U.S. Educational Institute to Address Technician Shortage

To meet the industry’s demand for professional service technicians, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (UTI), one of the leading providers of technical education training in the U.S., has announced today that it is investing $54.2 million (U.S.) to expand its facilities across the U.S, including relocating its corporate headquarters.
To accommodate this growth, the company plans to hire 100 instructors within the next two months.
“These are exciting times for UTI as we continue to build for future growth,” said UTI President Kim J. McWaters. “The significant investment we’re making underscores UTI’s commitment to our industry customers. We are strengthening our capabilities as a solutions provider by supplying highly skilled, quality service technicians on a national basis — when and where customers need them.”
UTI is making major investments at its facilities as follows:
* UTI corporate headquarters – Phoenix — will relocate within Phoenix
* UTI – Phoenix campus — will relocate from Phoenix to Avondale, Ariz.
* Motorcycle Mechanics Institute – Phoenix — recently expanded
* UTI – Glendale Heights, Ill. — recently expanded
* UTI – Houston — recently expanded
* Motorcycle & Marine Mechanics Institute – Orlando, Fla. — recently expanded
* NASCAR Technical Institute – Mooresville, N.C. — opened in 2002.
UTI’s corporate headquarters, which will remain in Phoenix, will move about six miles north of its existing 30,000-square-foot location to 42,000 square feet of space. The move-in date for the new main office, which represents a $6.5 million (U.S.) investment, is expected to be November 2003.
The Phoenix campus will be moved from 190,000 square feet of space into a 260,000-square-foot building on 25 acres of land in Avondale.
The new location — which represents a $21 million investment — will have its groundbreaking in late summer, with an expected move-in date of May 2004. This campus — which offers automotive, diesel and heating/ventilation/air conditioning/refrigeration service technician training — will accommodate up to 3,000 students and 200 staff members.
At the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) – Phoenix campus, UTI recently completed a $3.5 million, 42,000-square-foot expansion, which allows the school to accommodate more student enrolments and industry training. Now totalling 102,000 square feet, this facility trains service technicians for the motorcycle industry. MMI is the only technical training school supported by the top five major motorcycle manufacturers.
The Glendale Heights campus recently expanded by 28,500 square feet to a total of 133,500 square feet. The $1 million investment at this facility — which trains automotive and diesel service technicians — has enabled the campus to accommodate an additional 260 students and add 15 employees. The company’s Houston campus — which is the only UTI facility offering collision repair and refinish technology service technician training — has expanded by 36,000 square feet to a total of 200,000 over the past year at a total cost of nearly $1.2 million. The new space has created room for the Ford FACT (Ford Accelerated Credential Training) program and an expanded automotive/diesel technology training program. The facility now accommodates more students and employees — 2,600 and 175, respectively.
In September 2002, the Motorcycle & Marine Mechanics Institute in Orlando completed a three-building, $6 million (U.S.) expansion to bring the total campus square footage to 117,760. The expansion will enable the campus — which trains service technicians for the motorcycle, marine and personal watercraft industries — to enrol up to 1,900 students by 2004.
In May 2002, UTI and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. opened the 146,000-square-foot NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville. The country’s first-ever technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motorsports program, the $15 million institute provides the necessary training to excel as an entry- level technician, as well as the additional training needed to enter the motorsports industry. The school’s first graduation will be held in August 2003.