June 17, 2013 - From Real Estate Agent to BMW Service Technician
Every day, millions of people sit behind computers in the confines of three-sided “offices” making up an evergreen community better known as ‘cube land.’ Many of these people are dreamers, often spending their days thinking about dropping everything to pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, many revert back to the job that offers security over satisfaction. Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Rancho Cucamonga graduate, James Kim, was one of those ‘cube land’ inhabitants, but instead of sticking to the status quo, he pursued a life-long passion.
While Kim wasn’t sitting behind a desk all the time, he was working in an unfulfilling real estate job and was looking for a change. Making just enough money to make ends meet he decided to break out of his career rut and began searching for a job to satisfy him emotionally and economically.
With an interest in cars that began as a child growing up in Los Angeles, Kim began perusing the Internet for opportunities in the automotive industry. He ultimately ended up on Universal Technical Institute’s (UTI) homepage and was immediately drawn to the call-to-action to ‘start a new career path.’
“I’ve always had an interest in cars and knew I really wanted to be a part of the industry,” said Kim.
Kim didn’t waste any time and began filling out the application that would ultimately lead to his acceptance a week later. Kim was most interested in UTI’s Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT), so he began fulfilling the requirements that started with completing the 51-week core Automotive Training Program at UTI’s-Rancho Cucamonga campus. After earning his core automotive certificate, Kim began the post-graduate acceptance process. After a few weeks filled with tests and multiple interviews, he was accepted into the 24-week post-graduate BMW Service Technician Education Program (STEP). Offered at the Phoenix, Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla. Campuses, the post-graduate program offers students a number of benefits. If accepted, students in the BMW STEP program work on some of the most advanced cars in the world and BMW pays the way.
Six-months later, Kim graduated with his post-graduate certificate and was offered a job at the BMW STEP Manheim Atlanta Rework Facility as a BMW service technician. Kim spends his days performing required services and repairs on a range of BMW models, and to his liking, is being compensated well for it.
“Changing careers was not an easy task,” said Kim. “I had a lot going on in my life and kept delaying the process of trying something new.”
The most amazing part about Kim’s journey is that when he enrolled at UTI he had absolutely no experience working in the automotive industry and had little automotive intuitiveness. A true testament to the knowledge and dedication the UTI instructors, education managers, directors and leadership teams possess to truly ‘change the world one life at a time.’
“The friendly staff at UTI guided me through the entire process,” said Kim. “They were there for me from the moment I filled out that first application until I graduated from BMW STEP.”
Now 41, Kim is enjoying his new career and couldn’t be happier with his decision to enroll at UTI. His only regret, “Why didn’t I do this earlier,” he says.
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