Repair Planning Has Become a Profession. Now it's Time to Train It Like One.

The collision repair industry has always demanded precision. Over the past decade, the nature of that precision has changed dramatically. What was once a role built on experience, intuition and a practiced eye has evolved into something far more specialised, and far more consequential.

Repair planning now sits at the intersection of technology and expertise. As vehicle technology evolves, so does the role of the estimator. ADAS systems, advanced materials and software-driven components have raised the stakes of every decision, shifting the job from calculating cost to planning a complete, safe and correct repair. That shift in mindset is at the heart of repair planning.

Across the broader collision repair industry, organisations like I-CAR have spent over four decades building the credentialing frameworks and training standards that define what a skilled, qualified professional looks like. That includes structural technicians, refinishers, repair planners and beyond.

The industry has invested heavily in technology. Now it's time to invest equally in the people using it.

The Technology Side Has Moved Fast

Over the last several years, OEC has focused on a central challenge: helping repair planners access critical information more quickly and with greater confidence. Whether it's locating OEM repair procedures, verifying parts information or documenting decisions throughout the repair process, the goal has been the same: reducing friction and supporting better planning.

RepairLogic, OEC's repair planning platform, was built exactly for this environment. It helps shops shift from reactive estimating to a more proactive, procedure-driven approach. By identifying required operations earlier and creating a stronger documentation trail, shops can reduce supplement cycles and improve consistency throughout the repair process.

The technology has matured. The workflows have improved. Repair planners today have access to resources that simply didn't exist five years ago.

But as vehicles continue to increase in complexity, technology is only one part of the equation. Today's repair planners are expected to interpret vehicle complexity, leverage technology, research OEM repair procedures and develop comprehensive repair plans that contribute to safe, complete and efficient repairs. That is where I-CAR plays a critical role by ensuring the professionals responsible for these decisions have the training and resources needed to succeed.

The Case for Investing in the Person

When shops talk about what separates a strong repair planner from a struggling one, the conversation rarely stops at software. It comes back to judgment: the ability to assess a repair, apply the right procedures, coordinate the work effectively, and communicate clearly with everyone involved.

That capability isn't something a tool can provide on its own. It develops through training, hands-on experience, and a clear understanding of what success in the role looks like.

Recognising the critical importance of developing those capabilities, I-CAR is investing in its future by providing the training, recognition and career development resources needed to help these professionals build a repair planning mindset and strengthen the skills required in today's repair environment. With the support of its sustaining partner OEC and the resources it brings to the industry, I-CAR is helping maintain high standards in the profession and reinforce the essential role repair planners play in repair quality and vehicle safety.

A Shared Commitment to the Role

From structural technicians to refinishers, I-CAR has built the learning pathways, proficiency standards and recognition programs that help define and elevate key roles within the collision repair industry. As repair planners take on greater responsibility, formal recognition and development of the role become essential to advancing repair quality.

I-CAR's upcoming Repair Planning course – available in 2027 – is designed to meet this moment directly. It gives repair planners a structured, credentialed path to develop the skills the role demands: reading and applying OEM procedures, understanding repair sequencing, improving estimate accuracy and building the communication habits that keep a shop running efficiently.

By adopting these lessons and strategies – including learning the difference between an estimate and a repair plan and how to streamline comprehensive repair planning – shops can put that training directly into practice in RepairLogic, giving everyone involved in the vehicle repair a consistent, OEM-based plan to work from.

What This Means for Your Shop

For shop owners, the message is straightforward: repair planning is a performance driver, not a support function.

When repair planners have the right tools and training, the impact is felt across the entire shop. Work moves more efficiently, technicians face fewer surprises during the repair process and customer communication tends to be more consistent. The result is a smoother operation and a better chance of getting the repair right the first time.

Those outcomes come from treating repair planning as the specialised profession it has become and investing in both the people performing the work and the technology they use.

That's the thinking behind the partnership between OEC and I-CAR. RepairLogic helps planners access the information and documentation they need to do the job effectively while I-CAR's Repair Planning course helps build the knowledge and judgment required to use those tools with confidence. Together, they provide shops with a stronger foundation for repair planning and a clearer path for developing professionals in the role.

The role has arrived. The tools are ready. Now it's time to train the profession.

Learn more about OEC's RepairLogic platform at oeconnection.com/products/repairlogic/. Learn more about I-CAR's training programs and upcoming course offerings at i-car.com.