Bring Back NEIT's Collision Repair Program
The Issue
As a member of the New England Institute of Technology community, I've seen firsthand what our collision repair program meant to students and to the local automotive industry. Its recent discontinuation has left a real gap — one that hurts students looking for a rewarding technical career, and hurts the shops and dealerships that depended on us to train their next hires.
The need for skilled technicians has never been greater. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects automotive body and glass repairer jobs to grow faster than the average for all occupations, driven by the growing number of vehicles on the road and steady demand for collision and repair services. Locally, that shortage is already being felt — shops across Rhode Island and the surrounding region are struggling to find qualified technicians to hire.
For years, NEIT's collision repair program turned out job-ready graduates who filled that gap — students who moved straight from the classroom into stable, well-paying careers, and employers who could count on us for trained talent. Since the program's discontinuation, fewer students have had a path into the trade, and the pipeline of skilled workers is already shrinking. That's a loss for students who want a hands-on career, and a loss for businesses that can't find the people they need.
We still have what it takes to fix this. The facilities and experienced instructors are ready to teach again. Restoring this program isn't just a nice-to-do — it's a direct investment in our students' futures and in the economic health of the region's automotive industry.
Restoring the collision repair program means:
-Giving students a proven path to a stable, in-demand career
-Helping local shops and dealerships fill a widening skills gap
-Reclaiming NEIT's role as a source of job-ready technical talent
Sign this petition to urge NEIT's administration to reinstate the collision repair program — for the students who deserve the opportunity, and for the local businesses counting on us to train the next generation of technicians.
Petition Closed
The Issue
As a member of the New England Institute of Technology community, I've seen firsthand what our collision repair program meant to students and to the local automotive industry. Its recent discontinuation has left a real gap — one that hurts students looking for a rewarding technical career, and hurts the shops and dealerships that depended on us to train their next hires.
The need for skilled technicians has never been greater. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects automotive body and glass repairer jobs to grow faster than the average for all occupations, driven by the growing number of vehicles on the road and steady demand for collision and repair services. Locally, that shortage is already being felt — shops across Rhode Island and the surrounding region are struggling to find qualified technicians to hire.
For years, NEIT's collision repair program turned out job-ready graduates who filled that gap — students who moved straight from the classroom into stable, well-paying careers, and employers who could count on us for trained talent. Since the program's discontinuation, fewer students have had a path into the trade, and the pipeline of skilled workers is already shrinking. That's a loss for students who want a hands-on career, and a loss for businesses that can't find the people they need.
We still have what it takes to fix this. The facilities and experienced instructors are ready to teach again. Restoring this program isn't just a nice-to-do — it's a direct investment in our students' futures and in the economic health of the region's automotive industry.
Restoring the collision repair program means:
-Giving students a proven path to a stable, in-demand career
-Helping local shops and dealerships fill a widening skills gap
-Reclaiming NEIT's role as a source of job-ready technical talent
Sign this petition to urge NEIT's administration to reinstate the collision repair program — for the students who deserve the opportunity, and for the local businesses counting on us to train the next generation of technicians.
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Petition created on July 21, 2026