Universal Technical Institute Opens Its Doors in Irving With Monster Help

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute (UTI) today officially opened its Dallas/Ft. Worth campus to meet the local demand for highly-trained and skilled automotive and diesel technicians in North Texas. In place of the traditional ribbon cutting, Grave Digger, the 2010 Monster Jam World Racing Champion, roared through the grand opening banner.

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"We searched the entire country to find a market with a highly sustainable employment demand that would provide optimal job opportunities for our graduates, and the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex area was the most obvious choice," said Larry Hohl, President of the UTI Dallas/Ft. Worth Campus. "And with our $20 million investment into the building, equipment and curriculum delivery of this facility, we will continue with our commitment to providing the highest quality training and maintaining the position we've earned as the industry's choice for professional technicians."

The campus, UTI's 11th nationwide, welcomed its first class of 96 students in June. Comprised of 95,000 square feet of administrative, classroom and lab space, the campus is configured to accommodate approximately 750 students.

"The presence of UTI in Irving not only helps us to enhance and diversify our business sector, but it also provides quality educational opportunities in our community," said Herbert Gears, Mayor of Irving. "The investment this organization is making here brings more jobs, stimulates local business, and adds more than $10 million in property value to the city's tax rolls."

Joining Mayor Gears were NFL Hall of Famer Roger Staubach and his corporate real estate team from Jones Lang LaSalle, as well as automotive racing legend Roger Penske, who serves as Chairman of Penske Corporation and as a UTI board member.  

Local employers in the north Texas area were also present to support the newest pipeline of professional technicians for their dealerships and shops, including representatives from Park Place, a world-class purveyor of luxury automobiles throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. "We have a long-standing relationship with UTI because of the qualified, entry-level technicians the company provides to our dealerships," said Tony Carimi, director of fixed operations for Park Place Automotive Group. "The technical expertise and professionalism UTI graduates are equipped with coincides with our mission to provide an outstanding client experience, which includes excellence in all of our service departments."

The Dallas/Ft. Worth campus is the first to roll out UTI's new blended learning curriculum, combining hands-on lab time with online coursework, which offers more convenience and training flexibility for students. With this new curriculum, students can maximize their time in the classroom and lab. They also have the option of attending morning, afternoon or evening classes.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.:

Headquartered in Phoenix, 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. During the past 45 years, UTI has graduated more than 130,000 students. The organization 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).

For more information about Universal Technical Institute, Inc. and its training programs, visit www.uti.edu.

SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.