Universal Technical Institute Named School of Excellence, Highest Institutional Achievement Award by Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI), the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, today announced two of its campuses have been awarded the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) School of Excellence Award for the 2013-2014 academic year. UTI's newest campus in Lisle, Ill., and NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., join only 22 schools in receiving the prestigious award this year and will be recognized as recipients of ACCSC's highest honor at the 2014 Professional Development Conference on September 17 in Denver.

"Student success, throughout the course of study and after graduation, is ACCSC's chief metric of success and it has also been our top measure for nearly 50 years," said Kim McWaters, chairman and chief executive officer at UTI. "This award is a testament to the efficacy of our industry-specific, hands-on programs that prepare students directly for the workforce. Our deep partnerships with leading manufacturers, expert instructors and state-of-the-industry facilities provide our graduates with the training they need to succeed."  

The School of Excellence Award recognizes ACCSC-accredited schools for their commitment to the expectations and rigors of ACCSC accreditation, as well as the efforts made by the institution to maintain strong student outcomes. In order to be eligible for the School of Excellence Award, an ACCSC-accredited institution must meet the conditions of renewal of accreditation without any findings of non-compliance, satisfy all requirements necessary to be in good standing with the Commission, and demonstrate that the majority of the school's graduation and employment rates for all programs meet or exceed the average rates among all ACCSC-accredited institutions (730 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico).

"Through the School of Excellence Award, ACCSC recognizes UTI's commitment to delivering quality technical training programs that equip students with in-demand, industry-relevant skills while also supplying employers with a pipeline of well-trained technicians," said Christopher Lambert, associate executive director of ACCSC.

Since 1965, UTI has graduated more than 180,000 students for work in the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine industries. Offering a variety of technician training programs across 11 ACCSC-accredited campuses, UTI has a consolidated graduate employment track record that consistently exceeds the average rate of employment among all ACCSC-accredited institutions; 85 percent of UTI graduates find employment in their fields of study within one year of graduation.

This is the first School of Excellence honor for both UTI-Lisle (formerly UTI-Glendale Heights) and NASCAR Technical Institute, led by campus presidents Julie Mueller and Jennifer Waber-Bergeron, respectively. However, UTI has previously received the School of Excellence Award for several other campus locations, including, Avondale, Ariz. (2008-2009); Glendale Heights, Ill. (2009-2010); and Exton, Pa. (2011-2012). Additionally, UTI's Sacramento campus was honored as a School of Distinction for the 2007-2008 academic year. 

In Illinois, UTI has been ACCSC-accredited since 1988 and has graduated more than 19,000 technicians from its former campus in Glendale Heights and continues to serve students at its new state-of-the-industry Lisle campus, which opened in November 2013. To fill the nationwide demand for professional automotive and diesel service technicians, the Lisle campus offers manufacturer-specific advanced training (MSAT) programs from leading auto manufacturers, including, Ford, Honda and Toyota, and diesel manufacturers, including, International Truck and Engine Corporation, and coming soon Freightliner® and Peterbilt.

In Mooresville, N.C., NASCAR Technical Institute has operated since 2002 as the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR and the country's only technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program with NASCAR-specific advanced training. Since obtaining ACCSC-accreditation in 2001, more than 9,500 students have graduated from NASCAR Technical Institute. The campus also offers advanced automotive training programs from Ford and Nissan. In 2011, NASCAR Technical Institute received the ACCSC Community Service Award.  

"UTI is elated to be acknowledged again with ACCSC's highest institutional achievement award and we congratulate all our students and staff at the Lisle and Mooresville campuses for their commitment to excellence," added McWaters.

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 180,000 graduates in its 49-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 ACCSC
ACCSC has been continuously recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority for the establishment of educational standards since 1967. ACCSC's scope of recognition by the U.S. Department of Education includes the accreditation of private, postsecondary non-degree-granting and degree-granting institutions in the United States, including those granting associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees, that are predominantly organized to educate students for occupational, trade and technical careers, and including institutions that offer programs via distance education. ACCSC is dedicated to ensuring educational quality for students who annually pursue career education at 730 accredited institutions located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Universal Technical Institute