April 3, 2013 - Local Official Visits Universal Technical Institute in Orlando

Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, Vinny Barber, local marketing manager at UTI and Susan Makowski, administrative aide for Commissioner Thompson, take a moment to be photographed at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) in Orlando.

Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Orlando recently welcomed local commissioner Jennifer Thompson for a campus tour. Thompson and her staff toured UTI, the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) and the Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI-Marine). The Commissioner, who governs in Orange County District 4 where the Orlando campus is located, spent time learning about UTI, its training programs and its students.

“It was exciting to see the top-notch industry partnerships that UTI has and the hands-on training it offers students,” said Thompson. “Higher education isn’t a one-size-fits-all model — and to meet the skills gap in the automotive industries, we need to offer students a variety of education options so they can be prepared to enter the workforce.”

“We were honored to have Commissioner Thompson tour the campus so she could see the positive effects of our in-depth training on manufacturer-specific products,” said Vinny Barber, marketing manager at UTI-Orlando. “Our team demonstrated UTI’s commitment to preparing students for long-term employment as qualified entry-level technicians — a field that has a huge demand.”