UTI and Jaguar Set the 'Pace' for New Breed of Automotive Technicians
14 October 1999
UTI and Jaguar Cars Set the 'Pace' for New Breed of Automotive Technicians; New Training Program Meets Increased Demand for Entry-Level Jaguar Technicians
PHOENIX, Oct 12 -- Universal Technical Institute (UTI), a
national private career college, has partnered with Jaguar Cars of North
America to create Professional Automotive Career Education (PACE), an
exclusive training program that prepares technicians for entry-level positions
at Jaguar dealerships.
Achievements in customer satisfaction, product quality and service have
increased the demand for Jaguar vehicles. The prestigious automotive
manufacturer estimates 130 to 150 entry-level dealership technicians are
needed each year. As a result, UTI and Jaguar Cars created PACE to produce
technicians proficient in Jaguar services and technologies.
Students enrolled in the 21-week manufacturer-based program are educated,
coached and tested in Jaguar knowledge and skills. PACE coursework includes
hands-on experience with a variety of Jaguar products and service to ensure
students acquire specific knowledge before entering a dealership's workshop.
To build practical skills, PACE students receive three days of instruction for
one day of a typical Jaguar training course.
"We partnered with UTI because of their superior automotive undergraduate
program and ability to attract students from a wide geographic area," says
Mike McDonald, service training manager for Jaguar Cars North America. "UTI's
experience in building successful graduate training programs was another key
factor in our selecting UTI as a partner."
PACE training is available at a new state-of-the-art facility in Orlando,
Fla. The 9600 square-foot facility includes a generous shop area, two large
classrooms, a library/computer resource room and a break room. Jaguar Cars
chose Orlando as the site for PACE because of the accessibility to nearby
Jaguar dealers and the vast amount of part-time jobs available for PACE
students. PACE's charter class will graduate December 17, 1999.
"Jaguar's reputation for exquisite style and well engineered products
draws many of our students to the PACE program," says Chris McWaters, director
of industry relations for UTI, Inc. "For this reason, a PACE graduate has
confidence in a secure future with a Jaguar dealership."
PACE training provides value to Jaguar dealers. The hiring Jaguar dealer
and Jaguar Cars North America will pay the full PACE program tuition when the
graduate maintains employment at the dealership for a minimum of six months.
Compared to the cost of sending a new technician to a Jaguar training center
for the same course credit, including lost production, the dealer contribution
to hire a PACE graduate is less than half.
Jaguar Cars of North America offers sales, service, parts and marketing
support to Jaguar dealers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Jaguar Cars is a
division of Ford Motor Company. For more information, log on to
http://www.jaguar.com.
Founded in 1965 in Phoenix, Ariz., UTI is recognized as one of the top
technical education institutions in the United States. UTI offers accelerated
career-specific training in automotive, diesel, heating/ventilation/air
conditioning/refrigeration, marine, motorcycle and personal watercraft. The
company has graduated more than 50,000 students and has campuses in Phoenix,
Ariz.; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Glendale Heights, Ill. and
Houston, Tex.
For more information about UTI and automotive graduate training programs,
check out http://www.uticorp.com.