Record Number of 37 Teams Compete
Teams from high schools in Texas and Arkansas came to Universal Technical Institute’s Dallas/Fort Worth campus on January 24 to show off their automotive skills and compete for prizes.
Thirty-seven teams participated in UTI’s second annual Top Tech Challenge; more than double the number of 2014 competitors.
The teams of two competed in five different areas: parts identification, brake problems, climate control, electrical problems and a written, Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) test with a panel of UTI-Dallas/Fort Worth instructors judging their work.
The team from James A Ratteree Career Development Center placed third and received a $1000 Snap-on tool voucher for their school Team members, Daniel Gonzalez and Conner Snyder, also each received a $250 scholarship to UTI.
“The purpose of this competition is to build awareness for the important role auto technicians play in today’s workforce, spotlight their specialized skills and the high-tech nature of this business,” said Jesus Miranda, campus president of UTI-Dallas/Fort Worth. “At the same time, we’re giving students a chance to compete in a real-world setting and do things professional technicians do every day.”
Today’s transportation service technicians are experts in the complex and innovative digital systems that keep modern vehicles running, and technicians with high-tech, hands-on training are in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the industry will have an average of more than 37,000 job openings for skilled technicians every year. “With so much talk surrounding STEM education and its role in closing the skills gap, UTI’s role in connecting jobs to education is more critical than ever before and the Top Tech Challenge is aimed at doing just that,” Miranda said.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.:
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. With more than 180,000 graduates in its 49-year history, UTI offers undergraduate degree and diploma programs at 11 campuses across the United States, as well as manufacturer-specific training programs at dedicated training centers. Through its campus-based school system, UTI provides specialized post-secondary education programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech).
For more information visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI
