NASCAR Technical Institute Hosts Advanced Industries Skills Summit 2014

MOORESVILLE, N.C., April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech), one of eleven campuses operating under parent company Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR, will host the "Advanced Industries Summit" on Thursday, April 24, to address North Carolina's labor skills gap and discuss opportunities for industry and education to collaborate on new programs that emphasize education for employment.

The event will bring together leaders in education, business and government to discuss best practices for preparing qualified workers, including strategies that integrate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education in workforce development programs. In addition, participants will learn about Centralina Council of Government's involvement in the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), a strategic planning grant initiative through the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration that aims to help accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in the U.S.

The Summit will kick off with presentations by three keynote speakers, including Kim McWaters, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Technical Institute; Michelle Byron, Director, Partnership Marketing at NASCAR; and The Honorable Miles Atkins, Mayor of Mooresville, North Carolina. Participants will also hear from Congressmen Richard Hudson and Robert Pittenger, and will be able to share their opinions in a unique group forum discussion moderated by Amy Burkett, General Manager for WTVI PBS Charlotte.

The open group discussion will feature a panel of thought leaders, including:

• Dr. Tim Brewer, President, Mitchell Community College
• Dave Dalton, Chief Executive Officer, General Microcircuits Inc.
• John Dodson, VP NASCAR and Community Relations, NASCAR Technical Institute
• Peyton Holland, Postsecondary Director, North Carolina SkillsUSA
• David Hollars, Executive Director, Centralina Workforce Development Board
• Dr. Brady Johnson, Superintendent, Iredell-Statesville Schools
• Walter Siegenthaler, Executive Vice President, Max Daetwyler Corp.

This is the third Summit being hosted by UTI, which believes that the purpose of education is to fully prepare students for employment.  The school previously hosted two other conferences at its Norwood, Massachusetts campus as part of its national initiative to encourage educators, policy makers and community organizations to discuss and develop collaborative solutions to the labor skills gap challenges facing industries across the U.S.

"These Summits provide a unique opportunity for communities to come together and find ways to strengthen the partnership between industry and education," McWaters said. "Our NASCAR Tech campus provides an ideal backdrop to the goals of this national thought leadership event series that we've created as it is a great example of a successful collaboration that has filled a need in the economy."

UTI has partnered with more than 30 manufacturers to create some of the most innovative and sophisticated education programs in the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle, marine and motorsports industries. These include NASCAR, which for more than a decade has collaborated with UTI on the development of NASCAR Tech -- the first and only technical school in the world to offer a specific NASCAR curriculum for those interested in motorsports and/or automotive service careers. More than 5,000 graduates have been successfully employed in these industries after attending the school.

"The NASCAR Technical Institute Advanced Industries Summit" will take place at the NASCAR Tech campus at 220 Byers Creek Road in Mooresville, North Carolina, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. More information about the Summit can be found by emailing [email protected]. Use the hashtag #utisummit on Twitter to follow social media updates during the event.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.:

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. With more than 170,000 graduates in its 48-year history, UTI offers undergraduate degree, diploma and certificate programs at 11 campuses across the United States, as well as manufacturer-specific training programs at dedicated training centers.  Through its campus-based school system, UTI provides specialized post-secondary education 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). For more information visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet,@MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI.

About NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech)

NASCAR Technical Institute is one of 11 campuses operating under parent company Universal Technical Institute (UTI), a nationwide provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, motorsports, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians.  NASCAR Tech is the country's only technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology curriculum and a NASCAR-approved technologies curriculum into a single program, and NASCAR Tech is also the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR. Students learn the basics of engine construction, lubrication systems, chassis fabrication, dyno testing, racing theory principles, NASCAR rules and regulations, as well as the teamwork needed in today's automotive and motorsports industries. Follow NASCAR Tech on Twitter at @NASCARTechUTI.

SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.