LEWISTON, Idaho – The Lewis-Clark State College collision repair technology program received renewed accreditation in four key areas from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation.
LC State collision repair program met the requirements for collision accreditation in the areas of damage analysis/estimating/customer service, painting and refinishing, non-structural analysis/damage repair, and structural analysis/damage repair. The accreditation in each area is good for five years through Feb. 1, 2027.
“Continuing the ASE accreditation means that the students are being trained to the standards that the industry requires to maintain quality technicians who can keep up with the changing and evolving industry,” said Luke Thomas, LC State assistant professor in collision repair.
To receive accreditation status, LC State officials had to perform a program self-evaluation, which included preparing files and documentation for review based on each program’s standard. The program is also reviewed and assessed against national standards.
Once the application was submitted, the collision repair program had to go through a five-step evaluation process, which included the program’s structure, resources, materials, processes and mission. ASE Education Foundation officials performed a thorough and strategic review of the program to see if it meets the requirements of the industry’s instructional standards.
ASE Education Foundation officials also conducted an onsite evaluation, which including talking with the program’s advisory committee, reaching out to recent graduate of the program for their evaluation, examining the syllabus, instruction and training materials used in the classes, and talking with collision repair staff.
ASE Education Foundation requires programs to complete a compliance review halfway through their five-year accreditation to remain accredited. This review is designed to help the program determine if any improvements are needed prior to the five-year renewal process.
The ASE Education Foundation goal is to support students through their education to become ASE certified professionals.
LC State offers an associate degree as well as advanced and intermediate technical certificates in collision repair technology. To learn more about LC State’s collision technology program, visit its website.
