about your passions, I'll tell you about mine and a few other stories.

Donnie's Story

I started working on cars as a hobby when I was a kid. My father, brother and I enjoyed tinkering around with cars. In high school, I enrolled in an auto mechanics class. This class allowed us to perform the mechanical aspect as well as body work and painting. There, I painted my first car. It was a 1974 Camaro. It took me the entire year to repair all the small dents and get it painted. However, the paint job turned out awesome. I was impressed with the satisfaction of being able to stand back and see the end result. This was when I discovered that I was passionate about the collision repair pathway. From there I attended a school for collision repair and entered the field of collision repair. In 2004 I decided to take the skills that I’ve learned and teach it to others. I remain passionate about collision repair and teaching.

Jenni’s Story

Auto Collision Repair fulfills a dream for me and provides a way for me to grow in my passion. My story isn't typical. I didn't grow up with all my family being car people, although my dad did teach me use my hands and to find solutions. It really started as a silly hobby when I was ten to identify cars on the road by their headlights/tail lights, and body lines etc., and people’s fascination of this only encouraged me more. When it came time to go to college, I couldn't decide. I really hated the thought of continuing education in just general studies until i figured out a degree choice, of which none of them I could see myself doing for any length of time. I wanted to pursue something that was more a part of me that I could do for the rest of my life. I consider myself artistic and my dad encouraged me to combine that with my love of cars and pursue Auto Body. I had doubts that I’d like the repair part of it, but my drive to do custom paint and the thought of being around cars, and car people all the time was enough for me to enroll at Butler. The first year was a bit awkward, I was the only girl in the class and having my own set of tools was new to me. So now I'm almost done with my second year of the program and I have gained a lot of confidence in what I'm doing, and actually love the repair part too. I've found out that when I graduate there are many different jobs you can have within the industry; many different choices of what you can be good at.

Anna's Story
Watch Video

Rachel's Story
Watch Video

Chip Foose's Story

Jody's Story

What if we can teach you a skill that you are passionate about and earn an honest decent income? Would that interest you?

If so, keep reading to learn what we have to offer. If it is a fit for your needs, we’ll help you take the next step. If not, I suggest finding what you are passionate about. Fair enough?

Collision Repair Career

Job Security

As long as people continue to drive vehicles, there are going to be accidents.
As long as there are accidents, there’s going to be people required to repair those damaged vehicles.
The roads are getting busier every day with traffic as population grows.
Job not outsourced - Vehicles involved in an accident will not be shipped overseas to have repairs completed and shipped back.

This means JOB SECURITY for technicians

INCOME POTENTIAL
According to the I-CAR Education Foundation, the Collision Repair National Average Income is $51,312. The top 10% of technicians are earning over $88,000.

Job Environment
Most automotive body repair technicians work indoors and work a standard 40-hour week, Monday through Friday, although some, including the self-employed, work more than 40 hours a week. Source: US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

Still not sure if collision repair is a fit? This may help you determine if it is or not.

This is how I-CAR says it: “If you’re someone who enjoys working with your hands, has a mechanical aptitude, takes pride in your work and is passionate about cars, then you might consider a career in collision repair. In spite of many stereotypes, the collision repair field can be very rewarding for individuals who possess the right skills and desirable attitude. In fact, most people are surprised to learn that a collision repair technician’s income, on average, is better than comparable trades. Also, an experienced technician has high-income potential, excellent job security and ample opportunities for career advancement within the entire Automotive Industry.”

Potential Jobs

A collision repair and/or refinish technician are only a few of the possible career paths this training can lead you to.

Others include:

Automotive Technician
Collision Estimator
Aviation Paint Technician
Auto Assembler
Customer Advisor
Part Specialist
Body Shop Manager
Body Shop Owner
Auto Damage Appraiser
Collision Instructor

Why Choose Butler

All of our automotive and collision repair technology programs are National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF)/Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified.

Completing a program that is (NATEF/ASE) certified gives you the competitive edge needed to get a job. (NATEF/ASE) is nationally recognized in the automotive industry.

Our program is a member with the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance, which allows you to earn I-CAR points while attending school.

We offer a very low student per instructor ratio. This allows the student to receive additional one-on-one training. You will always have a name at Butler.

More students are trained for career and technology careers by community colleges than by any other type of institution.

Butler is now the second largest community college in Kansas.

Butler has been in operation since 1942, which assure you that we have a strong foundation.

El Dorado offers a simple, hassle free, friendly environment of a small town, and all of the conveniences of a big town with Wichita only a short drive away.

Work Ethics

One of the biggest problems industry faces is poor work ethics. We emphasize work ethics. This will make you more employable and understand the expiations of the industry.

PACT Skills
Butler is also commented to develop responsible, involved lifelong learners and
to contribute to the vitality of the communities it serves. We incorporate the PACT skills into every course at Butler to achieve this level of success.

P = Personal Development Skills

A = Analytical Thinking Skills 

C = Communication Skills 

T = Technological Skills

From Our College President

When you call Butler, you will hear our college president say on a recording; "when you choose Butler, we choose you. When you succeed so do we." That is what really makes us different from other schools. This means that we're here to help you succeed ever step of the way. You’re just not going to get that level of help at every college.

Collision repair in a nutshell

Estimate (hand written and CCC computerized)
Remove Bolt-on panels (R&R, R&I, panel alignment)
Set vehicle on frame machine (Kansas Jack frame machine)
Measure Damage (Shark measuring system)
Make necessary pulls (first in last out)
Replace Weld-on panels (must learn how to weld first)
Minor damage repair (dents, plastic fillers, plastic repair, etc.)
Prep (prime, block, masking, sanding, and cleaning)
Paint Identification (how to locate paint code on vehicle, locate paint formula, mix paint)
Paint (spraying techniques)
Paint systems (single stage, two stage, three stage)
Buffing, Detailing, Final Inspection (returning to customer in pre-accidental condition)

Now the ball is in your court. What are you going to do?

I invite you and your parents to watch this presentation and contact me if you would like to take a tour of our program or ask questions that you may have.

Before I close this presentation, I encourage you to watch one more video. This video will inspire and encourage you that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Contact Information:

Donnie Smith

Lead Collision Instructor

Butler Community College

316-323-6890

asmith73@butlercc.edu

Blog Address:

www.BCRN.BlogSpot.com

Here is some additional information to help you with the enrolling process

Butler Collision Repair Web Page

(Limit to 15 Students)

To learn more about Butler Community College and the enrolling process, visit our advising page at http://www.butlercc.edu/advising/

Apply and enroll online by visitinghttp://www.butlercc.edu/admissions/enroll_now.cfm

Masters School of Auto Body - Training That Makes A Difference!

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:40:00 +0000

I had a great time at Masters School of Auto Body. It’s in a smaller town in Illinois known as Galesburg. You can’t fly in, as they do not even have an airport for commercial planes. However, the extra effort to get there is worth it. Dave Dunn and his son Rob Dunn teach estimating, cycle times, management, marketing, but more importantly to me they teach honesty, integrity, ethics and are committed to making a difference in the collision industry. In fact, many of the principles they teach can improve any business, person, or family relationship.

Dave is the author of a book called “Liquid Amalgam”. In this book he explains the principles that made his body shop to be one of the top collision repair shops in the country. People from all over the country come to his training to learn his techniques and principles. As a successful shop owner, others noticed his success and wanted to know his secrets, which led to his consulting business. Dave has traveled the world educating and consulting other shop owners. Later Dave’s success as a consultant led to his current training facility, Masters School of Auto Body. Read more about how Dave got his start.

We had the opportunity to tour his body shop, Dave’s Auto Body. As you walk in you will see a very professional and friendly environment. The office, metal, parts, paint, and detail shops all have ceramic tile floors, air conditioned, and very clean. Great facility and outstanding folks. If you’re considering attending one of Dave’s classes, I recommend that you do whatever it takes to make it. I am confident that you will be a satisfied student and consume many ideas to improve your body shop. I guarantee the training will make a difference and help you see a different perspective of how you do business.

Below is a few video clips and photos that I took while there. Be sure to check them out. I’ve also started reading Dave’s book “Liquid Amalgam”, so check back as I may make a few remarks on future blog posts about the book.

~Donnie

A Mentor You Can Look Up To!

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:57:00 +0000

I've posted about this video before. However, the transition between high school and college may leave some students unclear or struggling with direction in life. Therefore, I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to hear how Chip Foose got his start. Chip is one of the most respected individuals in the automotive industries. His talents and skills are unbelievable and I sincerely believe that Foose is a person anyone would be proud to consider as a mentor. Watch this video, absorb his advice, stay focused on your goals, persevere, and don't look up until you're there. Life is going to throw some obstacles in your way. However, go around them and keep moving forward.

I agree with Foose. You're going to spend a long time doing whatever career you choose. So you might as well do what you're passionate about. Life is too short not to be happy. I also commend Chip for following the advise that his father gave him. "If you're going to do something, do your absolute best and do it right, or don't do it at all." I've personally seen a few of the vehicles that they've done on the TV show Overhaulin' and I can testify that he lives by the words of wisdom his father taught him.

Back to bussiness

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:54:00 +0000

Now that we all are getting back to routine things in the shop are moving forward. The first year class is into the second week of welding picking up more and more every day. Most students have started to get their tools and equipment and have started looking into body shops after we gradutate. We are starting to get into the nitty gritty of welding and auto body components such as different steels and materials. We all enjoy welding so far and learned it’s all about repetition. The second year projects are also looking very good we are all looking forward to seeing our projects comming together.

~Samuel

Three heads are better then two.............Sometimes----Teamwork

noreply@blogger.com (Jon) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:48:00 +0000

Well in the last couple weeks we have got into full swing in the shop. We have my car in the shop, and a wrecked cavaliar on the frame machine which we have begin work on. That along with little projects through out the shop this is beginning to seem like it is going to be a very busy year! Which brings me to my next point.

With 8 students in the second year class we have plenty of hands to go around. Sometimes to many. Teamwork is one of the most impoarnt things for a successful shop/school to have/teach in my opinon. When you get multiple people organized and working on a single project at a time. The project is usally finished in a timely manner. Some of the benifits of working in a team are that you get multiple skills, multiple point of views on the project, and of course the extra set of hands.

But, Some times when working in a team there can be "to many cooks in the kitchen" which can prove to be counter-productive. Like here at butler we have recently broken into smaller teams and begin putting each team on a different project through out the shop. Which has actually sped up the rate of things being done in the shop, and keeps everyone busy in the shop.

Teamwork is something every shop needs, but make sure you keep the team sizes resonable in relation to the job.

-Jon

Do You Know Who May Be Sitting In Your Classroom?

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:02:00 +0000

Do you know who may be sitting in your classroom? Or will someone else discover them?

I came across a YouTube video that caught my attention. It conveys that there may be unidentified talents in ordinary people. I believe as teachers, our job is to help students explore, unlock and discover what these talents are. Once identified, help them strengthen these talents.

I encourage every teacher to search for that Lucille Ball or Michael Jordan in every student they have. If you don't, someone else may. Or worse, their talents may never be discovered. Have you ever wondered how much talent may be wasted because the talent was never discovered?

As a student, you may think every successful person had everything handed to them. However, some of the most successful people were ordinary people that failed, but did not give up. I encourage students to do your best at all you do. Everyone has limitations. However, limitations are just disguised excuses and these excuses are just lies you tell yourself of why you can't do something. Turn these limitations into obstacles that you may have to go through. You may have to work harder than others to get there, but you can cross the same finish line to reap the reward. It's up to you to make it happen.

Be Sure To Watch This Short Video

Thoughts? Leave Us A Comment.

BCRN August Newsletter

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:37:00 +0000

But I’ve Already Done That!

The first class in the collision repair program is a tough one. There is a lot of classroom work before we can participate in the shop. We must learn proper safety procedures and the hazards involved with a collision repair shop. The students are always ready to get to the shop by the time we get this completed.

The first class in the shop Is welding. And I always start this class off with the same story because I know there will be a few students that think that they have it mastered after a day or two of practice. Therefore, I talk about baseball. The first thing you do when learning how to play baseball is to learn how to catch, throw and bat. As you advance to the next league, you get better and learn a few more things, but you’re still focused on three things catching, throwing and batting. During high school baseball you will start throwing harder, catching better and batting farther. Of course you learn better ways to play defense and different ways to throw, pitch and hit the ball. However, the three same principles apply. In College and even Major League guess how they warm up and practice? I bet you can guess it, they’re still practicing the same things. During their entire childhood, college days and career has been spent doing the same thing day after day. That is how they got so good at what they do.

I encourage all students to start this class with the same perspective. Learn it correctly and practice it over and over. Practice does not always make perfect, but practicing doing it the correct way makes perfect. Therefore, I do not want to hear that you have welding mastered after a few days or weeks. You can always improve. Always look for ways to become better.

Think Like A Champion – Don’t Be A Know It All

In Donald Trump’s new book “Think Like a Champion”, he says “Being a know-it-all is like shutting the door to great discoveries and opportunities.” Another statement he makes in his book that I agree with is “The more you learn, the more you realize what you don’t know.” That is very true for me. With the complexity and changes being made to today’s vehicles makes this statement ring true to this industry.

This is something else that I point out to the students. Always be willing to learn. Even the most successful of businessmen does not know it all, it’s alright for you not to know it all either. Start this class with an open mind. You don’t have to agree with everything, but you need to be willing to listen, learn and decide if you agree or not. Don’t just shut the door and assume that you don’t need to know the material presented.

I have not had a problem with this, this year. I just wanted to address a few issues that have surfaced in the past.

First Year Students

The first year students have been busy on the computer learning about vehicle design, safety, and hazardous materials. They are eager to get this portion of the program completed so we can spend a lot more time in the shop performing hand-on activities. In next month’s newsletter, we’ll discuss welding.

Second Year Students

The second year students have been learning about weld-on panels. We’re learning how to take them off and use welds and adhesives to reinstall the panel to the vehicle. This includes: door skins, roof panels and quarter panels. This is where the welding in the first year comes in handy. However, adhesives are becoming used more to install non-structural parts.
They have already started working on live work. They perform the job from start to finish. Everything from estimating the repair to washing the vehicle to prepare for pick up. This will give them a well rounded idea of what all goes into a repair from start to finish. This will also allow the student to determine what they may want to specialize in. Most shops have collision repair techs, frame techs, paint techs, and mechanical techs. I encourage students to follow what they are most passionate about. After completing the program they need to focus on quality. Speed will follow!

Chicago Pneumatic

Chicago Pneumatic Tools awarded the Butler Community College with seven 3/8 impact wrenches.

Last year Tomorrow’s Technician and Chicago Pneumatic named Butler’s Auto Tech and Collision Repair as one of the Top 20 Auto Tech and Collision Repair Schools in The Country. This included tech schools, high schools and community colleges.

We feel it is an honor to be named as one of the top 20 schools and we thank Tomorrow Technician and CP Tools for all they do for the auto and collision repair schools.

Students Holding 3 of 7 Donated Impact Wrenches From CP Tools

Student Blogs

We Are Back At It Again
By Jon

Well, The first weeks of classes are done, and wow did it go by quick. It was nice to get back into the shop i am amazed how little i actually forgot over the summer. We got the Quarter pulled off of the parts cavalier, so hopefully now we can get that car out of the shop, and Jose spent a whole day buffing his truck and WOW! did that thing shine.
READ MORE

First Year Students
By Samuel

We've almost made it through the first class. Not quite what any of use expected. We covered a very broad amount of information in a short amount of time and didn’t get much shop time. I think all of us are looking forward to being out in the shop for some hands on learning.
READ MORE

Off To A Good Start

Classes are full and I have some eager students with a lot of enthusiasm this year. I am interested to see what all talents and skills the students have. Many times the students already have the talent, I’m just here to help them discover what they are and help them strengthen them.

Check Back Often As We Will Blogging What Is Going On In Our Program. Stay Updated With Projects, The Program, Industry Issues and Whatever Else We Decide To Blog About.

Industry Training

There is a new ASA Collision Repair Chapter in Wichita, Kansas. We had ASE Vise President as our guest speaker last month. If you're a business leader that is concerned about training and providing customers the best service possible, I invite and encourage you to become a part of the chapter. For more information contact our chapter president:

Brad Shelton, Shelton Collision Repair
316-788-1528 / brad@sheltoncollision.com

or visit ASA MoKan

This Month ASA Meeting will be September 18, 2009 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Wichita Area Technical College Building C. You can contact Bob Smith at 816-519-9335 for additional information.

==============================
Collision Repair Tip
“Window cleaner works well when cutting a urethane windshield out.”
~BCC Student Zan Fine
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Car Fact
The first speeding ticket was issued in 1902.
==================================
Quote
“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Lewis Carroll
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Collision Repair Question
What are a few benefits of sectioning a part on a vehicle?
================================

First Year Students

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:29:00 +0000

By Samuel

We've almost made it through the first class. Not quite what any of us expected. We covered a very broad amount of information in a short amount of time and didn’t get much shop time. I think all of us are looking forward to being out in the shop for some hands on learning.

I wanted to also talk about what us as students go through; the majorities of us go to school as well as hold a job down at the same time. Sometimes it’s rough to fit everything in and keep up on our moral. But who said life was easy right? For those of us that push through and overcome we have a very bright future ahead of us!

We are back at it again!

noreply@blogger.com (Jon) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:18:00 +0000

By Jon

Well, The first week of classes are done, and wow did it go by quick. It was nice to get back into the shop i am amazed how little i actually forgot over the summer. We got the Quater pulled off of the parts cavaliar, so hopefully now we can get that car out of the shop, and Jose spent a whole day buffing his truck and WOW! did that thing shine.

Also the first year class is full this year. Which is really good to hear, and I got one thing to tell you guys it is going to go by quick! I have yet to meet any of them yet, but i am looking forward to seeing them hard at work in the shop.

All and all i belive this is shaping up to be a productive and fun year. I can just hope it doesnt go by as fast as last year!

An Exciting Year In Progress At BCC Collision Repair

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:27:00 +0000

The first week of school went by fast, but what an awesome week. It is always hard to get back in the routine of things. However, once in motion, things start coming together and I get pumped.

Many changes in the collision repair program this year. I tell the students, the only certainty in life is change. If you can learn to adapt quickly, your success will be much easier.

We’re Currently In A Transition Stage In Our Program

I-CAR Live Curriculum

This year we eliminated the textbook and are only using the I-CAR Live curriculum. The students purchase cd’s in place of the textbook. Now they will receive the same training as a technician will in the industry. Therefore, I-CAR has us cover with the best training available for the technical portion of this class.

Industry Support

We also started working with the Collision Hub to provide the students with support from the industry. This allows the students to connect with different leaders in the industry and vice versa. Many leaders have already expressed an interest to help mentor the students and to help provide a smooth transition from college to the work place. The Collision Hub asked our students what they wanted to know and learn about. From there the Collision Hub clumped the comments into categories and will move forward. I know mentoring programs and custom paint were topics that surfaced to the top. While some of these topics are not what we focus on here at Butler, as they are not a part of our core curriculum, this is the type of activity that will help the students explore and discover what career pathway best fits their interests, abilities and desires. This will enable the student to capitalize on their individual strengths and create their niche in the industry. Some of the activities will require the student to go above and beyond what we do at school. It may require additional time spent outside of the class. However, after spending a week with them, I can guarantee you that they are definitely up for the challenge. They showed up Monday morning motivated, on time and I believe the motivation is increasing each day as we go.

New Bloggers

Several students have already accepted the challenge to become the new BCRN student bloggers. Again, this is not a graded activity and it is not part of our curriculum. However, some students realize that the biggest returns in life often come from what we give. You know the sayings like, “what goes around comes around” or “give and you shall receive.” I’m certain that their efforts will benefit them beyond what they can imagine. For example, blogging will improve their writing and communication skills, help them to become known in the industry, network with potential employers, which may result in a job in the future. Several students were even recognized by the Butler Community College Board for their efforts last year.

We may have more volunteers later, but we currently have two bloggers for the new school year:

Jon Abrahamsen

Jon is a returning second year student. He actually started blogging for us last year. Jon plans to continue keeping us updated with the program and other things happening in the automotive world.

Samuel Smith

Samuel is a first year student that has volunteered his time to blog for us. He decided to follow his passion of collision repair and enroll in our program after spending several years in the Army. Samuel is very motivated and energetic. I believe you’re in for a treat to read his upcoming posts.

I commend both of these students for taking the challenge and offering their time and assistance to help me post to this blog. I encourage you all to welcome them as well.

Business Leaders

I encourage all business leaders involved with the collision repair industry to join our new ASA Collision Repair Chapter in Wichita, Kansas. We have had a representative from the Kansas Insurance Commissioner's Office, Vice President from ASE and many other guests to speak to our group. Getting involved and attending these meetings is a way to stay updated with what is going on in the industry and a step towards making more money for your technicians and your business. ASA fights in congress for topics like paint capping and blend within a panel. The more numbers we have, the stronger our message will be. Make a difference by joining our Wichita group. You can check out what is going on with ASA MOKAN by visiting their newsletter called “Driving Force.”

BCRN Newsletter

We will start our BCRN newsletter again with the new school year. I normally add a collision repair tip, fact, quote, and question section to the newsletter. If you have a collision tip, fact, or quote send it to me. I will use it in this section and credit you for the comment.

Check back often as we are going to have a lot of really cool things happening this year at Butler Community College.

The Last Day Of Summer

asmith73@butlercc.edu (Donnie Smith) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:10:00 +0000

New School Year

This is it, teacher meetings all week starting tomorrow and students show up on the 17th. I guess we can officially say that the summer is over and the new school year begins. We will be cranking out new blogs about what we're up to in the classroom and in the lab. Jon, a returning student already committed to be a blogger for us. Look forward to blogs from Jon as we get this school year started. Classes are full and it looks like we are off to a good start.

Wichita ASA Chapter

I encourage anyone in the collision industry to become part of the new Collision Repair ASA Chapter in Wichita. If you didn't make it to the meeting on Tuesday 8/3/09, you missed out. We had a guest speaker, Tony Molla, who gave a presentation to our chapter. He is the Vice President of Communications of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). How many times do we have people of is caliber right here in Wichita, Kansas. Tony come to ASE with many years in the auto related industry. He shared with us that he was the Chief Editor of Auto Body Repair News (ABRN), before joining the team at ASE. ABRN is one of the largest publications for the collision repair industry.

Tony expressed why technicians should be ASE certified. With proof of studies, he showed us that ASE Certified Technicians: earned more income, stayed at their jobs longer, and many other reasons to be ASE certified. ASE Certified Shops also give customers the peace of mind that the technicians employed at the shops are qualified to work on their vehicles. If you were going to have a heart transplant, I'm sure that you would not go to the lowest bidder. You'd probably want the most qualified doctor to perform the operation. Well, if your car is not repaired properly, it could put you, your entire family and others at risk. Therefore, I believe the same amount or even more consideration should be taken when having your car repaired.

I appreciate Tony taking the time to visit us here in Kansas. I liked what Tony said about the importance of training. He said, "The only thing worse then investing money in training and the employee leaving, is not investing in an employee that stays. " With today's high-tech vehicles ongoing training is a must. When looking for a job, be sure to look for a shop that offers training.

What To Look For

If you're a a customer looking for a shop to have your car repaired or a new technician looking for a shop to work at, here are a few of the things you want to look for.

Is The Shop:

All of these affiliations are signs that the business is concerned about training their employees and producing quality work for the customer.

New Website and Social Network

I just finished working on a new website. In fact, it still needs to be tweaked a little. I guess you're never really finished with a website. I have several things going on and it made sense for me to put it all together on one site at DonnieSmith.org Once there, click on the collision repair link to find this blog, our videos and many other resources and groups. There are several different collision repair social networks listed, but I have found one to be the best fit for my students and myself. The CollisionHub.com We have a lot of support from I-CAR, 3M, and many others willing to offer us their assistance to producing champions in the collision industry. We plan to do a few webinars with the students to take collision repair to the next level. It's going to be an exciting year!

Buckle your seat belts and get ready for a new exciting year at Butler Community College.