Skilled technicians providing services essential to the economy during the pandemic
Brandon Rubio is at the front of the supply funnel. The diesel engine specialist and UTI-Houston graduate maintains and repairs high-tech farm equipment, and helps the hard-hit agricultural industry continue to operate. Recently, he participated in an equipment repair project that kept a large citrus farm in business and, as the food industry deals with ongoing supply chain challenges and prepares for a ramp up in production, his work has become increasingly important.
"I feel like a doctor for vehicles who is critical to keeping our country operating during this time," Rubio said. "I'm extremely proud to be an essential worker and feel privileged to still have a job."
During the pandemic, many delivery and truck drivers have also emerged as essential workers, with numerous healthcare providers referring to them as fellow first responders. In response, UTI-Exton graduate Dylan Bansi, a Peterbilt technician who services diesel vehicles and engines, is now prioritizing over-the-road trucks that transport hospital equipment, medication, food and key consumer goods.
"It feels good knowing you're following your passion while helping the world right now," Bansi says. "We're not only standing behind the Peterbilt brand, but we're helping out the ones in need the most."
Just as crucial to the supply chain are the industrial loaders and forklifts that move goods and supplies on and off trucks, trains, ships and loading docks and are used in warehouses and retail environments. Dustin Bogan, a field service manager at Crown Equipment Corporation, leads a team of field technicians who service and repair this equipment.
"It's a job I'm fortunate to have because forklifts are in demand to move virtually everything, including essential products like food and medical supplies," said Bogan. "The skills taught at NASCAR Technical Institute help tremendously as a forklift technician, and that's why a large percentage of our local workforce is comprised of their graduates."
While the jobs UTI graduates pursue vary, many UTI-trained technicians work in jobs that keep essential infrastructure moving, and others – like Ben Phelps – are literally doing life-saving work.
Phelps is a former firefighter and an Army veteran who worked on Black Hawk helicopters. After graduating from UTI-Orlando, he maintains and repairs fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles. At the peak of pandemic and in areas facing surges of COVID-19 patients, emergency service fleets operate at capacity, and the work Phelps does keeps them in service. He says he still considers himself a first responder and worries there aren't enough emergency service technicians to meet the growing need.
Rubio, Bansi, Bogan and Phelps, along with thousands of other UTI graduates, work in jobs that require sophisticated technical skills and will be in demand for years to come. They are also making a tremendous difference in the communities they serve.
"Especially now, we are extremely proud that so many of our graduates are delivering services essential to the economy, including industries like healthcare agriculture, energy and distribution," said Jerome Grant, UTI's Chief Executive Officer. "They are truly keeping our country running."
For more information about UTI, visit www.uti.edu.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
With more than 220,000 graduates in its 54-year history, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the nation's leading provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, and offers welding technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining programs. The company has built partnerships with industry leaders, outfits its state-of-the-industry facilities with current technology, and delivers training that is aligned with employer needs. Through its network of 13 campuses nationwide, UTI offers post-secondary 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). The company is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
For more information, visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet, and @NASCARTechUTI.
