Pennsylvania College of Technology collision repair and restoration students are benefiting from new cordless power tools purchased via a grant from a national foundation.
The Collision Repair Education Foundation presented the college with a $5,000 grant as part of its Benchmark Award program, an initiative that recognizes schools doing an outstanding job educating the next generation of collision repair professionals. Grants from the program offer financial assistance to improve teaching materials and equipment.
Tyler J. Heinbaugh, a Pennsylvania College of Technology collision repair student from Port Matilda, operates a random orbital sander, one of several Milwaukee cordless power tools the college purchased with a $5,000 grant from the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The grant is part of CREF’s Benchmark Award program, which recognizes schools doing an outstanding job educating the next generation of collision repair professionals.
Penn College was one of 17 secondary and postsecondary schools to benefit from Benchmark Awards funded through six I-CAR committees. I-CAR is a nonprofit organization that sets industry standards for auto collision repair training and certification.
The college used the grant to purchase a variety of professional-grade Milwaukee cordless power tools, including polishers, buffers and sanders. More than 60 students have access to the tools in the college’s 49,000-square-foot lab.
“The tools directly enhance the hands-on education of our students,” said Shaun D. Hack, instructor and co-department head of collision repair. “The transition from pneumatic to high-performance cordless technology is occurring in the world of collision repair. The tools purchased from the CREF grant will help our students master that new standard before entering the workforce.”
Hack said the new cordless tools provide the torque and control necessary for both delicate disassembly and heavy-duty structural repair. In addition, they eliminate the trip hazard presented by air hoses and allow students to move freely around vehicles.
“We are grateful for the continued support of CREF for our collision repair and restoration programs at Penn College,” said Shanin L. Dougherty, senior corporate relations officer. “This grant program has enabled us to purchase new industry-standard equipment for our labs, keeping our students at the forefront of industry.”
For information on Penn College’s collision repair and restoration programs and other majors offered by the School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.
Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. To learn more, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.