Recently, at the 2015 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NASCAR and Universal Technical Institute (UTI) announced a 10-year partnership extension, ensuring their official partnership will continue providing training for students seeking employment in the motorsports and automotive services industries.
In 2002, NASCAR opened a UTI subsidiary school, called the NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). Since that time, NASCAR and UTI have partnered to offer a curriculum that has developed new generations of technicians to serve motorsports and the automotive services industries.
“UTI has created a pipeline of highly skilled automotive technicians that have been embedded throughout the NASCAR ecosystem for the past 15 years,” said Norris Scott, NASCAR vice president of partnership marketing. “Our 10-year extension underscores the mutual benefit of our partnership and sets us up for a decade of success.”
UTI Vice President John Dodson will discuss the early renewal live on Fanschoice.TV from the Las Vegas Convention Center, where each year more than 100,000 industry executives, buyers, influencers and car enthusiasts attend the SEMA Show. Afterward, a special panel of NASCAR Tech graduates, each now gainfully employed within the motorsports industry, will share stories about the program’s impact on their professional careers.
“This long-term renewal accentuates the sustained success of our program, and perfectly aligns with our plans to celebrate UTI’s 50th anniversary this upcoming year,” said Dodson. “By offering students hands-on experience and the opportunity to build relationships with key manufacturers, our students graduate with the ideal skill set to succeed in this competitive industry.”
NASCAR Tech has become a leader in the industry for technical education, graduating thousands of students. Four out of five graduates from NASCAR Tech find employment in careers within their field of study. Team Penske has hired nearly 50 NASCAR Tech graduates, more than any other team.
NASCAR Tech alumni featured at the SEMA Show include Jennifer LaFever, who manages quality assurance at Roush Yates Racing Engines, and Van Nguyen, a development engineer for Toyota Racing Development.
The graduates will be joined on the panel by Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Prior to competing in NASCAR’s national series, Larson won the 2012 championship in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where his Rev Racing car engines were built and maintained by NASCAR Tech students.