Universal Technical Institute Opens Enrollment at New Jersey Campus
Universal Technical Institute has opened enrollment to prospective students at its new, state-of-the-industry campus in Bloomfield, New Jersey, with classes beginning in the fall.
The campus will train students for high-tech, in-demand jobs as skilled automotive and diesel transportation technicians, according to the company. The Bloomfield campus marks the institution’s first entry into the tri-state area and will be its 13th campus nationwide.
“As we hear every day from our employer partners, there is a clear, significant and unmet demand for trained automotive and diesel technicians,” said Steve McElfresh, UTI-Bloomfield campus president. “We give students the skills needed to fill these jobs, which cannot be outsourced, automatized or offshored, and offer opportunities to build rewarding, long-term careers.”
At full capacity, the 108,000-square-foot facility will offer hands-on, high-tech training to approximately 800 students, who can complete core automotive and diesel technology programs and be ready to work in 11 to 18 months.
At its campuses across the nation, UTI partners with both local employers and transportation industry leaders, including brands like BMW, Cummins, Ford, Freightliner, Mercedes-Benz, NASCAR, Peterbilt, Porsche and Volvo. The partners invest in campus facilities, outfit training labs with the most current vehicles, technology and tools, and guide educational programs to help students graduate with the knowledge and skills employers want.
“We are thrilled to have a UTI campus in the Northeast,” said John Cragg, executive vice president – East Operations at Penske Automotive Group. “UTI is a vital source of the technicians we need to operate our 32 dealerships and collision centers in the tri-state area, and our demand for these highly skilled employees only continues to grow. We know we can rely on UTI for quality, professional technicians with high-tech skills to meet the ever-increasing requirements in automotive service.”
Last year, the federal government tripled its estimate of the number of transportation technicians needed nationwide by 2026. According to new projections, there will be more than 1.2 million job openings in the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries, and the transportation industry will have to fill more than 120,000 technician job openings every year.
The Bloomfield campus, which is accessible from the New York/New Jersey rail and bus systems, will predominantly serve a commuter population.
UTI actively participates in the STEM Education Coalition, a nationwide initiative to ensure science, technology, engineering and math skills are interwoven throughout its curriculum. UTI has also been designated a STEM Jobs Approved College by Victory Media, which created the list to assist parents, students and guidance counselors in evaluating how well education is translating into real-world jobs and how responsive institutions are to meeting the demand for STEM-based education.
