UTI and Volkswagen of America Create New Technician Training Program

    PHOENIX, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute (UTI), a
 leading private career school, and Volkswagen of America (VWoA) have partnered
 to create a solution to the technician shortage affecting automotive
 manufacturers.
     UTI is providing the training for the new Volkswagen of America Service
 Technical Training (VASTT) program.
     Within the next five years, VWoA plans to furnish their dealerships with
 2,000 technicians.  As a result, VASTT is the first graduate training program
 initiated by VWoA to aggressively attract and retain technicians for its
 dealer network.
     VASTT's intensive six-week training program focuses on Volkswagen
 automotive technology.  Curriculum is supplied by the VWoA factory and
 includes hands-on training and instruction with proprietary scan tools.
     The first class of VASTT students begins this week at the UTI campus in
 Glendale Heights, Ill.  Graduates of UTI's basic automotive technician
 training program who maintain grade point averages of at least 3.00 and
 exemplary attendance records are eligible.
     "We are thrilled to be Volkswagen's educational partner of choice," said
 Chris McWaters, director of industry relations, UTI.  "Since the VASTT program
 is located on campus, our students receive first-hand exposure to Volkswagen
 products."
     VASTT graduates will enter the dealerships as "specialists" in P.D.I,
 diagnostics and scheduled maintenance.
     VASTT training is sponsored by VWoA and paid for by the hiring dealer.
 "In order to assess the response of our dealers, the northeast region was
 selected as our pilot area," said Karl H. Weber, director of quality systems,
 VWoA.  "Once the program is fully implemented, VASTT graduates will be offered
 positions at dealerships throughout the United States."
     For more information about Volkswagen of America, Inc., log on to
 www.vw.com.
     Founded in 1965 in Phoenix, Ariz., UTI is recognized as one of the top
 technical education institutions in the U.S.  UTI offers accelerated
 career-specific training in automotive, diesel, heating/ventilation/air
 conditioning/refrigeration, marine, motorcycle and personal watercraft.  The
 company has graduated more than 50,000 students and maintains campuses in
 Phoenix, Ariz.;  Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.;  Orlando, Fla.;  Glendale Heights,
 Ill. and Houston, Tex.  For more information about UTI and automotive graduate
 training programs, log on to www.uticorp.com.
 
 

SOURCE  Universal Technical Institute