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March 14, 2014 - Universal Technical Institute Hosts Top Tech Challenge Student Auto Skills Competition

Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI), the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, hosted the Top Tech Challenge at its Norwood campus on January 25, an event that brought together two-person student teams from over twenty high schools across New England to test their knowledge of automotive tools, systems, and repair procedures in a competition for scholarships and a UTI Snap-On® tool box valued at $10,000 for their high school automotive program.

Matthew Al-sip of Berkley and Jonathan Salamanca of Taunton, both seniors in the automotive technology program at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School in Taunton, Massachusetts, won first place for achieving the highest score overall on a written test and four hands-on challenge stations involving parts and tool identification, brakes, diagnostics, and electrical systems.  The winning team earned a UTI Snap-On® tool box valued at $10,000 for their high school automotive technology program. In addition, each student received a $1000 UTI scholarship.

Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School automotive technology students Michael DeSa of Dighton and Dylan Pacheco of Rehoboth earned second place in the competition, scoring only one point behind the first place team. DeSa and Pacheco each earned a $500 UTI scholarship for their performance, and both plan to attend UTI-Norwood after their high school graduation this spring.

Finishing in third place were Craig Carper and Jake Cummings from Dover High School in New Hampshire, who each earned $250 UTI scholarship awards. Both students are seniors in the school’s automotive technology program.

Skills competitions such as the Top Tech Challenge allow students to test the knowledge and skills they’ve learned in school and to see first-hand how STEM principles are used in productive careers.

“The skills gap issue employers are facing makes the need to connect jobs to education more critical than ever before,” said Scott Adler, Regional Admissions Director for UTI-Norwood. “There’s a need for qualified automotive technicians across New England and UTI is proud to support opportunities for students interested in pursuing a career in this field,”

For more information on UTI’s Norwood campus in the Boston area, visit the website and stay connected on Facebook or Twitter.

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