Anyone had experience with either/both? Which one is the better school? I'm looking in the gerneral automotive feild, not necessarily just for rods/customs, although that would be nice.
I went to UTI and I have hired a couple dudes from wyotech, and I think you should get a job sweeping floors and work you way up the ladder. Save 20,000 and learn through experience instead of reading a book. One of the guys I hired said last week that he has learned more in 4 months of working here, than he did his whole time at wyotech, but wyotech did get his foot in the door. So do whatya want. Rodger
A good freind of mine went to UTI and is certified in every automotive section a dealer could want...took just about every class they offered. Passed with great grades and did great all around. He's a janitor at one of the roush facilities! Not that he didn't try to get a job wrenchin, I even tried to get him a job were I work...The HR folk said they passed on him 'cause he went to UTI!
Here is some advice straight from the horses mouth. If you want to turn a wrench for a living at a dealership or a custom hot rod place then go to a local community college near you with a 2 year auto tech program. When you are there get as many ASE certifications as you can. Belive me, the dealerships and hot rod shops look at ASE certification much more highly than what grades you get in auto tech classes (don't slack off though). I went through a 4 year Auto Tech program at Central Missouri State University. I got excellent grades in all of my Auto Tech classes; however, I never got any ASE certification (I could have taken it at a discounted rate too). Now I am working for the Boy Scouts of America (yeah it is TOTALLY unrelated). Then again, I didn't want to turn a wrench. However, if I ever want to be a Service Manager at a dealership I would have to go get ASE certification (and more "official" time turning a wrench). To tell you the truth, I have never heard of UTI. I have heard of Wyo Tech though. No personal experience though. Maybe it would be a good place. If you want to do more than turn a wrench, go to a 4 year school. A business degree, managment degree etc. will take you far. What people say about a degree letting you get your foot in the door is TOTALLY true. I JUST experienced that since I graduated last August. College is the best investment you can make with your money. Good luck.
With all the great replies (albeit negative), has anyone gone through the auto program here in Austin at ACC? I have a few friends that did but that was back in the 80's, pre-EFI.
I know nothing about UTI except the classes are not 8 hrs a day and five days a week so getting through school takes a little longer. With that said. I went to WyoTech in Sept '96 and took the collision/refinishing, trim and upholstery and the Street Rod course. After graduation I worked at a body shop for a few months and then got a job with Shelby American first doing tin work on Cobras, then body assembly on the Series 1 and eventually ended up running the fiberglass shop where the bodies are made at Indian Springs, NV. That facility was located inside a Prison (I was not incarcerated). After 4+ years I decided to come to work at WyoTech to pass along the knowledge I had gained after being a student but to also to further my own skills. I have had many of the best things in life happen to me by working on cars and I knew absolutely nothing before I came to WyoTech. This does not mean that everyone that comes here would be a lucky as I was but with hard work, a real drive to work with cars and some professionalism you might have a chance. You have to really want to do it. You will not get rich in this business; it has to be for the love of cars that drives you. Brick Casper
Bump for any more suggestions/experiences. I appreciate all of you guys who posted info, good and bad.
You can see Antelope everyday on your way to class at Wyo-Tech, learn to drive on ice and snow, and even freeze your balls off!! Geno
i went to uti, but not for the auto program. i had friends in it though. i think i learned more than they did working at El Polackos shop!
I'll agree with those that said it'll get your foot in a door, but not much else. I got an AAS from Ferris State in Heavy Equipment. Granted, I wasn't the best student, but I got good enough grades. My first job was at a construction equipment dealer, doing pre delivery inspections, whoopdy fucking do. After all that school, and applying for like 30 jobs, I got one for a whopping $8 an hour. After that, I got a gig in a body shop, then went back to the HEQT field, for a whole $10 an hour. (notice $2 an hour raise in 2 years). Then I got really lucky and got a gig overhauling gas turbines for the govt. Really lucky. Till last May, got axed. Now I'm back working on semi's. The money is ok, but the BS factor is huge. What I'm saying is this... most people look at a college degree as a "passport" kind of thing. I make more with my AAS than some of my friends with a BS in Engineering, and for damn sure some of my friends with PHD's in things like Social Service or liberal arts. The best thing to do if ya wanna learn, is find a shop that's willing to teach. Schools cool, but if you don't have the cash, don't go into debt to get a piece of paper. Earn and learn. And, since you're young, I'm stressing the learn part. Take advantage of everything you can to learn a trade. It's hard to concentrate at that age, I know. But I wish I would have. My .002. Jay
Have had a few guys over the last couple years apply from both UTI and Wyo, the problem I found was, none of them could ADAPT. Example, if the "class" built a 32 coupe, they could replicate that exact car, but if a 34 Chevy came in, they were lost. I would (and have) apprentenced kids that were willing to come in and sweep floors ANYDAY over those schools grads. Sure the kid sweeping floors and learning by being shown here and there isn't making much (ok, anything) but last I checked, he didn't have to pay ME $20K either. If he showed interest, I taught him, if not, eh, at least my floors were clean, but he wasn't out the money. "Book learning" is good in many fields, just not sure it beats "hands on" in customising. You can read as many books as you like on chopping tops, but until you can hold the tools, feel how the heat affects metal, you don't know squat.
I was looking more toward the maufacturer specific programs they had at UTI: BMW, Mercedes, Porsche. I would rather build custom cars all day long, but finding someone where I live to apprentice a 24yr old who's never welded is kinda tough. By no means am I giving up old cars. I'm looking for a career I can count on (oxymoron?). I know there will always be rich folk, and they will forever be buying the latest and greatest, and they'll need folks to fix em.
Well I'm at UTI in Illinois right now. I go 6 hrs a day, 5 days a week. So far I'm just in the automotive program. I don't know exactly what I want to do in the automotive field, all I know is that I want to work in it. Most of the people that I've talked to have said that you will need to have prior field experience in order to get anywhere out of school, which in my mind makes sense. Now I started going there because I didn't know very much about cars outside of what i have read in magazines and online. I am learning a great deal so far, but it is all geared towards working on a line at a dealership. Now like I said I don't know if working at a dealership is what I want to do, but I know one thing there is the possibility to make some money if I go that way. But that's if I play the game right. One thing that I think is very beneficial of the school is you can take ASE certification tests at a discounted price than if you were taking them through a community college or just on your own, now is that worth $20g's maybe maybe not, but I am enjoying it and succeeding up there. One thing that I am looking into though is taking the welding courses at my local community college, because after talking to Hotrodchassis this sunday at his open house I realize that it would be a good idea if I want to go into performance/customs in the future. Not to mention I want to learn how to weld. Also, the campus that I am at for UTI does not have collision repair, but others do, if that is what you are looking to go into. In the long run, you'd have to ask yourself if you're willing to take the hit in your scheduling and social life to go to school for a year or more depending on what you take. I have no clue of what wyotech has to offer but I think they are more customizing oriented than technician on a dealership line. But for the people who tell you that just because one shop doesn't hire you because you went to UTI (not a shot at anyone, I've been told it by other ppl too), that's just one shop and there are a ton more out there usually. Also, if someone who posted earlier said that they went to UTI but now are working with the Boy Scouts. But the same thing happens at 4 year universities all the time. I have a friend who went to school and majored in psycology and is now a bar manager, not even related to the field. The most important thing is that you have the certifications, the knowledge, and the drive once you leave there to let yourself succeed. Sorry about the length everyone, but I just went through a decision like this a few months ago, so just trying to be as helpful as possible. edit: I just read the last two posts above me, and I'm in the same position as Mancha. I've been trying to find a shop to apprentice at or like s.r.i said just clean up at. But around here there is nothing like that or there is and the owners aren't willing to bring me aboard. I was good friends with a performance shop owner right here in town, and he said the same thing about UTI grads, they can't adapt, they can do everything by the books. I spose that's true about what they are teaching us, but that's what they need to do in the field if they are at a dealership. One car after another of the same car, they don't need to customize. That's where I run into a big problem, I want to be in the custom field or the performance field, but I don't know how to make a career out of that and I couldn't find anything at ISU that would be a good career for me. So now the plan is to go to UTI to have a career hopefully, then move out from there after I have money, and experience, and certifications. And I doubt my parents would be happy with me wanting to leave UTI to go to a community college, but who knows maybe that is where life will take me.
That was my philosiphy when I went to UTI. I went to the automotive program. It was 6hrs a day, 5 days a week. Get into one of the programs, it will do you good.
I'm a current student at Wyotech and personally I go back and forth or weather I think it is total bullshit or actually a good program. I'm in the collision/ref. major currently. Honestly Wyo Tech is getting full as fuck at least where I am, in PA. Don't listen to the fucking wyotech rep either beause they will fill your head full of BS. Those guys are cocks. Do your research and figure out what you really want to be there for. If you are only going for street rod, then honestly I would think long and hard on actually going. Personally, now that i know better, and now that i've regretted Wyotech for 9 months. I know I can buy at least five junk cars to practice a chop on for way less than 20g's... If you have a decent Idea on how to do bodywork, buy some books and pick up a goddamn torch and do something. Take some welding clases at a JC if you have to. If you go to Wyotech though, and take collision/refinishing you will learn a lot about chopping a top without actually doing it. Basically everything but sectioning the roof and cutting glass. Things to think about.
I didn't go to UTI I went to Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, MO. I graduated with a BS in Automotive Technology and German and a MS in Industrial Management. I always thought I would end up working for a big German automotive manufacturer. HECK, I even had an internship in Alfdorf, Germany with TRW. But now I am working with the Boy Scouts. True my current job has nothing to do with my education; however, one thing that everyone forgot to mention... Just because you get a job that isn't related to your education doesn't mean that it will suck. I love my job! They pay me great money to wear a Boy Scout uniform and go into schools and talk about Scouting. Anybody else have a better job? Mancha, if you want to end up working for high end companies like BMW, Porsche, Mercedes then I guarantee you will need a BS in Engineering if you want to get in because of your education. I interviewed with all three of those companies and found out that they really like people with Engineering degrees (it must be something Germans look for). If you want to service high end cars then talk to Gas Stove Bolt. He is a new member on HAMB (a friend of my dad). He used to work as a Service Manager at a Lexus dealership. He was getting paid the BIG BUCKS! Now he teaches at the Joe Herndon Technical School in Raytown, MO. He loves the job he is doing now, he could tell you everything you ever wanted to know about starting a career in the automotive field.
35 years ago I graduated from a 4 year college with a degree in Education and fresh teacher's certification...I got my first teaching job and after the first few days in class in front of 30 8th graders I was feeling that all of my education was BS cause they really didn't teach me anything about being a teacher. I continued to learn on the job and 2 years ago I retired after 34 years in the education field. I tell this story because what ever you want to do in life, you need to have "book" knowlege as well as practical "hands on" knowledge. Nothing beats actually working on that six banger or getting grease on your hands, but you also better have enough "book" knowledge so you don't spend tons of time making trial and error mistakes. The real bottom line is the person involved. With some people, no matter how much "book" learning they have, they have no concept of working with others , taking instruction from people with more experince, or the knowlege to run a business. No matter how much education they have, they will never be a success. On the other hand a person who has a good basis of knowledge and the willingness to learn from others and their own mistakes, will go far in any task they take on. Mancha, you need to look at what you already know, what you want to learn, what you want to do with that knowledge, and then make your decision. Everyone out in this world will have their own biases but in the long run you need to to do what is right for you. Each school will have = and - and you will find people who had good luck and those who think each suck. No matter what decision you make, you will someday question whether it was the right decision...this is natural happening and a far better thing than not making a choice and always wondering "what if!" Good luck in your decision.
They have manufacturer programs like VW, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, and the list goes on and on. It's like a graduate program where when you graduate you take these classes that are specific to that manufacturer. I took the VW one cause they guaranteed me $15hr to start straight out of school. Of course there are other programs that offer more or less, but they had a set price. Once you get out of the program, there is still alot to learn in the real world, but you have the basic knowledge to learn the rest.
You guys are fucking great. I appreciate each one of you for letting me know what you think. Derek, I do plan on getting into one of the graduate programs, that is the whole reason I would go to UTI. I do have some experience at a dealership. I worked at a dodge dealership as the garage bitch basically for a little while, as well as wrenching on my own cars.
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