Pearson Selected to Provide Learning Management System for Universal Technical Institute, Inc.

DENVER, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearson today announced that it has been selected by Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (UTI) to be the new learning management system provider for UTI's blended learning curriculum, a program that merges the advantages of modern learning technologies with the benefits of hands-on training by UTI instructors.  UTI is a leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians.

UTI will use Pearson LearningStudio, the online learning platform, and EQUELLA, Pearson's digital content repository.  UTI's blended learning curriculum includes in-class lab time, instructor-led classroom time and interactive online lessons.  Starting in early 2012, the new learning management solution will be introduced at the UTI-Dallas/Ft. Worth campus, and eventually to all ten UTI automotive campuses.

Pearson is designing a highly customized learning management solution for UTI that, in addition to Pearson LearningStudio, includes: Enterprise Reporting to monitor and analyze student performance; Exam Guard to create a secure online testing environment; eCourse Evaluation which allows unlimited surveys and course evaluations; the EQUELLA repository to store, manage and share all of UTI's digital learning assets and content; and a customized gradebook.

"The delivery of our dynamic curriculum, which includes a blend of intensive hands on, classroom and interactive online learning environments, required a comprehensive, robust learning management system with the scale, analytics and reliability to support our training model," said Tom Riggs, Senior Vice President of Operations at UTI.  "By partnering with Pearson, we can ensure that our students have the resources they need to fully engage in this unique training environment."

"Thousands of students rely on UTI to get the workforce training they need for meaningful careers," said Matt Leavy, CEO of Pearson eCollege.  "The solution we are building for UTI leverages our technologies for a custom-made program that offers flexible curriculum delivery to meet the educational needs of their students."

About Pearson

Pearson, the world's leading learning company, has global reach and market-leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing (NYSE: PSO). The company provides innovative print and digital education materials, including personalized learning programs such as MyLab and Mastering; educational services including custom publishing; and content-independent platforms including the EQUELLA digital repository and Pearson LearningStudio online learning platform. For more information, visit www.pearsoned.com.

Media Contact: Susan Aspey, susan.aspey@pearson.com or 1-800-745-8489

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 150,000 graduates in its 46-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 (NTI). To learn more about UTI and its training services, log on to www.uti.edu.

Media Contact: Tina Miller, tmiller@uti.edu or 1-623-445-0943

SOURCE Pearson