The Ignite Program is geared for high school juniors interested in cars and engines

Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Universal Technical Institute (UTI) is launching Ignite, a free program to train high school juniors in fundamental automotive and diesel technician skills. Participating students receive intensive, hands-on training and are prepared for testing to receive UTI course credit once enrolled. Ignite will be offered at the Rancho Cucamonga campus and each of UTI’s 12 campuses nationwide.

“We’re seeing significant demand for UTI graduates across the transportation sector, and our employer partners tell us they need more trained technicians,” said Roger Speer, president of Universal Technical Institute – Rancho Cucamonga campus. “Our free Ignite program is a great way to both introduce high school students to a UTI education and open their eyes to the many career opportunities available to trained transportation technicians.”

During the program’s two 3-week courses, Ignite participants are given a glimpse into the world of automotive or diesel training – an introductory sample of the programs completed by traditional UTI students. The Ignite curriculum emphasizes the high-tech nature of today’s transportation industry. Students explore career opportunities in the transportation field while meeting UTI graduates and local employers.

In 2017, UTI successfully piloted the Ignite program at three campuses: Avondale, AZ; Houston, TX; and Orlando, FL. Each of the programs had strong interest among students, a large percentage of whom also indicated their intention to return to UTI as a full-time student upon graduating high school. Best of all, these students were prepared for testing to receive credit toward future UTI coursework – enabling them to complete a UTI education and begin a career in the transportation sector faster than ever before.

Industry demand for trained transportation technicians continues to accelerate. Most recently, the federal government tripled its estimate for the number of transportation technicians needed nationwide by 2026. According to new projections, there will be more than 1.2 million job openings in the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries. To help reach that total, the transportation industry will have to fill more than 120,000 technician job openings annually on average.

“Ignite is a great way to get students excited about these careers and keep them engaged as they make decisions about their path coming out of high school,” said Roger Speer. “If you know a high school junior who has a passion for cars or enjoys working with their hands, encourage them to apply for the Ignite program. They might find a career they love.”

The Ignite program is now accepting applications across UTI’s 12 campuses. For more information or to enroll, visit https://www.uti.edu/programs/ignite.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
With more than 200,000 graduates in its 52-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 12 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 uti.edu.