Page 6 - ARA News Q3 2022

by Kara Cunningham
Pedal Car Challenge: Professionals
The car reflects the passion and expertise that The Rust Valley Restorers’ pedal car was unveiled on TV 360 Collision Centres is known for. this past March in Episode 6, Fuel to the Fire.
It is no secret that the automotive industry is struggling to attract talent, and extraordinary challenges require extraordinary creativity and leadership. These B.C. shops stepped in to provide both through a unique challenge for youth interested in the automotive trades.
Through its AutoCareersBC program, the ARA and BASF teamed up for an innovative event, the Pedal Car Challenge. The goal of this province-wide event was to encourage
youth to consider the automotive industry as a viable career choice.
The automotive industry offers many
different career paths that students may be unaware of or have limited exposure to. The purpose of the Pedal Car Challenge was to introduce students to sustainable careers in the automotive trades and provide mentorship.
Six participating school in B.C. were each given an antique pedal car (a human-powered
toy car), to design, modify, and paint. The students were also provided with mentorship and guidance from the ARA’s industry partners (BASF, Color Compass Corporation, and Craftsman Collision). The project concluded at the end of May, and the pedal cars—made by both students and professionals—were unveiled during the ARA’s 2022 Collision & Glass Trade Show in Surrey.
During the evening ceremony, students from Surrey’s Frank Hurt Secondary School, along with their instructor, presented their beautiful pedal car and spoke about the fundamentals of vehicle design and manufacturing that they learned while working on the project. Two of the students even stated that participating in this project made them think of choosing automotive as a career.
The completed pedal cars will be auctioned off at an extra special event, the ARA’s 70th Anniversary Celebration, which will be held in Whistler from September 30 to October 2. This remarkable 70-year milestone
PJ Collision enjoyed the custom work and the challenge of fabricating various parts.
ARA NEWS | 3RD QUARTER 2022
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Photo courtesy of PJ Collision
Photo courtesy of 360 Collision Centres
Photo courtesy of Rust Valley Restorers