Live demonstrations, pit tours, and races get students excited about science, technology, engineering and math applications
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – May 1, 2019 –Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the newly-named Official Technical School of NHRA, is giving students all over the country the opportunity to get an up-close look at the opportunities provided by a quality technical school education. More than 1,400 students from schools in the region came to zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. Friday as part of NHRA’s Youth and Education Services (YES) program, which focuses on the importance of goals and continued education, and shows students how science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is applied to real-world situations and NHRA Drag Racing. The event was hosted in part by UTI’s Mooresville campus, NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). NASCAR Tech is the only campus in the country to offer NASCAR-endorsed training to students preparing for a career in motorsports. A 15-week elective program, which builds on the standard Universal Technical Institute core automotive program, trains students in everything from engines, fabrication, and welding, to aerodynamics and pit crew essentials.
“Today’s vehicles, whether they’re built for the street or the racetrack, are high-tech and computer-driven, and it takes an advanced set of technical skills to work on them,” said Jennifer Bergeron, campus president at NASCAR Technical Institute. “Today’s event showed students what a career in motorsports is all about, and the training it takes to make it in the high-demand field of automotive technology. We’re very excited about our new partnership with NHRA and the career opportunities possible for our current and future students.”
Students from schools around the region were invited to take part in the program during the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Race in Concord, N.C. They were treated to live, interactive demonstrations and displays at the track, a presentation on career opportunities with speakers from UTI, professional race teams, and NHRA officials, and then a tour of the pits before getting a front row seat to the day’s qualifying races.
“The NHRA is extremely excited to partner with Universal Technical Institute and NASCAR Technical Institute to provide the opportunity for students to learn about a career in racing, the automotive marketplace and to enjoy a day at the races,” said Brad Gerber, NHRA VP and Chief Development Officer. “We had high schools come as far as two hours away for this event, and the NHRA looks forward to being back at zMax Dragway this October 11-13.” Demand for trained technicians is high. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that, by 2026, there will be more than 1.2 million job openings nationally across the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries.1 To accommodate this demand, the transportation industry will need to fill – on average – 120,000 positions each year. As part of the Technicians and Technology Career Expo & Open House, attendees will learn how they can be trained to help fill these jobs in as little as 11 months.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
With more than 200,000 graduates in its 53-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation’s leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry facilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with employer needs. Through its network of 13 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary 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). The company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.
For more information, visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI.
ABOUT NHRAHeadquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 24 national events featuring the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers NHRA Jr. Street program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 5 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates four racing facilities: Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.
1 Source: Based on data compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2016-2026), www.bls.gov. The projected number of annual job openings, by job classification is: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, 75,900; Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists, 28,300; Automotive Body and Related Repairers, 17,200. Job openings include openings due to growth and net replacements.
