HOUSTON (August 15, 2017) While some Houston-area teens were getting a tan this summer, 24 local high school students got a jump-start on a career. The students, each entering their senior year, participated in the inaugural “Summer Ignite” program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Houston. The free program gave the students a taste of what attending UTI and – ultimately – working as an auto technician is all about.
The program, broken into three 3-week courses, introduced students to the basics of working on engines, automotive brakes, and various aspects of the undercar, including alignment. Students had the option to take any number of the three courses offered. Students who passed one or all of the classes will receive credit for those courses and a discount on their tuition if they decide to enroll in UTI after graduation. Ignite concluded late last week, with 14 students passing all three of the courses.
Participants like 17-year old Alejandro Armas, from Alief Taylor High School, already had a passion for repairing vehicles, and are taking automotive classes in high school. Students like Alejandro were able to refresh on topics previously covered in high school classes, but were impressed with what they saw at UTI’s campus in North Houston. “There are a lot more training materials and space at this school,” said Alejandro. He also enjoyed in-depth, hands-on training they received. “The instructor covers all the material in class, then makes sure to help us if we get stuck in lab.” Armas was one of the top students in the inaugural program and has already enrolled at UTI, where he will start his full-time classes next August.
Other participants, like 18-year old Nathaniel Giles of Conroe, were excited about the opportunity to earn free credit for the courses offered, helping to lower his tuition costs when he attends UTI next fall. “When I heard about this opportunity, I had to come! I took all three classes and plan to come back for the auto/diesel program in September 2018 because these classes have helped reduce my tuition.”
“Our goal with the Summer Ignite program was to connect with high school students and open their eyes – and the eyes of their parents – to the career opportunities across this growing field,” said Darrin Brust, Houston campus president. “There are thousands of jobs available in the transportation industry, and in all skilled trades, but old stereotypes, stigmas and a system that undervalues career paths that don’t require a two or four-year degree are keeping students from even considering these jobs, much less get the proper training they need.”
Jobs are plentiful in the transportation industry, and there are thousands of new jobs opening every year. Nationwide, the federal government projects there will be more than 1.2 million technician jobs in the transportation industry by 2024. That means an estimated 37,000 new openings for technicians are created each year.
Berenice Dominguez, 17 of Conroe, said her family wanted her to be a nurse or doctor but found her passion after taking an automotive class in high school. “I had girl friends in high school who were afraid to take classes in this field.” Dominguez also gave up nine weeks of her summer vacation to attend classes five days a week, for 6 hours a day. But, she says, it was worth it.
“The best part of this program was seeing things I thought I knew more in depth, and I realized there was so much more to it – for example, brakes – I thought I knew enough until I took that class here.” The only girl in the group, Berenice has a message for others, “at first, you might think it is going to be hard because you’re the only girl and the boys don’t imagine you can do it. But, I had the chance to prove them wrong and earn their respect.”