WyoTech

[Julie Jordan]

My daughter's boyfriend is looking at WyoTech trade school. I know they have an affiliation with NHRA. Does anyone have hands-on experience about this school?

[FED 387]

Talk to Bruno massel in Div 3 Comp Car--he is sponsored by them--- Nice guy he will give it to you straight---Comp 387

[stage1scott]

I worked with a guy who did the wyo deal in 1980, went on to become one of the best automotive repair techs I have known and currently holds down a very good job at a local Lexus dealer. I also just hired a kid this past march from one of these, im not sure it was wyo though-might have been UTI-he did a 2 year course and then a 12 month mercedes course-he is an excellent employee (tech school didnt give him his work ethic) BUT some of the stuff they told him when they were SELLING him on the mercedes program is utterly laughable now-and we have a good time laughing at it every day. He still couldn't jet a carb if he had to, which is ok cause he needs to be able to use computerized scan tools a lot for me, and he is good with that. my experience with applicants from tech schools is, they do get the basics, but they still cannot repair cars.............only hands on experience seems to finish instilling that.

[gymracer01]

It's always a hard choice when it comes to these private schools. I'm in my 40th year of teaching in public school Automotive programs. I have repersentatives from each of the major Tech Schools come in and talk to my seniors. I, myself went through Nashville Auto-Diesel College in 64-65, if I had not came from a mechanical background and also worked in a shop while going to school and was a car-racing nut, I don't think I would have got as much from it. As it is I have not been without work since I graduated. I have visited UTI and Northwestern U in Lima, Ohio. Both seemed to be good schools. I had a nephew graduate from Wyo-Tech a couple of years ago and has worked at a couple of dealerships since. I would go visit and talk to students and former students.
Good luck,
Jim N.

[JRyan]

A good friend is an instructor in auto body there. Excellent skills. Another young friend went to school for auto body and upholstery. He's very skilled, but get this: He bought our Olds Stocker (3400 original miles) because it had an all original interior which didn't need any work.

Jerry

[Bob Miller]

I am also in the public education system teaching auto tech. I have been to numerous tech schools and have had many students attend them, mostly UTI locally here in Houston and I must add I am very proud of all of them when they keep in touch. The best advice I give all my students is this: it does'nt matter a whole lot where they go to the good schools, if they dont apply themselves and learn all they can, even if it is what they already know, ask all they can, attend every day on time, forget the parties, and go for the top of the class, they will succeed. Then the top companies will be looking for them and they are on the road for a successful career and believe me top techs are in high demand. NHRA with Wyotech or NASCAR with UTI would be a bonus and teams do hire from these two schools. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Alan Warman]

Remember when paint and upholstery was the cheap part of building a car.

[Julie Jordan]

Thanks, guys, appreciate it. He's in his mid-20's, works as a mechanic but no certifications. I think he's realizing if he plans to stay with my daughter he better up the ante some. She is soooooo spoiled!

[Moparteacher]

I teach automotive at a community college, and I must agree with what has already been written and that is: It's not the school that will make him a compentent technician, it's his dedication to learning.

But here are a few things he should look for.
#1 NATEF certified program.
(National Automotive Technical Education Foundation) They certify training programs that teach to ASE standards.
NATEF sets the minimum standards for instructor/student contact hours, tools, equipment, curriculum, student evaluation standards, instructor minimum requirements (must be ASE master) and yearly update training, and so forth.

#2 Transferrable credits to a 4 year college. The proper accreditation, along with an articulation agreement between colleges, will allow him to seek a higher degree if he so wishes. This may allow him the opportunity to advance into a shop Forman or service managers position in the future. Many make six figures.

The proper accreditation will also allow the school/student to receive federal financial aid. WyoTech should have that accreditation for federal financial aid but I'm doubtful if any of their credits transfer to a four year college. Ask for specifics. Check with the department of education for the many various accreditations.

#3 Limited class sizes. It's hard to get an education when there are 75 students in your class and only two teachers. WyoTech, AAI, UTI, and other "for-profit" schools have a bad reputation of overfilling the labs. Imagine trying to learn how to perform a voltage drop across a starter circuit when there are a dozen guys standing around one car. It doesn't allow for a whole lotta individual hands-on.

Remember, the bottom line is the only line for the shareholders of for profit schools.

Community Colleges usually keep a cap on class size. Ours is 20.

#4 Ask if the curriculum teaches Mastery of skills, and requires individual hands-on (pass-or-fail only) mastery evaluation for a passing grade. Or does the near meaningless filling out of tasks sheets qualify as proof of mastery.

Our students have between 15 and 20 individual hands-on tasks they must perform for me one-on-one for every subject. They are pass or fail only. The hands-on test account for about 40% of they're grade. If you ever want to see some students sweet and really bust their *** to get it right (because they know there's no B, C, or D grade) then visit me during mid-terms and finals.

#5 Cost. Why spend 22K+ on an education when the community college down the street can give you the same or better education for 1/4 the cost or less? This one I don't understand. UTI, AAI, WyoTech offer 12-18 months of training for $18.5K to $23K and the CC will give you 24 months of training for $4700.
It's like purchasing less car for more money because the lesser car is marketed with motorsports.

#6 Internships. If he truly wants to learn as much as possible then he should be enrolled in an internship DURING school. This will allow him to apply what he learns as he learns. It does little good to teach someone electrical/electronics in the first semester and expect them to know it (have mastery) 18 months later if they haven't used that skill since it was taught.

GMASEP internship programs. General Motors Automotive Service Educational Programs. This allows the student to attend school half the day and work under a mentor at the dealership the other half.
This programs sets him up to graduate with a top GM training certification, ASE master certification, and an associate's degree.

Ford MLR or ASSET. Internship programs with Ford Dealers. Similar to ASEP

Chrysler CAP. Internship program.

AC Delco. Independent shop internship programs.

The school may also have developed it's own internship program with area shops.

#7 Day and evening classes so he can work around his school hours and support himself. 75% of being a successful tech is skill. Spending 8 hours a day in automotive school and working part-time in the evening or morning flippin' burgers is money poorly spent.

WyoTechs affiliation with NHRA isn't worth squat to him. It gives absolutely no guarantee of employment on a race team. Same goes for UTI or AAI. Not only is it worthless, but he'll have to pay for that sponsorship. Wyotech is a sponsor of the NHRA. They pay the NHRA to solicit potential students to become customers of their product. In the end the customer always pays for the sponsorship.

WyoTech's, and others, job placement promise is worthless for the good student. He won't need it. In fact he'll be likely to get a better job on his own, and the jobs for well trained techs are easy to find.

Hope this helps.
If you would like more information you can call me, or e-mail

Gary Weaver
Automotive Instructor
College of Southern Nevada
702-651-4089
gary.weaver@csn.edu

[Julie Jordan]

Gary, thank you so much!! We have a CC right down the street from me and that was a big focus of our conversation last night.