SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal
Technical Institute (UTI) announced a three-year agreement with
Bass Pro Shops to supply boats and accessory equipment to support
the marine technician training program at UTI's Marine Mechanics
Institute (MMI) campus in Orlando,
Florida.
Through the agreement, Bass Pro Shops will supply seven fully
loaded boats and related accessory equipment for use as training
aids and will collaborate with MMI to enhance the curricula of the
Capstone and Rigging courses in its Marine Technician Specialist
program.
The new partnership gives students the opportunity to train on
the latest models of fiberglass and aluminium boats as well as a
pipeline to employment opportunities at 97 Bass Pro Shops Power Pro
Service Centers across North
America.1
"Bass Pro Shops is widely recognized as the leading retailer in
recreational boating and fishing, and we are thrilled to partner
with them to help train the next generation of marine technicians,"
said John Dodson, vice president,
business alliances at UTI.
"Interest in recreational boating continues to grow and we are
experiencing strong demand for marine technicians at Bass Pro
Service Centers across the country," said Wayne Stokes, director of retail operations for
Bass Pro's Tracker Boat Center. "Collaborating with MMI to enhance
the learning environment and introduce students to the excellent
career opportunities at our Service Centers helps ensure that we
can keep our customers' boats operating at peak efficiency for
years to come."
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) reports
boat sales are strong for the $35.9
billion U.S. recreational boating industry. An estimated
238,000 new powerboats were sold in 2015, an increase of 8.5
percent compared to 2014. NMMA anticipates sales of new powerboats
to increase as much as 7 percent in 2016.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports there will be more than 1.2
million jobs in the diesel, automotive, motorcycle and marine
industries in the United States by
the year 2024. To reach that total, the transportation industry
will have to fill more than 37,000 technician job openings on
average every year.2
"Adding the nation's premier boating retailer to our team of
marine engine manufacturer partners gives our students the
opportunity to train on state-of-the-industry equipment from stem
to stern and will further enhance their ability to deliver value to
employers the moment they step into the shop," said Steve McElfresh, campus president of
Universal Technical Institute,
Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute in
Orlando.
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops®, which
specializes in outdoor fun, operates 99 retail locations and 97
Tracker Boat Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120
million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which
feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other
outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers
throughout the world. The company's Tracker Marine Group®
(http://www.trackermarine.com), a leading brand of fishing boats
for more than 37 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats
for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops
resort Big Cedar Lodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com), voted by Travel
+ Leisure as one of the top 50 Best Hotels for Families in the U.S.
For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com. To request a
free catalog, call 1-800-BASS PRO. Follow us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/bassproshops.
About Universal Technical
Institute, Inc.: Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is
the leading provider of postsecondary education for students
seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision
repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. With more than 200,000
graduates in its 51-year history, UTI offers undergraduate degree
and diploma programs at 12 campus locations across the United States, as well as
manufacturer-specific training programs at dedicated training
centers. Through its campus-based school system, UTI provides
specialized post-secondary education programs under the banner of
several well-known brands, including Universal
Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute
and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute
(NASCAR Tech).
For more information, visit www.uti.edu. Like UTI on
www.facebook.com/UTI or follow UTI on Twitter @UTITweet, @MMITweet
and @NASCARTechUTI.
For information about our graduation rates, the median debt of
students who completed the program and other important information,
visit our website at www.uti.edu/disclosure.
1 MMI cannot guarantee employment or
salary.
2 Based on data compiled
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014-2024),
www.bls.gov, viewed December 8, 2015.
Media
Contacts:
|
|
Jody
Kent
|
Tanza
Smith
|
Universal Technical
Institute, Inc.
|
Bass Pro
Shops
|
Phone: (623)
445-0872
|
Phone:
417-873-5059
|
jkent@uti.edu
|
tmsmith3@basspro.com
|
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SOURCE Universal Technical
Institute, Inc.