BATON ROUGE, La. (Oct. 16, 2007) – Hurricane Katrina forced more
than 200,000 New Orleans families from their homes to start new lives
in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. With more residents, the number
of automobiles on the local roads has significantly increased.
According
to the 2007 Manpower Talent Shortage Survey, mechanics* are ranked
third on the list of most in demand employees throughout the United
States. There is a nationwide demand, but the serious shortage of
automotive, collision repair and diesel technicians in Louisiana has
left the area with few employees who are working overtime on
booked-solid repair schedules.
In an effort to provide a solution, Universal Technical Institute
(UTI), a leading provider of technical education for students
interested in careers as automotive, collision repair and diesel
technicians for more than four decades, is hosting the Louisiana
Technician Career Opportunity Expo on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Holiday
Inn South (located at 9940 Airline Highway in Baton Rouge) from 6-9
p.m. More than 20 local automotive, collision repair and diesel
companies have aligned for the first time to shed light on the serious
demand in Louisiana and representatives from each will be on-hand at
the Expo to discuss career opportunities that are available after
training. While hiring packages vary between the employers, many are
offering such benefits as tuition reimbursement, tool allowance and
relocation assistance.
UTI’s educational representatives and campus staff will also be
available to provide information about the training, financial aid
options and GI Bill/VA Benefits eligibility. In addition, several UTI
graduates, who currently have rewarding careers as automotive
technicians in the Baton Rouge area, will be sharing their stories at
the Expo.
This initiative helps fill the gap for the service and repair
industry by presenting an alternative education opportunity for
Louisiana residents. UTI offers an opportunity to enroll in a technical
training program that significantly accelerates their education and
prepares them to enter the workforce in a short time period.
“The shortage of automotive technicians is a national problem,” said
Eddie Guenard, Parts and Service Group coordinator at Brian Harris
Automotive Group. “It is particularly significant in Baton Rouge
because we have an increase of cars but no one to service them. UTI
provides the technical hands-on training that helps students make an
easy transition into a professional career after graduating. In fact,
86 percent of our workforce has graduated from UTI’s Houston campus and
they have out-performed other technicians in talent and skill.”
Representatives from Acura of Baton Rouge, All Star Automotive, Bill
Hood Ford, Bolton Ford, Brian Harris Autoplex, Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railroad, Cummins Mid South, Gerry Lane, Jackie Edgar Ford, Le
Blanc Nissan, Louisiana Machinery, Moss Motors, Peake BMW, Penske Truck
Rental, Robinson Brothers Ford, Royal Nissan, Southpoint Volkswagen,
Team Honda, Travel Centers of America, Union Pacific Railroad, Walker
Acura, and Walker Automotive will be present at the Expo to discuss
career opportunities.
“UTI is working with key local companies to help recruit and retain
qualified professional technicians for the Louisiana area,” said UTI
Houston Campus President Ken Golaszewski. “The community has already
gone through so much and we are honored to lead an initiative that
provides life-changing opportunities and solutions for the Baton Rouge
area.” For more information about the Expo, contact UTI’s Houston
campus toll-free at 800-325-0354.
* Although "mechanic" is referenced in the Manpower Talent Shortage
Survey, "technician" is the term accepted by the commercial and
motorsports industries that better reflects the technical skills and
professionalism required on the job.