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  • November 7, 2025
  • 4 Minute Read
Press Release

Collision Engineering Career Alliance Expands U.S. Presence to Los Angeles Area

El Camino College to Offer Students Upskilling and Advancement Opportunities in Growing Collision Repair Industry
El Camino College
The Collision Engineering Career Alliance is expanding to El Camino College in California.

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 6, 2025 – The Collision Engineering Career Alliance (Collision Engineering) today announced it is expanding its U.S. footprint through a new partnership with El Camino College in Torrance, California. The school will begin offering the industry-leading Collision Engineering program in August 2026, with enrollment beginning in May 2026.

 

Partnering with schools across the country, Collision Engineering aims to help fill the more than 100,000 job openings expected through 2028 by bringing together education and industry to transform how collision repair technicians are trained and retained. The immersive two-year associate degree program is designed around a hybrid, work-based learning model. Students rotate every eight weeks between classroom instruction and paid apprenticeships at trusted collision repair facilities. 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 to offer Collision Engineering, allowing the not-for-profit organization to reach more students and serve more communities on the West Coast.

 

“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, who serves as 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 on Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. PDT: https://beacollisionengineer.com/El-Camino-College.

 

“Students at El Camino College learn from instructors who have worked in the field, bringing real-world collision repair experience into the classroom,” said Pati 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 across the country including College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois; Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California; Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois; Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska; Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, North Carolina; and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Those interested in supporting the next generation of collision engineering professionals can learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at www.beacollisionengineer.com/donation.

About the Collision Engineering Career Alliance

With foundational support provided by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation, the Collision Engineering Career Alliance is an industry catalyst for addressing the ongoing technician shortage in collision repair. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization works to unite industry and education, remove barriers and foster sustainable pathways to rewarding collision repair careers. Through philanthropic contributions and an innovative, holistic training approach, the Collision Engineering Career Alliance empowers schools across the U.S. to recruit, support and equip students for the future of vehicle repair through industry-defined courses, certifications and hands-on training that enables them to build their knowledge while accelerating their careers.

 

About El Camino College

El Camino College (ECC) is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) as a two-year college that has educated the brightest minds of the South Bay since 1947. More than 20,000 students are taught by nearly 1,000 award-winning instructors in 2,500 classes for 200 programs. More than 3,600 degrees and certificates were awarded in 2024. For more information visit www.elcamino.edu.

 

About Enterprise Mobility

Enterprise Mobility is a leading provider of mobility solutions including car rental, fleet management, flexible vehicle hire, carsharing, vanpooling, truck rental, luxury rental, retail car sales and vehicle subscription, as well as other transportation technology services and solutions, to make travel easier and more convenient for customers. Enterprise Mobility, inclusive of its subsidiaries and franchisees, and affiliate, Enterprise Fleet Management, manage a diverse fleet of more than 2.4 million vehicles through an integrated network of over 9,500 fully staffed neighborhood and airport rental locations in more than 90 countries and territories. Privately held by the Taylor family of St. Louis, Enterprise Mobility manages the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo brands.