Connecting welding expertise to collision repair: Insights from Gary Halley
As vehicle technology continues to evolve, collision repair professionals need the knowledge and skills to keep pace with changing materials, equipment, repair procedures, and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) requirements. I-CAR Canada instructors play an important role in delivering that knowledge, combining technical expertise with real-world experience to help technicians apply what they learn in the shop.
Gary Halley of the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Group brings more than 30 years of automotive welding and manufacturing experience to his work with I-CAR Canada. Combining hands-on industry experience with the standards-based expertise of the CWB, Gary focuses on making complex technical knowledge practical, relevant, and applicable to today’s collision repair environment.
How long have you been in the industry?
I have been involved in automotive welding and manufacturing for more than 30 years, from hands-on welding and fabrication to welding technology and process development in Tier 1 automotive manufacturing. That experience has given me a strong understanding of the processes, equipment, and skills needed to consistently produce quality results.
Most recently, my work with the CWB has allowed me to apply that experience to collision repair. My focus is on connecting technicians’ existing skills with current, OEM-aligned processes, strengthening their knowledge and confidence in the shop.
Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?
Absolutely. I have always loved welding, and I have always been a car guy, so working in automotive made sense to me. What has kept me in the industry for more than 30 years is that it never stops changing. There are always new challenges, technologies, materials, and applications to understand and work with.
It has reinforced something I have carried throughout my career: you never stop learning. That is the mindset I bring to training—sharing knowledge and experience while helping technicians adapt to the technologies shaping collision repair.
What would you say is the importance of continued collision training?
The pace of change makes continued training essential. Vehicle construction, materials, joining methods, equipment, and repair procedures continue to evolve, and technicians need to keep their knowledge current.
Training reinforces the skills technicians already bring to the shop while helping them understand new technologies and processes. Ultimately, continued learning helps ensure those skills remain relevant and support safe, quality repair outcomes.
Why should technicians and companies consider I-CAR Canada training?
I-CAR Canada provides technicians with current, relevant knowledge they can apply directly to the vehicles they repair. As a premier source of collision training in Canada, it reinforces sound repair practices and helps technicians stay current as vehicle technology evolves.
For companies, training strengthens knowledge, supports consistency, and demonstrates a commitment to quality and safety. I also believe the industry benefits when technicians, repairers, OEMs, suppliers, and educators share knowledge and learn from one another.
What is the most important aspect of being an I-CAR Canada instructor?
I am at my best when I can take technical complexity and make it clear, practical, and useful. That is what effective training should do. In collision repair, materials, welding processes, equipment, and repair procedures all have to work together to achieve a quality repair.
I enjoy connecting that technical knowledge to what technicians experience in the shop, explaining not just how something is done, but what is happening, why it matters, and how the pieces fit together. I draw on my experience in automotive welding and manufacturing, together with the CWB’s technical expertise and standards-driven approach.
The goal is for technicians to leave with stronger knowledge, greater confidence, and skills they can apply on the shop floor, keeping pace with evolving vehicle technology while consistently delivering the level of repair today’s vehicles require.
About I-CAR Canada
I-CAR is an international organization dedicated to providing the information required to perform complete, safe, and quality auto repairs.
I-CAR Canada is a training and recognition program run by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada), a not-for-profit organization representing, supporting and leading innovation in Canada’s $43.9 billion auto care sector.
Aimed at up-skilling tradespeople in the collision industry, I-CAR training has been available in Canada since 1979 and has been operated by AIA Canada since 2010.