At a time when universities dominate career marketing through flashy materials, digital campaigns and counselor engagement, I-CAR is flipping the script, bringing that same level of investment and polish to the skilled trades.
At the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA, I-CAR showcased a revolutionary approach to elevating collision repair as a viable, rewarding career choice for students. This was the organization’s third consecutive year at ASCA and its most comprehensive and strategic presence to date.
I-CAR’s efforts centered on Collision Careers, its national platform designed to shift perceptions, open career pathways and attract new talent for the benefit of the entire industry.
CollisionCareers.com now features a full counselor-focused section, complete with downloadable resource materials, career kits, success stories and the upcoming launch of an industry job board targeted to connect students and entry-level talent to real opportunities.
“Universities have spent decades building brand awareness with students and school counselors. Our goal is to meet them at that same level, with the same energy and credibility, but for the trades,” said Arianna Sherlock, I-CAR vice president of marketing. “Through Collision Careers, we’ve created the tools, advertising and the brand experience to make collision repair just as compelling and aspirational as a degree path. From digital campaigns and swag to one-on-one follow-up, we’re doing what the trade has never done before: market like a college.”
At ASCA, I-CAR’s Collision Careers booth featured:
• Custom career kits to equip counselors with student-facing materials
• Interactive tools and giveaways to spark engagement
• A demo of CollisionCareers.com, showcasing its new resources
• QR codes linking directly to collision repair career paths and shop/school finders
• Giveaways that will keep Collision Careers top of mind in the school counselor office all year long
“The time is now to reimagine how we connect young people to the trades,” said Dara Goroff, vice president of planning and industry talent programming at I-CAR. “With Collision Careers, we’re not just responding to the technician shortage. We’re leading a cultural shift. By meeting school counselors where they are and delivering the tools they need, we’re ensuring collision repair has a seat at the table in every career conversation.”
The outreach doesn’t stop there. Throughout the school year, I-CAR will continue connecting with conference attendees through a targeted email CRM campaign, providing follow-up resources, key talking points and tools they can use as they prepare for decision season. This follow-through ensures that collision repair stays top of mind as counselors begin guiding their students' career journeys in the fall.
By treating career marketing as seriously as colleges do, I-CAR is not just filling a technician gap, it’s changing the conversation. And in doing so, it’s creating new possibilities for students, new pipelines for shops and a stronger future for the industry it serves.
