What began as an Equalizer® product training day for customers back in 1992, Our Academy was formed out of the culmination of many years of research and active participation by many companies and individuals that contributed to industry initiatives and training.

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In the mid-1980s, Carlite, a division of Ford Motor Company, began sending Al Girard to locations throughout the USA to give seminars on the recommended procedures of removing and installing glass in Ford vehicles. This successful series soon expanded into the 1990s with a more formalized physical school located in Dearborn, Michigan that focused on more of the necessary hands-on procedures necessary for the auto glass industry. Len Stolk eventually took over for Al after his retirement and spearheaded many industry initiatives and reached out to other automobile manufacturers to become involved in Carlite's intention to bring quality technical training to the industry. Many videos were produced over Carlite's existence, usually focused on specific vehicles of interest or degree of difficulty.

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Eventually, Ford restructured and the Carlite school was a casualty. With no real comprehensive training program available, the National Glass Association (NGA) took the principles of the Carlite class and worked with many automakers to produce more videos and seminars aimed at the auto glass removal and installation process. The AGTI (Auto Glass Technical Institute) was born and was successful for a time in the late 1990s through the early 2000s. Although it never quite gained the notoriety that the Ford Carlite school enjoyed.

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As the NGA grew more into commercial and flat glass, it began removing itself from active participation in the auto glass industry. With no direction, the culminated information worked its way through the industry and became somewhat fragmented and obviously dated.

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Fast forward to 2016 and the Academy took that information and created an expanded program of hands-on training to bring to the industry, much in the way the Ford Carlite school had done years before.