I-CAR’s Registered Apprenticeship Program has expanded to 116 collision repair locations across 35 states roughly nine months after launch, the organization said as Illinois and the village of Hoffman Estates issued proclamations recognizing National Apprenticeship Week, observed April 26-May 2, 2026.
Sixty-two percent of enrolled apprentices are between the ages of 16 and 24, according to I-CAR, an early indicator that the program is reaching younger workers entering a trade where collision repair facilities have struggled with an aging workforce and persistent technician shortages.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the state proclamation designating April 26-May 2 as National Apprenticeship Week
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