One decade ago this month, NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech) – a branch of Universal Technical Institute – became the first exclusive educational partner of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR). The 146,000-square-foot training facility located in Mooresville, NC, opened in July 2002 as the first technical school of its kind to combine automotive training and a NASCAR-approved technologies curriculum into one program.
Today, NASCAR Tech is celebrating 10 years of operation and has helped change the vernacular from auto mechanic to automotive technician. With state-of-the-industry classrooms designed to effectively train students for the workforce, NASCAR Tech has become the leader for automotive technical education, graduating thousands in its 10-year existence.
“We are fortunate to have had such exceptional partnerships with NASCAR, racing teams, industry partners and dealerships that have offered our graduates opportunities to wake up every day and work in industries that they love and are passionate about,” said Jennifer Waber-Bergeron, campus president for NASCAR Technical Institute. “The work these students and grads undertake each day goes beyond the definition of mechanic. The work is so technical we wouldn’t call them anything other than technicians.”
In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, NASCAR Tech will spotlight graduates who have excelled in their industry. Since its opening, thousands of NASCAR Tech graduates have gone on to careers in the automotive repair and motorsports industry. Many have benefited from the school’s specialized programs, providing students with valuable, hands-on training in the heart of NASCAR country.
“We are proud to say that for a decade, NASCAR Tech has delivered thousands of well-trained and professional entry-level technicians to both the motorsports and automotive industries,” said Todd Armstrong, managing director, NASCAR Automotive Group. “The extraordinary number of skilled automotive technicians Universal Technical Institute had cultivated made them the ideal partner for NASCAR Tech. The result has been a one-of-a-kind, NASCAR-approved technologies curriculum that better prepares students to enter the extraordinarily competitive motorsports industry.”
During the past 10 years, NASCAR Tech also has been an integral part of the community and has given back through several different initiatives. In 2010, NASCAR Tech students and staff volunteered more than 10,000 hours to more than 50 organizations. The campus has received many awards including the 2010 NASCAR Diversity Affairs Award and 2010 Motorsports Industry Award from the North Carolina Motorsports Association. Since 2011, NASCAR Tech students have built engines for NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing, producing a total of eight NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victories.