Windshield Repair Certification

Technicians often ask if they need to be certified. First let me explain that there are different types of certification, and they offer different benefits. Factory certification is offered by several windshield repair manufacturers, including Delta Kits. I recommend that every windshield repair technician complete a factory training program, and receive a certificate of completion. It’s important to be properly trained on the equipment you will be using. Some manufacturers charge for their training, but Delta Kits offers free monthly training in Eugene Oregon, and you do not have to be a Delta Kits customer to attend.

Delta Kits training and certification classes are a full day of hands on training, and everything is supplied for the technicians, including equipment, resin, and glass. At the end of the class there is a written exam and your repairs will be inspected for quality. Delta Kits training classes are also a great way to meet other technicians interested in improving their skills. Technicians of all levels will find the class informative and helpful. Please visit http://www.deltakits.com/training for training class dates in Eugene and elsewhere around the country.

The NGA/NWRA also offers a certification class. This class includes the history of windshield repair, the science behind windshield repair, repair identification, technical data, and basic knowledge that is helpful for windshield repair technicians. This is a written test that you will study for with no hands on training involved. This certification offers a lot of information and I feel that it is worth the money. The problem is that currently you have to travel to a test center, and you have to retest regularly to retain your certification status. For more information visit the NWRA website. http://www.netrax.net/~nwra/Certification.htm.

If I had to choose one certification, it would have to choose a manufacturer’s certification, and with free training and certification available, there is little standing in the way of doing so. That said, I would recommend that all repair technicians get both certifications possible. I would not be surprised if there comes a day when the NGA/NWRA certification will be necessary for licensing. If that happens, those technicians already certified will be one step ahead of the game.

-Brent Deines