CNC and ICBC Working Towards Attracting Students

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - Facing an impending shortage in the autobody industry, ICBC has teamed up with the College of New Caledonia’s Career Technical program and local business partners to attract students into the field.

Today, fifty hand-picked students from School District 57, Prince George attended the Metal Heads Autobody Career Fair to educate and encourage them to consider a career in the autobody industry. Students were bussed to CNC where they will spend the day interacting with experts from the field and trying out skills needed for a potential employment in the field.

The first of its kind, the career fair has garnered huge support both locally and province-wide, including a generous grant from the Automotive Retailers Association.  ICBC Material Damage manager, Roger Allen, has been impressed by the support he’s received in organizing the event. “Working with ICBC’s HR department, we acknowledged that a labour shortage is inevitable. Instead of waiting for it to happen, we decided to take a proactive approach in recruiting young people into the field.”

CNC’s Brink Trades Centre was transformed into an interactive playground for the young autobody enthusiasts, where they alternated between stations including welding, windshield replacement, sheet metal repair, and informational sessions about each facet of the field. Students learned about a variety of career paths, from estimating at ICBC, to detail specialization, to shop management.

Tim Powers didn't need any convincing to  take part,  The  Coordinator for the Central Interior Regional Career and Technical Centre at CNC “We have a huge opportunity at the high school level to attract and inform students of the career options available to them. This is an interactive and informative way to attract  and inform students of their career options ."

ICBC works closely with its business partners to ensure and provide the best services for its insurance customers, but this is the first time they have worked together for the common goal of future employee recruitment. Organizers hope to create a model that can be replicated throughout the province. 

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