The Enterprise Holdings Foundation and Ford Motor Company Fund have announced that the Parkland College Automotive Collision Repair Program in Champaign, Ill., has been selected as the seventh school to offer the industry-leading Collision Engineering Program. The program expansion is made possible through the cross-industry partnership between the two automotive leaders announced in January.

More than 110,000 new collision technicians are needed between 2022 and 2026, according to the TechForce Foundation, a national nonprofit. The CEP is a two-year apprenticeship model, founded by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation and Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, to attract and develop entry-level talent to fill essential roles within the industry. To provide the most up-to-date training available, learning is conducted both in classroom settings, as well as via apprenticeships in modern collision repair facilities, all while students earn their associate degree.

In addition to Parkland College, the CEP model is offered at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, Mo.; College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ill.; Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Calif.; Collin College in Allen, Texas; Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas; and Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Neb.