UTI
04-01-2006, 11:36 AM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 911
Originally Posted by genrex' post='810825' date='Mar 29 2006, 03:55 AM
Excellent replies. One more question to ask the local automotive schools is what their Placement Rate is... what percentage of their recent graduates got a good job right out of school? Also, ask the shop foremen (or techs) at the local dealerships where their techs went to school.
Sad story about UTI.. one of the long-time rotary guys in Seattle believed their ads, and enrolled in the Phoenix program. He was very motivated to do well, and graduated last year at the top of his class. He received NO job offers upon graduation, and he has had no job offers since then. To support himself, he returned to his old job, working construction.
UTI and Wyotech and most of the other schools are businesses built on advertising. They will promise you the sky, but in the end they deliver nothing.. absolutely nothing.
It's best to talk to local people and ask informed questions. And remember, in the end, placement rate is what matters.
That's too bad for Blair isn't it?
All I've ever herd about these schools is stay away and you're better off getting a job right out of high school working your way up if being a mechanic is what you REALLY want to do.
I have 4 friends that graduated from a 2 year tech program to be a mechanic and only 1 is still doing it.
one is working at a recycling place
one is insulating homes
one is a snap on dealer
one is working at saturn
04-01-2006, 12:44 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
here's my $4.
in high school i went to a good junor college autoshop programme, and then went to a regular college. since 97 ive worked for 5 different dealerships, mazda, kia, hyundai. in the last year we took over service as well, and we've had to hire basically all new techs.
none of our techs went to any kind of special school to be any good, if they did do anything, it would be go racing. everyone but verne, and dennis have some sort of racing experience.
if i had to list 2-3 thing we've looked for it would be the following
1. attitude; dennis is a bitch a lot, he's a pain in the *** and we're sick of it. everyone else is cool, and easy to get along with.
2. get -r done! we're looking for a go getter, nick fell asleep in someones car on the clock, he doesnt work here anymore, verne does 150% without breaking a sweat, we like verne
3. obviously we're also looking for a certain amount of technical knowledge too, but that can come with time, and the cars are always changing too. at this point if you can read, thats the important thing.
in high school i went to a good junor college autoshop programme, and then went to a regular college. since 97 ive worked for 5 different dealerships, mazda, kia, hyundai. in the last year we took over service as well, and we've had to hire basically all new techs.
none of our techs went to any kind of special school to be any good, if they did do anything, it would be go racing. everyone but verne, and dennis have some sort of racing experience.
if i had to list 2-3 thing we've looked for it would be the following
1. attitude; dennis is a bitch a lot, he's a pain in the *** and we're sick of it. everyone else is cool, and easy to get along with.
2. get -r done! we're looking for a go getter, nick fell asleep in someones car on the clock, he doesnt work here anymore, verne does 150% without breaking a sweat, we like verne
3. obviously we're also looking for a certain amount of technical knowledge too, but that can come with time, and the cars are always changing too. at this point if you can read, thats the important thing.
04-01-2006, 09:34 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 1,679
http://www.jimrussellusa.com/mechani.../mechanics.php
I Suggest this program, jim russel race mechanic school. An old friend from high school did it. He worked for Lynx racing (atlantic), Coyne racing (champcar), DEI, and now is an assistant engineer for renault F1...all the french classes we took in high school paid off for him.
I Suggest this program, jim russel race mechanic school. An old friend from high school did it. He worked for Lynx racing (atlantic), Coyne racing (champcar), DEI, and now is an assistant engineer for renault F1...all the french classes we took in high school paid off for him.
04-02-2006, 01:55 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 22,465
Originally Posted by Apex13B' post='811524' date='Apr 1 2006, 08:34 PM
http://www.jimrussellusa.com/mechani.../mechanics.php
I Suggest this program, jim russel race mechanic school. An old friend from high school did it. He worked for Lynx racing (atlantic), Coyne racing (champcar), DEI, and now is an assistant engineer for renault F1...all the french classes we took in high school paid off for him.
lmao, but yeah that one is a good school.
04-03-2006, 01:03 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 10,906
Originally Posted by banzaitoyota' post='810624' date='Mar 28 2006, 01:44 PM
For the "benefit" of those who haven't listened to my tirade on these OVERPRICED DIPLOMA MILLS:
1. Who do you think pays for all those TV ADS and Magazine Ads?
2. Who do you think pays for all those slick brochures ?
3. How much time do you think you are going to get hands on: chopping the top on a 32 3 window.
There is nothing wrong with an education: There is something wrong with getting something at 5 Times the normal cost.
Go to a local tech school, you are money ahead.
Ask the hard questions: Go to the shops and dealers in your area and ask:
How much does a starting tech make with a degree for local podunk tech? How much do I start at with a degree from WYO-UTI-NASHVILLE DIESEL-NASCAR Tech?
I am willing to wager the salary is no different between the different schools.
All the places have done is to slickly package a curriculum at an outrageous price, then sell it to you via a Student Loan; then offer you the same degree you could have gotten locally/4 x cheaper.
PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH, Ask the hard questions
And whats funny is I specifically rememeber you saying the same thing to me a year ago, however I'm glda I went because something better came about
04-03-2006, 08:40 PM
#27
Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: oceanside, California
Posts: 67
I looked in to UTI chicago about six years ago with a friend and both of us decided it was to much money to go. He went to the local technical school and I joined the Marines as a motor t mech. He worked at a dealer for awhile then decided he no longer wanted to be a mech and became a electrician. I found out I don't like working on other peoples crap also and only wrench as a hobby. It is a good thing we did not do becouse we would be paying back $20,000+ loans and probally doing the same thing we are right now.
As with tecnical jobs go to the local college get the basics then start at a dealer or many performance shops are looking for a gofer. Start at the bottom work your way up.
If you want to work performance go to the local track during amature track events with a resume and start handing it out. You can meet some good contacts at the track.
As with tecnical jobs go to the local college get the basics then start at a dealer or many performance shops are looking for a gofer. Start at the bottom work your way up.
If you want to work performance go to the local track during amature track events with a resume and start handing it out. You can meet some good contacts at the track.
04-03-2006, 09:04 PM
#28
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by sexycheerleader' post='811882' date='Apr 3 2006, 08:40 PM
I looked in to UTI chicago about six years ago with a friend and both of us decided it was to much money to go. He went to the local technical school and I joined the Marines as a motor t mech. He worked at a dealer for awhile then decided he no longer wanted to be a mech and became a electrician. I found out I don't like working on other peoples crap also and only wrench as a hobby. It is a good thing we did not do becouse we would be paying back $20,000+ loans and probally doing the same thing we are right now.
As with tecnical jobs go to the local college get the basics then start at a dealer or many performance shops are looking for a gofer. Start at the bottom work your way up.
If you want to work performance go to the local track during amature track events with a resume and start handing it out. You can meet some good contacts at the track.
I am starting to think that maybe i should just keep it as a hobby. Back to the drawing board for future plans ahaha.
04-04-2006, 07:54 AM
#29
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: My BIG ol TURBO-DIESEL
Posts: 5,181
I enjoy working on cars, when i DONT have to.
I worked at a buddies shop back in the 90's during my divorce, really came to depise my tools and looking at other peoples crap.
If I was young/single again, I would find a carreer path other than automotive: But; I think I would take classes to bone up on basics and techniques, and then as the money permitted I would attend:
TinMans Aluminum Welding and Fabrication Classes
Lincoln Techs Advanced Welding School
EFI Uniiversity
Fay Butlers Metal Forming Workshop
EFI University MOTECH Class
Some good CNC Programming Course
Etc.
That way, I would be building a platform of skills to advance my hobby. Being a line mechanic at a dealership is not conducive to coming home to wrench on the project car
I worked at a buddies shop back in the 90's during my divorce, really came to depise my tools and looking at other peoples crap.
If I was young/single again, I would find a carreer path other than automotive: But; I think I would take classes to bone up on basics and techniques, and then as the money permitted I would attend:
TinMans Aluminum Welding and Fabrication Classes
Lincoln Techs Advanced Welding School
EFI Uniiversity
Fay Butlers Metal Forming Workshop
EFI University MOTECH Class
Some good CNC Programming Course
Etc.
That way, I would be building a platform of skills to advance my hobby. Being a line mechanic at a dealership is not conducive to coming home to wrench on the project car
04-04-2006, 09:55 AM
#30
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by banzaitoyota' post='811960' date='Apr 4 2006, 07:54 AM
I enjoy working on cars, when i DONT have to.
I worked at a buddies shop back in the 90's during my divorce, really came to depise my tools and looking at other peoples crap.
If I was young/single again, I would find a carreer path other than automotive: But; I think I would take classes to bone up on basics and techniques, and then as the money permitted I would attend:
TinMans Aluminum Welding and Fabrication Classes
Lincoln Techs Advanced Welding School
EFI Uniiversity
Fay Butlers Metal Forming Workshop
EFI University MOTECH Class
Some good CNC Programming Course
Etc.
That way, I would be building a platform of skills to advance my hobby. Being a line mechanic at a dealership is not conducive to coming home to wrench on the project car
Yeah, that might be the best route for me. If its not a car i like, im not sure i would want to even think about working on it.
Thanks everyone!