Auto Body Program

The auto body program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College prepares students for careers as a custom painter, technician, glass installation technician, welder, metal fabricator, or paint technician. The program focuses on applying technical knowledge and skills to repair, reconstruct, and finish automobile bodies, fenders, and external features. Program courses include: structure analysis, damage repair, non-structural analysis, mechanical and electrical components, plastics and adhesives, painting and refinishing techniques, and damage analysis and estimating. Get more details below including other Wisconsin colleges that offer auto body program.

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Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

Also known as Southwest Tech

1930 Grand Avenue, Wausau, WI

Located near the beautiful rolling hills in Fennimore in Wisconsin, the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a technical college that delivers excellent educational opportunities to students as well as empowering the community that it serves. Also known as Southwest Tech, it covers 30 districts including Grant, Lafayette, Crawford and Richland.

The school started accepting enrollees on July 1, 1967 and it was conceived through Chapter 292 Laws of Wisconsin of 1965. Its first ever program was Farm Training considering that Fennimore was largely a farming town back then. Today, Southwest Tech offers associate degrees and technical diplomas. There are about more than 50 courses offered at this community college under diverse disciplines including agriculture, business and marketing, information technology, healthcare, public safety and industrial courses.

Since Southwest Tech only offers associate degrees, students who wish to transfer to other universities and colleges to take up a four-year bachelor’s course can take advantage of the transfer center of the school to assist them in their transfer needs. The University Transfer Program allows students to transfer to many public and private universities within and out of Wisconsin area without any problems.

On the other hand, the tuition fee rate of Southwest Tech is set by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board. For the Academic Year of 2013-2014, the tuition fee rate for in-district student is $122  per credit hour while out-of-district enrollees have to pay $182 per credit hour.

Students Enrolled in the Auto Body Program

Get more details below regarding enrollment, academics, and school demographics. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College offers a less than two-year award program in auto body.

Students by Gender (2019)

Students by Race (2019)

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Career Options for Graduates

Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

Description

Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Description

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, automotive body and related repairers employment is expected to grow at a rate of 9.2% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Wausau, WI
  • Total Employment: 60
  • Average Hourly Rate: $17.82
  • Average Annual Salary: $37070

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

Description

Replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, automotive glass installers and repairers employment is expected to grow at a rate of 7.8% from 2014 to 2024

Painters, Transportation Equipment

Description

Operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Includes painters in auto body repair facilities.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, painters, transportation equipment employment is expected to grow at a rate of 5.9% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Wausau, WI
  • Average Hourly Rate: $16.78
  • Average Annual Salary: $34910

Source: Job descriptions, estimated salary and wages, and projected job growth are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).