Summer 2022 - 23

class in Mechanicsburg to learn how to estimate damage
to vehicles. She returned home each night after class to
continue her daily job requirements.
" I worked five years as a part-time estimator learning the
business, " she said. " I then received a job offer to become
a full-time estimator with a substantial raise. After working
there for a few years, I received an offer to come to
Faulkner. I started as a full-time estimator and in about a
year was offered the manager job. "
The job is fast-paced and can be all-consuming, said
Lausch, who has been the manager for the past 13 years.
Sometimes she works 70 hours a week - and she credits
her husband for being very supportive.
" I make sure the cars are fixed right, following the
manufacturers' certifications. I follow each car from start
to finish, " said Lausch, who added that she feels like she
lives at work some days. " Right now, we have 165 cars here
in the shop and I can tell you the status of each. "
She manages a shop that has manufacturer certifications
from BMW and Porsche, and is working on Tesla and
GM certifications. She has an " awesome " 20-member
team that works hard and she believes she can grow the
business by helping her team grow, along with pursuing
her own personal growth goals. She and her team now run
the only Certified Collision Center for Porsche and BMW
in Lancaster County. Lausch explained that the Faulkner
Organization is a large multi-shop organization (MSO), and
services more vehicles than all other collision centers in
the county.
Lausch believes in giving back to the community and looks
for ways for Faulkner to develop community partnerships.
She is a member of the National Auto Body Council and a
big supporter of its programs like Recycled Rides, and the
F.R.E.E Event.
" Each year we get a 'recycled ride,' a donated, wrecked
and titled vehicle that we fix up and give to a family in
need. It might be a woman who was in a domestic abuse
situation or a disabled vet, " she said. " We want to help the
person get back on their feet and have transportation. "
She also hosts a program for area firefighters called the
F.R.E.E. - First Responder Emergency Extrication.
" We bring 80 firefighters in to work on new cars that are
wrecked. They cut them apart and we teach them about
different metals and electronics so they can be safe
when they respond to accidents, " she said. " If you don't
understand the electrical system in the vehicle, you could
be electrocuted when you are working to try to free a
person. "
Lausch also gives back to Thaddeus Stevens College as
a member of the Collision Industry Advisory Board. She
works with instructors to help them understand what is
needed in the industry and to develop expectations for
students.
She is a member of the Inter-Industry Conference on
Auto Collision Repair, I-CAR, Committee. I-CAR is an
international not-for-profit organization dedicated to
providing the information, knowledge and skills required to
perform complete, safe and quality repairs. Faulkner is an
I-CAR Gold Class Shop, a standard of excellence in collision
body repair. She works with the Collision Education
Foundation and I-CAR to create and support grants for
schools to build curriculum and equipment for training.
Through this program, she recently got a manufacturer to
donate a welder to the College.
She also offers shop tours, presentations, and works with
students on interviewing skills.
" The biggest thing I tell the students is to make sure you
are partnered with an experienced technician that is the
highest level in the organization who can teach you, "
she said. " It's important to ask about what equipment
is available and tools - do you have to have your own
toolbox? We talk about manufacturers and manufacturing
training - how do you get it? What is the pay and what is
your opportunity to grow within the company? "
Presenting workshops is another way Lausch reaches out
to prospective students interested in the field.
" I gave a BMW Workshop and had BMW come in and train
and explain the metals, and features on a BMW. When it
was over, every single person wanted to work for BMW! "
said Lausch.
The future is bright for the automotive collision field - the
workload keeps increasing. She also thinks the future
is bright for the industry with advancements like new
technology, aluminum, and ADAS Systems on the horizon.
" We used to be slow in the summer and busy in the winter,
but now we're busy all the time, " said Lausch.
Getting manufacturers and collision shops involved to help
collision shops recruit new students is key.
" Explaining the new technologies will get them more
interested. They won't be body techs anymore but learning
the new metals and materials will make them collision
engineers, " said Lausch. " There's a high demand for these
students. We need to get them interested early - in high
school. "
For information
about the Thaddeus Stevens College Collision
Repair Technology program, visit
stevenscollege.edu/academics/associatedegrees/collision-repair-technology
Or
learn more by attending
our fall open house on
October 15, 2022.
Summer 2022  23
http://www.stevenscollege.edu/academics/associate
Summer 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Summer 2022
