CONNECTING THE DOTS
HOW LUCRATIVE IS A CAREERIN AUTOMOTIVE PAINTING? BY TYLER MAJER The trades are often touted as the safest way to a steady career within many professional industries. Being an electrician, plumber, or welder, seems like a guaranteed way of making a career for yourself. With a skilled worker shortage, trades have seemingly taken the place […]
BEST IN THE ’BIZ
BY MAX REID More than 500 of the nation’s most talented young tradespeople were in Vancouver or tuned in at home over several days in late May for the return of the Skills Canada National Competition. This year’s partial return to usual event structure saw medals awarded across a mix of 35 live and virtual […]
INSPIRE ME
BY TYLER MAJER “It’s easy to see the magnetic draw of an automobile,”says Dimitry Anastakis, U of T professor and automotive historian. “We can’t imagine a world without motor vehicles.” But everyone has a different reason—a different magnetic force—that draws them to the autobody repair industry. Maybe it’s a drive for success, or the allure […]
TO SERVE AND BURN RUBBER
EVER SEEN A DRAG-RACING POLICE CAR? BY KATE NG Toronto’s Paint Source Automotive celebrated the relaunch of the Police and Community Educating Racers (P. A.C.E.R.) Program in August, where companies and local organizations gathered for a barbeque and the unveiling of a police-themed drag racing Dodge Dart. The P. A.C.E.R. program is a not-for-profit community […]
CUT-PROOF COATINGS
IN A MATTER OF TIME, THAT SCRATCH WILL BUFF ITSELF OUT BY KATE NG The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology has created a substance straight from the Star Wars universe: an automotive coating that heals itself when exposed to the sun. According to Korea Bizwire, dynamic urea is a substance that can be added […]
FINDING HIS FINESSE
ST. CLAUDE’S DORRIAN SELLEY WINS GOLD MEDALS FOR A SIDE GIG BY MAX REID When something feels as natural to you as bodywork does to Dorrian Selley, it only makes sense that you would be among the best in your field. Whether it be a dent repair, a weld or a paint job, the 20-year-old, […]
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO
THIS INDUSTRY IS MUCH LIKE DR. SUESS’ TALE BY ALLISON ROGERS So, you have a job in the collision industry. Do you know what that really means? If you took the college or vocational school route—did your educators inform you of the various paths a career as a painter or technician could put you on? […]
SOCIAL SUPPORT
HOW STRONG ARE YOUR BONDS? When you talk, do people listen? Perhaps a better way to pose that question would be; do you feel heard in your workplace? When you bring a question or request to your superiors, are your needs met? Mentor support is a critical part of making it in our industry, particularly […]
SQUEEZING LEMONS
BY KATE NG Restoration–the art of transforming a rusted hulk from decades-long passed into a beautiful, functioning piece of engineering. This process can take years to do correctly and demands a high level of technical skill. So, what pushes repairers and auto body workers to take up this skill? Before beginning his first auto body […]
