Local businesses, elected officials, industry executives, and education and community leaders gathered Wednesday night to commemorate the grand opening of Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI)’s new state-of-the-industry campus in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
The company’s thirteenth campus and its first in the Tri-State Area, UTI-Bloomfield will give students throughout the region high-tech, hands-on training in automotive and diesel service technology and prepare them to fill high-demand careers in the transportation industry. This “metro model” campus serves a commuter population and, with access to public transit, allows students to live and work at home, while they train. Programs are designed to give students flexible schedules, and reduce the overall cost of their education.
During the event, Ford Motor Company announced that the company will offer its Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT) at UTI-Bloomfield. This 15-week advanced program trains students to work with Ford’s exclusive technology and state-of-the-industry computer diagnostics, electrical and diesel technologies. Students are eligible to take Ford FACT after they successfully complete UTI’s core automotive or diesel programs. Since Ford and UTI launched FACT in 2000, more than 25,000 students have graduated from the program.
“Ford is invested in building a pipeline of qualified technicians by encouraging schools such as UTI-Bloomfield to include FACT,” said Dave Johnson, Ford Motor Company’s global director, Service Engineering Operations . “As an added action, Ford recently developed a new program geared toward increasing recruitment and retention of automotive service technicians. This grass roots initiative aims to drive partnerships between automotive training programs and hiring Ford and Lincoln Dealers enabling future career opportunities in this high demand profession.”
UTI-Bloomfield’s grand opening celebration featured tours of the 108,000-square-foot facility, remarks from Johnson and UTI’s Chief Operating Officer, Jerome Grant, as well as a keynote address by Robert Asaro-Angelo, the New Jersey Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, who brought greetings and support from Governor Phil Murphy.
“Building a stronger and fairer New Jersey economy starts with investing in our people,” the Governor said via video, “and UTI is giving New Jersey’s talented workforce the skills and training they need to pursue successful and fulfilling careers in the transportation and automotive industries.”
In his remarks, Asaro-Angelo also highlighted the importance of robust technical education in New Jersey and across the country, and the need for new, well-trained technicians in the automotive and diesel industries, especially given today’s technological advancements and innovations.
“Career Technical Education programs such as UTI’s bring an element of reality and practicality to the classroom and match the real-world needs of our Garden State employers,” said Asaro-Angelo.
In addition to providing high-tech training and career opportunities for up to 800 students per year in the Tri-State area, UTI Bloomfield will serve local employers’ urgent need for trained technicians and play an important role in building the region’s skilled workforce. Businesses in the New York/New Jersey area