LKQ Corporation has donated $50,000 to Champion It Forward, a newly formed nonprofit working to bring new technicians into collision repair, the organization announced Nov. 12.
The parts distributor is a founding member of the 501(c)(3), which is still building its first programs. Champion It Forward said the money will go toward mentorship and apprenticeship programs, scholarships and efforts to reduce the financial barriers to entering the trade.
“America’s drivers depend on an automotive repair industry that is staffed with talented, highly skilled professionals, and developing the next generation of that workforce is critical,” said Mark Scafati, LKQ vice president of sales and marketing for North America and a Champion It Forward board member. “Champion It Forward has created an opportunity for companies throughout our industry to come together around that shared responsibility.”
Champion It Forward said more than 55% of collision repair technician positions are unfilled and that the industry will need nearly 100,000 technicians over the next five years, citing TechForce Foundation data. TechForce’s 2026 Technician Workforce Report, published in May, projects demand for 73,354 new collision repair technicians from 2025 through 2029, with training programs on pace to supply fewer than half that number.
“LKQ is stepping up to send a powerful message about the importance of investing in the people who will carry this industry and the skilled trades forward,” said Seth Ingall, president and chairman of the board of Champion It Forward and chief legal officer of Crash Champions. “This gift will directly support our efforts to create greater access to training, education and career opportunities for the next generation of collision repair professionals.”
Information on Champion It Forward is available online.
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