Universal Technical Institute (UTI) announced it has launched an initiative that engages transportation industry employers in developing their talent pipelines and gives students an inside track on long-term careers.
UTI’s Early Employment initiative combines post-secondary skills education with on-the-job, apprenticeship-type training. Under the program, students learn about and can apply for local jobs with participating employers as soon as they enroll at UTI’s Avondale campus, UTI says.
The program’s employers have the opportunity to screen and hire incoming students before they start school and give them on-the-job experience while they complete their education. UTI says the goal is for students to graduate and immediately hit the ground running in full-time jobs at employers where they are already immersed in the culture and processes and are well-positioned for long-term careers. Graduates who meet their employers’ criteria will receive reimbursement of school-related expenses and possible other incentives, along with full-time employment.
“The Early Employment initiative breaks down the common barriers between students who could greatly benefit from a technical education and the employers who want to hire them,” says Kim McWaters, UTI president and CEO.
“At a time when many are skeptical about the value and return of post-secondary education, the program gives students a tangible experience of what’s possible for them, with employers investing in them from the start. Students can earn a living and gain industry-specific experience while they’re in school and, once they graduate, walk into a good job with an employer they know well, who will help them pay back their tuition,” McWaters says.
The demand for skilled diesel and automotive technicians has never been greater, UTI says, citing the U.S. Department of Labor, which estimates that by 2026 there will be more than 1.2 million job openings in the transportation sector.
UTI’s Avondale, Ariz., campus is launching the program beginning this summer. Participating employers in the Early Employment program include ADESA Auto Auctions; Knight Transportation; Larry H. Miller Dealerships; Loftin Equipment; Penske Automotive Group; Republic Services; RWC Group; S&S Tire & Auto Service Center; Sunstate Equipment; and United Rentals. There are more than 30 early employment positions available to incoming students this fall. UTI says it plans to start the program in Arizona and then take it national to 12 campuses across the country.
“The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry applauds UTI for creating this outside-the-box program and the innovative Arizona employers helping to launch it,” says Glenn Hamer, president and CEO, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “UTI and their industry partners have long led the way in addressing the changing needs of students and the nation’s workforce and we believe this hybrid education/apprenticeship approach can serve as a model to address the critical workforce shortages throughout the skilled trades.”
