STCC to offer certified auto damage appraisal course
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Workforce Development Center at Springfield Technical Community College will offer a certified auto damage appraisal course beginning Nov. 28.
The 60-hour course is designed to train insurance claims professionals and auto body technicians for the Massachusetts Auto Damage Appraisers License Examination.
William E. Johnson
Twenty sessions will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., through February 8. The fee is $599, which includes the cost of class materials.
The idea for the course came from William E. Johnson, a member of the STCC Board of Trustees who owns Pleasant Street Auto Body & Repair in South Hadley and Belchertown.
“STCC changed my life,” Johnson said. “I took the course in the late ‘70s. I never attended college. I took this one course, and I got my appraiser’s license, which allowed me to open my body shop. It allowed me to expand into the mechanical, towing and other business entities. It truly was a life-changing experience.”
Johnson said people who complete the certificate and obtain an appraiser’s license will be in demand in the job market.
What does an appraiser need to know?
“You need to have the ability to look at damage and understand the damage and the dynamics of a crash,” Johnson said. “You have primary damage, secondary damage, hidden damage. You need to understand how to reverse that damage, whether it’s by replacing or repairing. You have to have good negotiation skills and good math skills. This course will help prepare someone looking for an entry-level job as an auto damage appraiser.”
An appraisal industry professional, licensed since 1992, will teach the course, which prepares students to take Part 1 of the Massachusetts State Licensing Examination. The instructor has worked in both auto repair and insurance. His experience will allow students to get a comprehensive look at the entire industry.
Approved by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, the training offers an in-depth discussion of insurance regulations, policy arbitration and work completion forms.
The course will include use of flat rate manual, collision diagnosis, cost estimation and preparation of written estimates.
To become licensed, students will need to complete the course and a three-month apprenticeship with a licensed Massachusetts automobile appraiser. In addition, they will need to obtain a certified letter verifying the apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship must be completed prior to applying to take the Massachusetts Automobile Damage Appraisers License Examination.
For more information and to enroll online, visit www.stcc.edu/autoappraisal. To contact the Workforce Development Center Office, call (413) 755-4225.
About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, a designated Hispanic Serving Institution and an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 7,700 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@S_T_C_C).
MEDIA CONTACT
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu