I-CAR has partnered with Lake County Tech Campus to deliver our Apprenticeship Expansion Program to their learners. Through this program, high school students are enrolled in I-CAR’s Pre-Apprenticeship program. As Pre-Apprentices, participants take I-CAR’s comprehensive entry-level curriculum, I-CAR Academy, earning credentials across five core learning areas. I-CAR’s Pre-Apprenticeship program gives students the opportunity to explore collision repair, build foundational technical knowledge, and support transitions to I-CAR’s U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), currently offered in seven I-CAR-partnered repair centers across Illinois. Between July and September 2026, 57 students were enrolled in I-CAR’s Apprenticeship Expansion Program at Lake County Tech Campus, with participation on track to grow. 
Pre-apprentices in I-CAR’s Apprenticeship Expansion Program at Lake County Tech Campus engage in hands-on learning to demonstrate mastery of technical knowledge gained through the I-CAR Academy entry-level curriculum. Participants engage with one another and the program to build foundational skills in collision repair fundamentals, aluminum and steel small dent removal, disassembly and reassembly, plastic repair, and preparation for refinish. 
I-CAR’s partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has made possible the expansion of automotive collision repair apprenticeship programs across I-CAR’s partner network of Illinois repair center employers and educational institutions. This investment supports a clear throughline from high school technical education to full-time entry-level employment, stronger regional talent pipelines, and long-term workforce development across I-CAR’s home state.