Fast-track your auto refinishing career
Launch your career in the high-demand field of collision refinishing with Clackamas Community College's career pathway certificate program. This program equips you with the essential knowledge and hands-on experience to excel in refinishing damaged vehicles.
Experience industry-current training and hands-on labs
- Learn in modern, well-equipped shops that replicate real-world collision refinishing environments.
- Gain a solid foundation through a blend of theory classes and practical lab exercises.
- Develop expertise in essential refinishing techniques, including surface preparation, material selection, sanding, cleaning, topcoat application and detailing.
- Master industry-standard practices for flawless spot repairs and blending.
Graduate job-ready with valuable work experience
Our program integrates a term of cooperative work experience with a local auto body shop, allowing you to gain practical experience under professional supervision. This certificate serves as a springboard for a rewarding career or a stepping stone toward an associate degree in auto body/collision repair and refinishing technology.
Ready to launch your collision refinishing career?
Contact Clackamas Community College today to learn more about our Collision Refinish Certificate program and take the first step toward a rewarding career in the automotive industry.
For detailed description and outcomes for this program, view the course catalog.Required classes for the Auto Collision Refinish Career Pathway Certificate
Race into a rewarding career in the automotive industry
The auto body refinishing field is in demand, and this program can put you on the fast track to entry-level work in this growing industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects stable job growth in the field of automotive body and glass repairers, including collision refinishing technicians. The need to replace retiring or transitioning workers creates consistent job openings. This, coupled with the ever-present demand for maintaining a growing number of vehicles on the road, makes collision refinishing a reliable career choice.
Professional certification
The Auto Collision Refinish Certificate qualifies students to apply for I-CAR Pro-level 1 refinishing certification.
Gear up for success by gaining essential auto collision refinishing skills
Take advantage of the combination of classroom instruction and hands-on labs tailored to help you gain the skills for a career in the automotive industry in less than one year. You can use your certificate to find entry-level positions in the automotive industry or continue and earn your two-year degree.
What you should learn:
- Auto refinishing: Learn the art of auto painting, from preparing surfaces to applying flawless finishes. Learn about all the materials that help return vehicles to like-new.
- Industry-specific tools: Get comfortable using industry-standard tools and equipment used in professional paint shops.
- Career prep: Build your resume as you work alongside industry professionals through cooperative work experience with local employers.
Investing in your future
Clackamas Community College offers some of the lowest tuition rates in the Portland metro area. To begin building the cost for your program, you can start with the base estimate below.
This estimate includes the cost of tuition and the general fees applied per class and per academic term. This estimate does not include additional fees required for many courses or the cost of course materials. Contact the program to learn more about additional costs that may apply.
You can also find more information about the costs of attending CCC on the Tuition and Fees page.
Get help paying for college
Scholarships and grants (free money!) are available for students in this program. For help with financial aid and scholarships, contact the Financial Aid Resource Lab.